Recently released government emails show that federal authorities knew Jeffrey Epstein was a high-profile case when they arrested him on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Top officials at the Bureau of Prisons demanded daily updates from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York about the wealthy financier’s status and activities while in custody.
The emails, released by the government on Tuesday evening, show clear concern from leadership about managing Epstein’s case. Prison guards were told they had orders from “God” to keep a close watch on him, according to a Justice Department Office of the Inspector General investigation. Despite these clear instructions, the guards failed to follow basic monitoring procedures.
“Shirley – Please provide me with a daily update on this inmate, including his status and any changes or activities I should be aware of,” Bureau of Prisons Northeast Regional Director J. Ray Ormond wrote to MCC Associate Warden Shirley Skipper-Scott on July 24, 2019, as per Fox News. This email came just a day after Epstein was found unconscious with an “orange cloth around his neck” in his cell, in what appeared to be a suicide attempt.
Guards ignored strict orders to monitor Epstein every 30 minutes
When Skipper-Scott responded to Ormond’s request, she explained that Epstein had been removed from suicide watch the day after the incident and was scheduled for a follow-up evaluation. She promised to provide additional updates as requested. A supervisor’s note to officers made clear that mandatory checks were required every 30 minutes to monitor Epstein, “as per God!!!!” according to the Inspector General’s report.
Despite the high-level attention and clear orders, jail guards completely failed to conduct the required 30-minute checks on Epstein. He went unmonitored for more than six hours before guards found him dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. Two guards, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, were later charged with falsifying prison records to cover up their failure to check on inmates.
Guards are supposed to check on the inmates every 30 minutes in the SHU and make visual contact. Do you buy that they checked on Epstein at 6:03 AM and found him dead, COLD to the touch, and showing signs of lividity 30 minutes later?
— MissJinxed (@iammissjinxed) September 3, 2025@sippicup2 pic.twitter.com/NOR7Nv4JG9
The guards were supposed to monitor Epstein and other inmates every 30 minutes but instead spent their time sleeping and browsing the internet for furniture and motorcycles. Both guards eventually admitted to falsifying logs and entered into deferred prosecution agreements that allowed them to avoid jail time. The case highlighted major problems within the federal prison system, including severe staffing shortages and widespread disregard for policies.
Epstein’s death occurred while he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide, but the circumstances have continued to fuel speculation about what really happened that night. The Inspector General’s investigation found no evidence of foul play but identified numerous failures by prison staff that contributed to one of the most high-profile deaths in federal custody.
