Question
What did the USVI settlement with Epstein’s estate include?
Answer
The United States Virgin Islands settled its civil lawsuit against the estate of Jeffrey Epstein in November 2022 for $105 million — the largest single settlement against the estate.
The lawsuit: The USVI government filed suit against Epstein’s estate in late 2019, shortly after his death. The lawsuit alleged that:
- Epstein had used Little St. James Island (and later Great St. James) as the primary site for sex trafficking operations
- The USVI government had been misled about the nature of Epstein’s activities and had provided tax incentives to his operations
- The estate was obligated to provide restitution for harms caused through operations conducted on USVI territory
The settlement terms: The $105 million settlement included:
- Cash payments from the estate to the USVI government
- Provision of certain property assets
- Cooperation commitments regarding ongoing investigations
- Agreement on disposition of Little St. James island
Context: The USVI had originally offered Epstein significant tax incentives through the Economic Development Commission — a fact that became controversial when the scope of his operations on the islands became public. The settlement addressed the government’s own accountability in providing those incentives.
Related JPMorgan USVI suit: Separately, the USVI also sued JPMorgan Chase for providing banking services to Epstein, settling that case in 2023 for approximately $75 million.
Sources
- USVI v. Epstein Estate, settlement documentation (November 2022)
- USVI government press release on settlement
- USVI v. JPMorgan Chase, settlement (2023)