An inmate incarcerated in the same unit as Jeffrey Epstein has provided a startling account to the FBI, alleging he overheard a prison guard discussing a cover-up of the paedophile financier's death on the morning it occurred. The handwritten five-page FBI report, released as part of the Epstein files, details the inmate's claim that he was awakened by a loud commotion in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10, 2019.
Chaotic Morning and Alleged Cover-Up Conversation
The inmate reported hearing shouts of 'Breathe! Breathe!' echoing through the halls as officers attempted to resuscitate Epstein at approximately 6:30 a.m. He then stated he heard a male officer exclaim, 'Dudes, you killed that dude.' According to the FBI document, a woman's voice subsequently responded sharply, 'If he's dead, we're going to cover it up and he's going to have an alibi - my officers.'
The inmate identified that female voice as belonging to Tova Noel, a 37-year-old correctional officer who was one of two guards later fired for falsifying records to indicate they had conducted mandatory cell checks that night when they had not. Noel and her colleague, Michael Thomas, faced criminal charges for this falsification, though those charges were ultimately dropped.
Unconfirmed Claims Fueling Conspiracy Theories
While the inmate's account remains unverified by authorities, it has significantly intensified persistent speculation and fresh inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death in custody. Following the incident, rumors circulated among the inmate population that 'Miss Noel killed Jeffrey.' The official investigation by the New York medical examiner and the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that Epstein's cause of death was suicide by hanging.
However, this conclusion has been contested. Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein's estate, observed the autopsy and reported that injuries on Epstein's body, including three fractures on the left and right sides of his larynx and hemorrhaging in his eyes, were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than with a typical suicidal hanging.
Scrutiny of Guard Tova Noel's Actions and Finances
Further scrutiny has fallen on Tova Noel in connection with the case. Bank records revealed that a suspicious $5,000 cash deposit was made into her account on July 30, 2019, just ten days before Epstein was found dead. This was part of a series of eleven similar cash deposits dating from December 2018, totalling $11,880. Her financial records also showed she was making payments on a new Range Rover at the time. The Department of Justice did not question her about these cash deposits during their interview.
Additionally, documents released by the Department of Justice indicate that Noel conducted a Google search for 'latest on epstein in jail' at 5:42 a.m. and again at 5:52 a.m. on the morning of his death, approximately forty minutes before he was discovered. Other searches from that morning included queries about two other inmates, Kenyatta Taiste and Omar Amanat, and searches for 'law enforcement discounts' at 6:17 a.m. and 6:19 a.m.
Contradictions in Official Accounts
During questioning in 2021, Noel denied Googling Epstein, stating, 'I don't remember doing that.' An internal FBI briefing suggested that an officer, believed to be Noel, was the last to visit the SHU before Epstein's death, carrying linen or inmate clothing to the L-Tier around 10:40 p.m. the previous night. This was allegedly the 'last time any correctional officer approached the only entrance to the SHU tier.'
In a sworn statement, Noel claimed she last saw Epstein alive 'somewhere around after ten' that night but denied ever distributing linen or clothing, asserting that such duties were handled by the previous shift. She expressed confusion about why Epstein had access to extra linen in his cell, which was found strewn around after his death, and noted that the other guard on duty had been asleep from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m.
Noel also admitted to investigators that neglecting to perform the required half-hourly rounds in the SHU was a common practice, stating, 'I've never worked in the Special Housing Unit and actually done rounds every 30 minutes.' She has consistently denied any involvement in Epstein's death and has not been charged with any crime related to it.
The New York City Chief Medical Examiner determined that Epstein hanged himself using strips of orange cloth, though the specific noose was never officially identified. The Daily Mail has reached out to Tova Noel's lawyer for comment on these allegations, but no response has been reported at this time.
