Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender, had built relations with a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer stationed at St Thomas airport in the US Virgin Islands, according to a new report.
The disgraced financier would fly his private planes to Cyril E King Airport at St Thomas, and from there, he would travel by boat or helicopter to his private island, Little Saint James, The Guardian reported.
Investigators sought to determine whether Epstein received any special treatment or assistance while passing through the airport.
The released emails and records show that Epstein actively tried to build relationships, not just with famous or wealthy people, but also with customs officers in the Caribbean.
According to The NY Times, Epstein offered various benefits to several CBP officers, including food and meals, free helicopter rides, financial advice, and even arranged musical gigs for them. In return, he allegedly received "concierge" treatment.
Officers would whisk him through inspections and help resolve issues when he was held up at mainland US airports, newly released documents show.
Epstein was accused of abusing underage girls, some as young as 14, on his private islands.
In October 2019, the FBI office in New York started a preliminary investigation after receiving information about a long-serving CBP agricultural inspector, identified as Thomas Routch, who had an "ongoing friendship" with Epstein while working in CBP Pre-Clearance in St Thomas for more than seven years.
His name appeared in an internal FBI email that formally opened the investigation. Federal investigators looked into at least four CBP officers, including one supervisor, to examine their connections with Epstein. There is no public record showing that any of the officers were charged with crimes related to Epstein.
Earlier, in an interview, Routch said, "I was aware of Epstein's conviction involving the abuse of minors but supported him because he was a good guy. I thought it was a good idea to maintain contact with Epstein because of his status, wealth and influence."
Over the years, Epstein developed connections with presidents, billionaires, top lawyers, and Hollywood celebrities. Between 2008 and 2016, he even tried to woo customs officers so that he could travel to his private island without any hindrance.
During this time, the US Virgin Islands government granted his businesses generous tax breaks; he made large donations to local politicians and also employed the wife of a sitting governor.
Even after becoming a registered sex offender, Epstein was sometimes questioned at airports, especially when travelling with young women, but he was allowed to go free after the inspection without being detained.
