Guard Who Found Epstein Dead Received Mystery Payments Before His Death
Newly released documents have uncovered that the prison guard who discovered Jeffrey Epstein's body in his cell received a series of mysterious cash payments in the months leading up to the disgraced financier's suicide. Tova Noel, one of two workers at New York's Metropolitan Correction Center, faced criminal charges for falsifying records related to checks on Epstein the night before he died in August 2019.
Suspicious Financial Transactions
According to reports, Noel received a total of 12 transactions flagged as 'suspicious' by Chase Bank, with seven cash payments from December 2018 amounting to more than $11,000. The largest of these was a $5,000 lump sum paid on July 30, 2019, just days before Epstein took his own life. Notably, Noel was not questioned about these payments during her Department of Justice interview in 2021, despite driving a $62,000 2019 Land Rover Range Rover at the time.
Negligence on the Night Shift
On the night Epstein died, Noel was supposed to check on him every 30 minutes. Instead, records show she slept on the job, browsed furniture online, and searched for the 'latest on Epstein in jail' less than an hour before his suicide. Her search history reveals she clicked on an article about documents related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and also looked up information on Omar Amanat, a film producer incarcerated alongside Epstein.
Her colleague, Michael Thomas, reportedly shopped for motorbikes during the same shift. Both workers had charges dropped after agreeing to 100 hours of community service and cooperating with a DOJ investigation.
Contradictions and Denials
During her DOJ interview, Noel insisted she had no memory of searching for Epstein that night. Additionally, she denied claims that she brought linen or clothing to the Special Housing Unit where Epstein was held, though an FBI document suggested she might be the 'mysterious orange shape' seen on CCTV near his cell at 10.40pm the night before his death.
Official Findings and Aftermath
A 2023 Justice Department report concluded there was no evidence of homicide but cited severe negligence and failures by prison staff. On the morning of August 10, 2019, around 6.30 am, Noel and Thomas found Epstein unresponsive during a routine inmate count. They called a medical emergency and attempted resuscitation before he was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
This case highlights ongoing questions about the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death, with the mystery payments adding a new layer of intrigue to the investigation into prison security and accountability.
