Epstein Got Special Treatment in Florida Jail—but It Wasn’t a Crime: State Probe

A state investigation into the treatment of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 prosecution for sex abuse found that while Palm Beach County officials gave him “differential treatment,” they did not break any laws. The probe, started by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019, centered on the decision by a Florida state attorney not to further prosecute Epstein, as well as allegations that he had been given extraordinary privileges in jail. While incarcerated, Epstein was free to leave for up to 16 hours a day to go to his office, and while he was staying at the jail, he was allowed to have his cell door unlocked. However, the investigation found no evidence that “financial” influence led to Epstein receiving these privileges, and two women who said that he’d had sex with them while on work release refused to sign sworn affidavits. State Sen. Lauren Book said that she still thinks Epstein’s treatment was wrong. “No laws broken doesn’t mean no wrongs were done,” said Book. “Deep pockets shouldn’t equal special treatment.”