The Safe Discovery (July 2019)
During the July 2019 search of Epstein’s nine-story Manhattan mansion at 9 East 71st Street, FBI agents opened a safe and found:
- A fraudulent passport from Saudi Arabia bearing Epstein’s photograph but a different name
- Stacks of foreign currency in multiple denominations
- Dozens of diamonds
- A collection of photographs, described by prosecutors as featuring young women
The Passport’s Specifics
Per court filings, the Saudi passport:
- Was issued in the early 1980s (approximately 1982)
- Listed Epstein’s photo under an Arabic-sounding alias
- Gave an address in Saudi Arabia
- Had been expired for decades by the time it was found
Why Saudi Arabia?
The choice of Saudi Arabian identity raised particular questions:
- Saudi passports are not easily forged for Western citizens
- The document suggested connections to individuals or entities with access to official Saudi documentation
- Saudi Arabia was a country Epstein was known to have visited through his international business travels
Bail Hearing Impact
Prosecutors presented the passport to Judge Richard Berman at Epstein’s bail hearing, arguing it demonstrated:
- Capability and intent to flee under false identity
- Access to sophisticated document forgery
- Pre-existing contingency planning to avoid extradition
Epstein’s bail was denied, and he remained in custody at MCC until his death.
Competing Interpretations
The intelligence argument: Former intelligence officials consulted by journalists suggested the document had characteristics consistent with cover identity documents issued by intelligence agencies. The 1980s timing aligned with theories about Epstein beginning his intelligence-adjacent activities during this period.
The wealthy fraudster argument: Wealthy individuals in the 1980s were less unusual in possessing fraudulent travel documents, particularly those with extensive international business dealings.
The Safe’s Full Contents
The diamonds found in the safe were valued by prosecutors as worth potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. The foreign currency included euros, dollars, and other currencies, presumably available for immediate use if Epstein needed to travel quickly.