Little Saint James
Size: Approximately 72 acres
Purchase year: 1998
Purchase price: Approximately .95 million
Location: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Little Saint James was Epstein’s central Caribbean base and the site most associated with his trafficking operation. The island was extensively developed:
- A large main residence
- Multiple guest cottages
- The distinctive blue-and-white striped structure (referred to in media as a “temple”)
- A submarine dock
- A helipad
- Staff quarters
- Agricultural facilities
Flights to and from the islandoften from Palm Beach, New York, or internationallyare documented in the flight logs that became critical evidence.
Sale: Sold in March 2023 for approximately million.
Great Saint James
Size: Approximately 165 acres
Purchase year: 2016
Purchase price: Approximately .5 million
Location: Adjacent to Little Saint James, USVI
Great Saint James was purchased late in Epstein’s life (just three years before his arrest). It remained largely undeveloped. The purpose of the purchase is unclear; some accounts suggest Epstein was concerned about future development nearby disturbing his privacy.
Sale: Transferred to the USVI government as part of the estate’s legal settlement, to be maintained as a nature preserve.
Combined Significance
Together, the two islands gave Epstein over 230 acres of private Caribbean territory with no neighborsan environment of complete physical isolation that was central to victims’ accounts of how escape was made difficult.