FBI leaders say jail video reveals that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide
The FBI’s high two leaders mentioned in interviews on Fox Information that the late financier and convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide and promised to launch a surveillance video from the federal jail in New York Metropolis the place Epstein was discovered useless.
Officers within the first Trump administration dominated that Epstein’s dying in 2019 was a suicide. But it surely has remained the topic of conspiracy theories suggesting that he was murdered due to his connections to high-profile celebrities and politicians.
Deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, a former pro-Trump podcaster, mentioned in a Fox Information interview on Thursday morning that the video confirmed that nobody entered or approached Epstein’s cell on the time of his suicide. Bongino additionally mentioned that no forensic proof had been discovered suggesting that one other particular person was current.
“There’s no DNA, there’s no audio, there’s no fingerprints, there’s no suspects, there’s no accomplices, there’s no ideas, there may be nothing,” unhappy Bongino, who requested members of the general public to share any proof of wrongdoing within the case. “You probably have it, I’m blissful to see it.”
“There’s video clear as day,” Bongino added. “He’s the one individual in there and the one individual popping out. You possibly can see it.”
In a separate interview on Fox Information on Wednesday night time, FBI director Kash Patel additionally mentioned that Epstein had died by suicide and promised to launch further details about the case.
“We’re diligently engaged on that,” Patel mentioned. “It takes time to undergo years of investigations.”
Previous Epstein conspiracy claims
However earlier than Bongino turned deputy FBI director, he repeatedly promoted conspiracy theories about Epstein’s dying, in response to the Washington Publish.
In a Jan. 4, 2024 podcast, Bongino performed a clip the place a journalist mentioned she was “100%” satisfied that Epstein was killed “as a result of he made his complete residing blackmailing individuals.” Bongino informed his listeners that he’d heard the identical claims from one other reporter and mentioned they have been “tremendous vital.”
“That is the place I get actually upset on the media,” Bongino mentioned later within the podcast, contending that reporters had “carried out nearly like no — possibly as a result of I used to be an investigator earlier than, it’s like, I’m amazed at how few persons are placing two and two collectively.”
Roughly two weeks earlier than Trump named Bongino FBI deputy director, Bongino spoke once more about Epstein. He mentioned once more {that a} reporter had informed him in regards to the existence of tapes that Epstein used to blackmail highly effective individuals after which talked about an allegation he’d heard involving Invoice Clinton.
“I’m not ever gonna let this story go,” Bongino promised on Feb. 10. “I’m not letting it go ever.”
For years earlier than taking workplace, Patel and Bongino additionally claimed that the Biden administration and corrupt “deep state” actors had “weaponized” the FBI towards Donald Trump.
They accused the bureau of masking up what it knew about pipe bombs positioned exterior the places of work of the RNC and DNC in Washington earlier than the Jan. 6 assault. They advised that FBI operatives helped ignite the Capitol riot. They usually mentioned FBI brokers dedicated crimes and tried to “overthrow” Trump.
However massive numbers of Trump supporters who imagine these declare sare publicly asking: Why aren’t Patel and Bongino arresting and prosecuting the individuals Patel labeled “authorities gangsters?”
An FBI spokesman didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Within the interview, on Fox & Pals, Bongino additionally mentioned that the job was taking a toll on his household. “The largest way of life change is family-wise,” he mentioned.
“It was quite a bit, and it’s been powerful on the household. Folks ask on a regular basis, do you prefer it? No. I don’t,” Bongino mentioned. “However the president didn’t ask me to do that to love it — no one likes going into a corporation like that and having to make massive modifications.”
Final weekend, Bongino introduced on X that the FBI is re-examining a number of circumstances from the Biden period, together with the 2021 pipe on the DNC and RNC, the 2022 leak of the Supreme Courtroom’s Dobbs resolution, and a small bag of cocaine that was discovered within the White Home in 2023.
On Thursday, Bongino mentioned the FBI is near fixing one of many three circumstances with out saying which one.
“We acquired an enchanting tip on one in all these circumstances, one of many three,” Bongino mentioned. “We’re going to run it out. We’re not going to have the ability to make that public, clearly, instantly, as a result of now we have to verify.”
Give attention to pipe bomb case
Three weeks earlier than the Trump administration took workplace, the FBI launched what it mentioned was new video of the masked individual planting bombs exterior the Republican and Democratic headquarters in Washington. However FBI officers mentioned they hadn’t recognized a suspect and even decided for sure whether or not the determine was a person or a lady.
Earlier than he was named deputy FBI director, Bongino accused the FBI of mendacity about that individual on one in all his podcasts. “I imagine the FBI is aware of the identification of this pipe bomber on January sixth, 4 years in the past, and simply doesn’t need to inform us as a result of it was an inside job,” he mentioned.
In an interview with conspiracy theorist and political commentator Julie Kelly, Bongino mentioned, “I’m satisfied the one that planted that pipe bomb on the DNC on January sixth was there to create a pretend assassination try as a result of they wanted to cease Republicans from questioning in entrance of a nationwide TV viewers what occurred within the 2020 election.”
Patel additionally mentioned in his Fox Information interview on Wednesday that the FBI now has new leads within the pipe bomb case. He accused the Biden administration of getting “gradual rolled” the investigation however supplied no particular examples.
Bongino defended the reopening of the investigation into who left a small bag of cocaine within the White Home in the course of the Biden administration. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, argued that the probe was relaunched for security causes, to not rating political factors.
“I used to be a Secret Service agent. A doubtlessly hazardous materials made its method into the White Home,” Bongino mentioned on Fox Information. “No person appears to know the way it acquired there, and no one appeared to get to analyze it totally. … What planet will we dwell on the place that’s not of public curiosity?”
For those who or somebody is in disaster, name or textual content 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to achieve the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline. You may also name the community, beforehand often called the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/sources.