FDLE Investigative Summary EI-73-8674: No Evidence of PBSO Criminal Activity in Epstein Work-Release Inquiry; Visitor Logs Destroyed

FDLE’s Office of Executive Investigations dated its Investigative Summary EI-73-8674 March 18, 2021. It closed the preliminary inquiry ordered under Executive Order 19-183 into how the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) housed and supervised Jeffrey Epstein in 2008-2009. The summary says the Nineteenth Circuit State Attorney’s Office received it on March 15, 2021 and, on March 17, 2021, agreed with its findings.

The inquiry’s scope was narrow by FDLE’s own description: it “pertained to determining if any criminal violations occurred on the part of PBSO members.” The method was a review of documents supplied by PBSO, the clerk of court, the state attorney’s office, the Town of Palm Beach and the Department of Corrections, plus interviews of identified PBSO personnel.

Its conclusion: “no evidence was developed to substantiate that any identified PBSO member engaged in criminal activity.” The summary adds that “No financial intelligence was developed to substantiate any claim that undue financial influence was received.” On treatment inside the jail, it states that Epstein “was provided differential treatment,” but says PBSO explained the actions and FDLE determined them not to be a criminal matter, which put them outside the scope of its inquiry.

The summary also records a gap in the evidence base: “the visitor logs, detailing who visited Epstein, were destroyed by PBSO pursuant to records retention schedules.” The inquiry therefore worked from the records and personnel PBSO still had, and could not test who visited from the logs.