Jeffrey Epsteinâs Islands
What is Little St. James Island known for?
How much did Jeffrey Epstein pay for Little St. James Island?
What structures are present on Little St. James Island?
What did Virginia Giuffre allege happened on Little St. James Island?
Who bought Jeffrey Epsteinâs islands in 2023?
At first glance, Little St. James Island could be mistaken for a roughly 70-acre (28-hectare) tropical paradise, complete with a swimming pool, ocean views, and palm trees. But Little St. James, owned for two decades by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, may more accurately be described as a house of horrors. A number of Epsteinâs accusers have said their abuse occurred on Little St. James, which has become commonly and tragically known as âPedophile Island.â
Epstein bought Little St. James Island in 1998 for about $8 million. In 2016 Epstein acquired the larger Great St. James Island for $22.5 million and reportedly had plans to develop it. In December 2025, as part of its investigation into the Epstein files, the House Oversight Committee released photos of Little St. James, including some of its bedrooms, the pool area, artwork, and a room containing a dentistâs chair.
Little St. James is home to a helicopter landing area, a main building, and several villas. It is also home to a blue-and-white striped building which had, over the years, been referred to as a chapel, a temple, and a music room. In 2026, The New York Times reported that Epstein intended the building to be his âmosque,â complete with enormous tapestries, Islamic gardens, and tiles imported from a mosque in Uzbekistan.
Little St. James is also the place where, according to Epstein accusers, he sex trafficked them to some of the worldâs richest and most powerful men. One of Epsteinâs most vocal accusers, Virginia Giuffre, wrote in her 2025 posthumous memoir that Little St. James, which she said Epstein called âLittle St. Jeffâs,â was the site of an orgy when she was 17 or 18. Referring to Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, she wrote:
Epstein, Andy, and approximately eight other young girls and I had sex together. The other girls all appeared to be under the age of 18 and didnât really speak English.
Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied allegations made by Giuffre, who died by suicide in 2025.
In 2026 U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before a Senate subcommittee that he, his wife, their children, and their nannies had lunch with Epstein on Little St. James Island in 2012. Previously, Lutnick had said that he was so disgusted by Epsteinâs comments about a massage table in Epsteinâs New York town house in 2005 that he had cut all ties with the financier. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
In 2022 the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands announced a civil settlement with Epsteinâs estate and other defendants related to fraud and sex-trafficking claims filed in 2020. As part of the settlement, funds were to be set aside to care for the victims of sexual abuse. In 2023 billionaire asset manager Stephen Deckoff bought the pair of islands for $60 million, promising to create a luxury resort. As of 2026, no construction on either island had been reported.
Epsteinâs other properties
When he died, Epsteinâs estate was valued at about $600 million. In addition to the two islands, Epsteinâs vast real estate holdings included:
- Manhattan town house: Located on East 71st Street, the palatial seven-story, 21,000-square-foot (1,950-square-meter) town house was where Epstein entertained the rich and famous. It was also home to countless photos of Epstein with presidents, princes, and popes; a taxidermy tiger; and a first edition of Vladimir Nabokovâs Lolita (1955), a novel about a pedophile who abuses his stepdaughter.
- New Mexico ranch: Epstein owned more than 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) of land near Stanley, New Mexico, on which he built a 33,000-square-foot (3,000-square-meter) hacienda.
- Palm Beach estate: More than 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) and located on the Intracoastal Waterway, the estate was in the same neighborhood as Mar-a-Lago. It was demolished after Epsteinâs death.
- Paris apartment: Epstein was returning from his almost 25,000-square-foot (2,300-square-meter) apartment when he was arrested in 2019. The walls were covered with photos of naked young women, according to court documents.
