DEA investigated Epstein for suspicious money transfers linked to narcotics
Multiple other previously unknown investigations connected to Epstein were revealed
Document shows approximately $50 million in suspicious wire transfers from 2010-2015
Epstein's death occurred while he was awaiting trial in a separate sex trafficking case
📖 Full Retelling
Jeffrey Epstein was the subject of a previously undisclosed five-year-plus U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation targeting him and 14 other individuals for suspicious money transfers possibly linked to illegal narcotics, according to a newly uncovered document in the Department of Justice's Epstein files released in February 2026. The 69-page memo, marked 'law enforcement sensitive,' reveals that DEA reporting indicated these individuals were involved in 'illegitimate wire transfers which are tied to illicit drug and/or prostitution activities occurring in the U.S. Virgin Islands and New York City.' The document heavily conceals the names of the 14 other targets and much substantive detail, though it includes a DEA case number and lists the case's opening date as Dec. 17, 2010, in New York. The investigation remained active at least until 2015 when the memo was drafted, designated as 'judicial pending,' suggesting investigators may have been awaiting court approval for warrants or had made an arrest. The document also reveals the existence of other previously unknown investigations with connections to Epstein, including ICE probes in West Palm Beach, Las Vegas, and Paris, as well as an FBI investigation that remained active in 2015. Financial records show approximately $50 million in suspicious wire transfers from 2010-2015, with bank accounts linked to Epstein in Switzerland, France, the Cayman Islands, and New York. The DOJ appears to have accidentally neglected to redact the name of a Polish fashion model who was identified in connection to approximately $2 million in transfers and named as a target of the investigation. The memo also lists several businesses associated with Epstein that have come under scrutiny, including SLK Designs LLC and Hyperion Air.
🏷️ Themes
Drug Trafficking, Financial Crimes, Government Investigations
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a very few countries) or a secretary of justice. In som...
American financier and child sex offender (1953–2019)
# Jeffrey Edward Epstein
**Jeffrey Edward Epstein** (January 20, 1953 – August 10, 2019) was an American financier and convicted sex offender. He is notorious for orchestrating a massive human trafficking ring, procuring at least 1,000 underage girls and young women for sexual exploitation by himse...
The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking, is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws. The...
Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds into a seemingly legitimate source, usually through a front ...
Exclusive Politics Newly unearthed DEA document from Epstein files raises question: Did Epstein facilitate drug trafficking? By Daniel Ruetenik , Daniel Ruetenik Producer, Investigative Unit Daniel Ruetenik is a producer with CBS News' Investigative Unit, reporting for all CBS News platforms. Read Full Bio Daniel Ruetenik , Pat Milton , Pat Milton Senior producer, CBS News Investigative Unit Pat Milton, an award-winning journalist, is the senior producer of the CBS News Investigative Unit, specializing in national security, the FBI, Intelligence and federal law enforcement. Read Full Bio Pat Milton , Cara Tabachnick Cara Tabachnick News Editor Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at cara.tabachnick@cbsinteractive.com Read Full Bio Cara Tabachnick February 23, 2026 / 6:20 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Jeffrey Epstein was the subject of a previously undisclosed U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation — a five-year-plus probe targeting him and 14 other individuals for suspicious money transfers possibly linked to illegal narcotics, a newly uncovered document in the Department of Justice's Epstein files reveals. "DEA reporting indicates the above individuals are involved in illegitimate wire transfers which are tied to illicit drug and/or prostitution activities occurring in the U.S. Virgin Islands and New York City," the 2015 document says. The 69-page memo is marked "law enforcement sensitive" and remains heavily redacted, concealing the names of the 14 other targets and much of the substantive detail surrounding the investigation. The document appears to stem from a request made by the DEA to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Fusion Center in Virginia seeking information from other agencies related to Epstein and the other targets as pa...
