COLUMN: Epstein Dead Before He Was Dead—When a Federal Statement Revives All the Theories

Suicide, murder, or something worse?

Since 2019, three theories have been at odds with one another. The first, that of the authorities: Epstein committed suicide, period. The second, held by conspiracy theorists: he was murdered to prevent him from revealing secrets. The third, more insidious theory is that his death was orchestrated from within, with the complicity of those who were supposed to protect him. This third hypothesis, long marginalized, takes on a new dimension with the discovery of this document.

Those who believe it was suicide point out that Epstein had already attempted to take his own life a month earlier, on July 23. They cite reports from prison psychologists, who describe a man who was “distracted, sad, and confused.” They emphasize that New York City Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson concluded it was a suicide by hanging. But how, then, can we explain the multiple security failures that night? How can we explain that his cellmate—a former police officer accused of quadruple murder—had been transferred the day before, leaving him alone and vulnerable?

Those who believe he was murdered, meanwhile, point to the names that haunted Epstein’s address book: princes, presidents, billionaires, and celebrities. They note that the financier held compromising information on dozens of prominent figures, and that his death buried their secrets forever. They cite statements by his lawyer, who claimed in 2019 that Epstein “had information on very powerful people,” and that his death was “no surprise to anyone.” And then there’s that press release. That damned press release, which reeks of a setup from a mile away.

Finally, there are those who believe that Epstein isn’t dead at all. That his body was swapped out, that he’s living in hiding somewhere, protected by those he served. A far-fetched theory? Perhaps. But when you see how badly the authorities have flouted procedures, lied about the circumstances of his death, and produced contradictory documents, you’re entitled to ask: How far would they go to cover up the case?

I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. Well, I didn’t used to. But now, faced with this press release dated August 9, I’m wavering. Because this isn’t just a detail. It’s not a coincidence. It’s written, official proof that something isn’t right. And when you add to that the malfunctioning cameras, the guards who were asleep, the patrols that weren’t carried out, the silenced testimonies… how can you not see a pattern? How can you not think that, perhaps, this time, the “theories” are nothing but the truth?

Omissions, Lies, and Manipulation

The U.S. Department of Justice has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In 2023, it even reaffirmed that Epstein’s death was a suicide and that “there was no evidence to suggest a criminal act.” Yet internal reports from the BOP and the FBI paint a damning picture: a cascade of negligence, falsification of documents, and a culture of impunity within federal prisons. Two correctional officers were charged with lying about their patrols. None were convicted in connection with Epstein’s death. No one was held accountable.

Worse still: in 2025, the FBI concluded that there was no evidence that Epstein had been murdered or that he had kept a “client list.” A rather convenient conclusion, given that thousands of pages of his archives remain classified, and that crucial videos have mysteriously disappeared. And then there’s this telling detail: among the millions of declassified documents, there are different versions of the same press release, some more heavily redacted than others, as if someone had tried to conceal key information.

Prosecutor Berman, for his part, has always refused to explain this date error. When questioned in 2026, he simply stated that it was “a typo.” A typo? On such a sensitive document? In such an explosive case? Allow me to doubt that.

A typo. That’s how they take us for fools. A typo in a press release announcing the death of a man under federal protection, in a case that has been rocking the country for years. If that’s the official version, then we truly live in a world turned upside down. A world where lies become truths, where coincidences replace evidence, and where the victims—the real ones, the ones Epstein destroyed—are once again sacrificed on the altar of power.

Their Pain, Our Questions

In this case, certain names keep coming up: those of the powerful, celebrities, and politicians. But there are also those we forget. The hundreds of young girls—some of them minors—whom Epstein abused, exploited, and shattered. Some have come forward. Others have remained silent, out of fear or shame. All are waiting for justice. And all are still wondering, even today, if they will ever get it.

Because beyond the theories, the press releases, and the dates that don’t add up, there is their suffering. That of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused Epstein and his accomplices before taking her own life in 2025. That of dozens of other women, whose names were mistakenly disclosed in the declassified files, exposing their private lives to public scrutiny. The suffering of all those who never dared to speak out.

And all the while, those in charge hide behind press releases, administrative errors, and botched investigations. No one has been convicted of Epstein’s crimes, except for his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence. No one has been held accountable for his death. No one has been held to account for their lies. Just “typos,” “negligence,” and “coincidences.” As if their lives were worth no more than that.

I’m thinking of them tonight. Of their courage, their determination, their refusal to stay silent. They faced hell, then the contempt of the institutions, then the public’s indifference. And today, they’re being told that it was all just a series of misunderstandings. A typo. A camera malfunction. A night when everyone was asleep. How dare we? How dare we ask them to believe in a system that has betrayed them at every turn? Their pain is real. Their scars are real. Their tormentors, meanwhile, are still at large.

Time to Settle Accounts

In 2026, the U.S. Congress finally gained access to the unredacted versions of the Epstein files. A victory? Perhaps. But it will take more than access to the archives to restore the truth. It will take depositions under oath. It will take heads to roll. Above all, it will take someone finally taking responsibility.

Because this case is not just a story of sex crimes or conspiracies. It is a story of absolute power, corruption, and impunity. It is the story of a system that protects its own, that covers up scandals, that brazenly lies when it suits its purposes. And if we let this happen, if we look the other way, if we accept “typos” as an explanation, then we are complicit.

So yes, let’s demand answers. Let’s demand that Berman explain himself. Let’s demand that the FBI reopen the investigation. Let’s demand that the surveillance footage, records, and witness statements finally be analyzed without leniency. Because if Epstein was murdered, his killers must pay. And if it was suicide, then we need an explanation of how an inmate under constant surveillance could have hanged himself without anyone noticing.

I don’t know what really happened that night. Perhaps we’ll never know. But one thing is certain: we can no longer pretend. We can no longer accept half-truths, lies by omission, or bogus explanations. Because when the state lies, when the justice system fails, when those in power protect one another, it is democracy itself that is in danger. So yes, I am angry. Angry at those who let this happen. Angry at those who lie. Angry at ourselves, if we let this case fade into oblivion. Because if we do nothing, we are all guilty.

The Choice We Have Left

So here we are, faced with a document that shouldn’t exist. Faced with a date that defies logic. Faced with a system that seems determined to hide the truth from us. So what should we do? Give up, as we’ve been urged to do since 2019? Or demand, again and again, that the truth be brought to light?

I choose the second option. Because I refuse to believe that we are doomed to live in a world where people like Epstein can act with total impunity. Where the powerful decree who lives and who dies. Where victims are sacrificed on the altar of silence.

This case is a test. A test of our democracy, of our sense of justice, of our humanity. If we fail, if we let this story get bogged down in lies and conspiracy theories, then we will have lost far more than a battle. We will have lost what makes us a society worthy of the name: our ability to say no to injustice, to demand the truth, and to protect the most vulnerable.

So yes, let’s keep asking questions. Let’s keep questioning. Let’s keep demanding accountability. Because as long as there are people who refuse to accept the unacceptable, there will be hope. And today, in the face of this press release dated August 9, in the face of all these gray areas, in the face of all these shattered lives, the unacceptable thing is silence.

I don’t know if we’ll ever get the truth. Perhaps it’s already buried under mountains of lies, redactions, and pretense. But one thing is certain: we cannot give up. Not now. Not when a single document, a date, a signature—is enough to shake the entire edifice. So yes, I will continue to write, to speak out, to expose the truth. Because if no one does it, who will? Because if we remain silent, who will speak for them? And because, deep down, I still believe in one thing: the truth always comes out in the end. Even when everything is done to suppress it.

Signed, Jacques Provost