Prosecutors Obtained Bank Records, Video in Epstein Guards Probe

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. prosecutors investigating two guards in the jail death of financier Jeffrey Epstein collected bank records and hundreds of hours of videos in the probe, a lawyer for the government said during a court hearing.

The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah Donaleski, didn’t offer specifics about what bank records were obtained. It’s possible that investigators checked the guards’ financial accounts to see whether there were any unusual transactions, such as payments from third parties, around the time Epstein died.

The guards, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, were charged with falsifying records and conspiracy. A lawyer for Thomas, Montell Figgins, said after the hearing on Monday in Manhattan federal court that he didn’t know what bank records were obtained but that his client’s accounts would reflect nothing irregular.

Epstein had been charged with sex trafficking after more than a decade of allegations that he abused underage girls and was allowed to escape serious punishment with a sweetheart plea deal in Florida. He killed himself while he was left alone for almost eight hours overnight at the downtown Manhattan jail in August.

Epstein’s proximity to the rich and powerful fueled speculation that he was killed to ensure his silence, and his lawyers have disputed the official government conclusion that he committed suicide. The indictment makes no allegations of foul play.

Epstein was temporarily put on suicide watch while in custody, but later removed after being evaluated by a psychologist.

Prosecutors claim the two guards failed to perform any of the specially-required 30-minute checks on Epstein or their regular rounds on the night he killed himself. Instead, they sat at their desk in the special housing unit, using a computer to search the internet for furniture and motorcycle sales, and napping for a two-hour stretch, according to the indictment.

After Epstein was discovered unconscious in his cell the next morning, prosecutors say the pair falsified records to show they had performed the required checks. The guards have pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers have said management policies and working conditions at the jail were factors that could be central to their defense.

U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres scheduled the trial to begin April 20.

The case is U.S. v. Noel, 19-cr-830,, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

To contact the reporter on this story: Christian Berthelsen in New York at cberthelsen1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Glovin at dglovin@bloomberg.net, Joe Schneider, Steve Stroth

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