Epstein's Island (Little St. James): History, Visitors & What We Know

Little St. James is a privately owned island located approximately one mile southeast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jeffrey Epstein purchased the island in 1998 for a reported $7.95 million from businessman Arch Cummin. Over the following two decades, Epstein developed the island extensively, constructing a main residential compound, multiple guest houses, a private dock, a helipad, and a network of roads and utility infrastructure. The island is accessible by boat from the Red Hook ferry terminal on St. Thomas or by helicopter.

The most distinctive structure on the island was a blue-and-white striped building sometimes referred to as the "temple," a square structure with a gold dome situated on one of the island's highest points. The purpose of this building has been the subject of significant public speculation. According to testimony from Epstein's former employees, it functioned variously as a music room, a study, and a storage space. Aerial photographs and drone footage have shown the structure at various stages of construction and subsequent deterioration.

Additional structures included a main residence, staff quarters, a maintenance building, a movie theater, a detached bathhouse near the pool, and a dock facility with a boat house. Reports have referenced an underground office or utility structure, though the exact layout of subterranean areas has not been comprehensively documented in public court filings. The island also featured extensive landscaping, a flagpole, and a private beach area. A detailed overview is available on the Little St. James location page.

Visits to Little St. James are documented through several evidence sources, the most systematic being the flight logs from Epstein's private aircraft. Flights with destinations in the U.S. Virgin Islands (typically using airport codes STT for Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas, or the helipad on the island itself) provide records of who traveled to the area on Epstein's planes. Our database contains 3,652 flight records from Epstein's aircraft, a significant number of which include USVI destinations.

Beyond flight logs, evidence of island visits comes from several additional sources. Staff testimony in depositions and at trial (particularly during the USA v. Maxwell trial) documented the presence of specific individuals on the island over various time periods. Former employees, including housekeepers, maintenance staff, and boat captains, have provided statements about visitors they observed. Email records recovered from Epstein's accounts also reference island visits, scheduling, and guest logistics.

Victim accounts have also identified specific individuals who were present on the island during particular periods. These accounts, presented in depositions, victim impact statements, and testimony under oath, represent critical evidence in understanding who visited the island and under what circumstances. The persons directory links individuals to their associated evidence types, allowing researchers to see which visitors are documented in multiple independent sources.

Little St. James played a central role in multiple legal proceedings against Epstein and his associates. The island was named as a location where crimes occurred in the 2019 federal indictment (USA v. Epstein, 19-cr-490), which alleged that Epstein operated a sex trafficking network across multiple residences including the USVI property. The island was referenced extensively in the Maxwell trial, where witnesses described events that took place on the island over a period spanning approximately 1994 to 2004.

On August 12, 2019 — two days after Epstein's death in federal custody — the FBI conducted a raid on Little St. James. Agents arrived by boat and helicopter, executing search warrants on the main compound and other structures. The raid resulted in the seizure of documents, electronic devices, and other physical evidence. Aerial footage of the raid, captured by media drones, was widely broadcast and showed agents entering multiple buildings on the property.

In January 2020, the U.S. Virgin Islands government filed a civil lawsuit against the Epstein estate, alleging that Epstein used the islands to traffic and abuse victims over a period of nearly two decades. The USVI Attorney General's complaint alleged that local officials had enabled Epstein's activities through lax oversight and that the corporate entities controlling the island properties had facilitated the trafficking operation. The case has produced significant document disclosures, many of which are available in our document archive.

In 2016, Epstein purchased a second, larger island adjacent to Little St. James: Great St. James, approximately 165 acres. Construction activity on Great St. James prompted complaints from the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, which issued stop-work orders citing unpermitted clearing, road building, and construction. Epstein ultimately paid fines for environmental violations on the property. The acquisition of a second island raised questions about the expansion of Epstein's operations in the territory.

Epstein maintained a portfolio of properties across the United States and internationally, each of which has been relevant to investigations. These include the Manhattan townhouse at 9 East 71st Street (raided by the FBI in July 2019), the Palm Beach mansion (the site of the original 2005 investigation), the Zorro Ranch in Stanley, New Mexico (approximately 10,000 acres), and an apartment in Paris on Avenue Foch. The full list of documented locations is available in the locations directory.

Following Epstein's death in August 2019, the management of his estate, including Little St. James and Great St. James, fell to the co-executors of the estate under the supervision of the USVI courts. The estate class action established a Victims' Compensation Program that paid out over $121 million to more than 130 claimants, funded in part by the liquidation of Epstein's real estate holdings.

Satellite imagery and aerial photography from 2020 onward showed the progressive demolition of structures on Little St. James, including the removal of the blue-striped "temple" building, the clearing of guest cottages, and the dismantling of various outbuildings. The main residence and dock facilities have been largely stripped, and the island's grounds have significantly deteriorated from their maintained state during Epstein's ownership.

The USVI government has maintained jurisdiction over the disposition of the properties. As part of the USVI v. Estate settlement, the territory secured significant financial penalties and oversight provisions. Both islands were listed for sale, with the proceeds designated for victim compensation and USVI community programs. The future use of the properties remains subject to local government approval. For a complete chronology, see the case timeline.