This story was first published on August 12, 2019, and has been updated.
Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide and sexual abuse that some readers may find triggering. For mental health crisis support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
During Wednesday night’s ARIA Awards ceremony, Suffa of Australian hip hop group Hilltop Hoods stepped up to the microphone, having accepted the trophy for 2019’s Best Live Act.
After offering the standard thanks to the group’s wives and children, the veteran MC closed with a bizarre claim: “Jeffrey Epstein didn’t kill himself.”
The eyebrow-raising statement referred to the death of a billionaire financier, who was found dead in his New York prison cell on August 10 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The New York City medical examiner’s office ruled Epstein’s death a suicide. But the sex offender’s ties to princes, politicians and other powerful people has fuelled wild conspiracy theories to the contrary.
Within hours of his death, online theorists offered unsubstantiated speculation – including some retweeted by President Donald Trump – that the disgraced financier’s death wasn’t a suicide, or it was faked, to prevent him from criminally implicating his famous friends.
Conjecture resurged after Epstein's July 6 arrest on allegations that he orchestrated a sex-trafficking ring involving a number of underage girls. Several of his accusers have described being recruited by the wealthy financier with an offer of genuine employment, before being sexually abused by him and his circle of wealthy friends and acquaintances.
The combination created fertile ground for theories and misinformation to breed on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Epstein, 66, had been denied bail and faced up to 45 years behind bars on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges unsealed last month. He had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial next year.
The high-profile acquaintances.
His relationships with Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew, were at the centre of those online rumours and theories, many of which question what politicians knew about Epstein's alleged sex crimes.
Some online commentators, without any evidence, described his death as a "murder attempt".
"Men in high places want Epstein dead," one Twitter use wrote.
Both #ClintonBodyCount and #TrumpBodyCount were trending on the platform in August, and there were also many people speculating about the role of the Royal family.
Trump's son Don Jr shared a conspiracy theory about the conspiracy theories, suggesting that Twitter was purposely trending one higher than the other.
The speculation was only fuelled by Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein’s brother, who argued that the injuries found on Epstein’s neck were more consistent with homicide than suicide.
However, Attorney General William Barr told AP this week that surveillance footage from the night of Epstein's death shows that no one accessed the area where his cell was located.
The FBI and the US Inspector General are continuing to investigate the systemic failures that led to the suicide.
So far, two prison guards have been charged with conspiracy and falsifying records. Prosecutors will allege that Tova Noel, 31, and Michael Thomas, 41, made false statements in jail logs to make it seem as though they performed mandated checks on Epstein and other detainees in their care at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Instead, they allegedly napped, browsed the internet and sat at their desks.
The men are due to face trial in April 2020.
Suicide watch?
Epstein's death came just a day after several documents providing more extensive details on how an alleged sex trafficking network operated between 2002 and 2005 were unsealed on Friday, August 9.
Epstein was placed on suicide watch after an apparent suicide attempt last month, though US media including The New York Times reported the watch had been removed a few days before he died.
Conspiracy theories then began circulating about why the decision to remove it was made, with many suggesting it was done either to allow him to end his own life or to make it easier for someone else to do it for him.
A lawyer for Epstein, Marc Fernich, said at the time that prosecutors, reporters and court officials have "blood on their hands".
Epstein had pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy and was denied bail.
-With AAP.
If this article has raised issues for you, please seek professional help and contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
Top Comments
My current favourite theory is one I read today, that he's not dead at all. It was all faked, so he can go into witness protection and blab about all his powerful friends.
Given there are now 4 separate official investigations into his death, I don’t think we can either confirm nor rule out foul play yet.
This story involves a lot of players over a long time, but neither Bill Clinton nor Donald Trump have been accused by anyone of inappropriate behaviour involving Epstein.
In 2016 over two dozen women cane forward to accuse Trump of sexual misconduct or crimes during the campaign. Each one was strangely a Democrat and after the election, every case was dropped. One of these was a woman claiming Trump raped her as a girl in 92 and she later recognised him on The Apprentice. After police questioned her, she voluntarily withdrew her claim.
Bill Clinton hasn’t been convicted of anything either, although he did have his law license revoked and has paid out hundreds of thousands in compensation to female accusers of his, all of whom where over the age of consent.
There is a direct allegation against Prince Andrew currently unresolved. Many many more people are known associates of his, from the creator of the Simpsons to the owner of Victoria’s Secret, professors, lawyers, politicians, billionaires... but merely being associated with him is not in itself evidence of a crime.