Scale of the Operation
Running a 72-acre private island required a substantial permanent workforce. By some estimates, Epstein employed 70100 workers on and around Little Saint James, including:
- Household staff: Chefs, cleaners, housekeepers managing the main residence and guest cottages
- Security personnel: Guards who monitored access to the island
- Construction and maintenance workers: The island was under near-constant construction expansion
- Marine crew: Staff to operate Epstein’s boats and dock facilities
- Agricultural/landscaping staff: Maintaining the island’s vegetation and animal stock
Local USVI Employment
Most of the island’s workforce was drawn from the broader U.S. Virgin Islands communitySt. Thomas and nearby islands. Epstein’s operation was a significant local employer, one factor that contributed to his positive standing with some USVI officials before his registry status became an issue.
The Complicity Question
USVI authorities and victim advocates have noted that the scale of the staff meant many people had at minimum visual knowledge of the unusual numbers of young women being brought to the island. The degree to which individual workers were aware of criminal activity versus simply performing their employment duties has been debated.
Juan Alessi
Juan Alessi, Epstein’s former house manager at the Palm Beach property, provided significant testimony about daily operations and directly witnessed behavior. Island-based staff equivalent figures have not testified as prominently publicly.