‘A treat to say goodbye’: US judge releases chilling secret suicide note from Jeffrey Epstein

A US judge has ordered the unsealing of a handwritten note allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein in July 2019, one month before his death. The note claims a months-long investigation into his actions “found nothing” and includes the statement: “ it is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.”

"Watcha want me to do - Bust out cryin!!" it continues. "NO FUN - NOT WORTH IT."

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Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, claims he discovered the note tucked inside a book following Epstein’s first suicide attempt in July 2019.

Tartaglione is a former police officer and convicted quadruple murderer. While Epstein once accused him of an attack in their shared cell, Tartaglione denied it and first went public about the note’s existence on a podcast last year.

The document was originally kept under seal as part of Tartaglione’s own criminal proceedings but has now been released by court order. Neither the BBC nor US authorities have officially verified the handwriting or the authenticity of the note. 

Epstein died in his cell in August 2019 while awaiting a sex-trafficking trial; his death was officially ruled a suicide by authorities. 

The New York Times petitioned for the release of the note, arguing there was no longer a valid reason for secrecy. 

Federal prosecutors supported the release, stating that Nicholas Tartaglione’s public comments about the note on a podcast effectively waived any need for it to remain sealed.

The judge wrote that unsealing the note promotes accountability and helps ensure the public has confidence in how the justice system is administered. 

The court ruled that Tartaglione’s repeated public discussions regarding the note’s contents meant he had waived attorney-client privilege over the document. 

The decision comes amid ongoing public scrutiny and speculation surrounding Epstein’s death, fueled by documented security failures at the prison on the night he died.