Quick Read
- A prison guard searched Google for updates on Jeffrey Epstein minutes before he was found dead in 2019.
- New documents reveal financial activity and surveillance footage questions surrounding the guard.
- Global Google searches for ‘Epstein Files’ have dropped by over 80%.
NEW YORK (Azat TV) – Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents reveal that a prison guard searched for updates on Jeffrey Epstein online minutes before the convicted sex offender was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019. Tova Noel, a correctional officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, made Google searches for “latest on Epstein in jail” at 5:42 a.m. and again at 5:52 a.m. on August 10, 2019, according to FBI records.
Guard’s Google Activity Before Epstein’s Death
Less than 40 minutes after Noel’s last recorded search, her colleague, correctional officer Michael Thomas, discovered Epstein hanging in his cell around 6:30 a.m. The FBI’s forensic review, which examined desktop computers used by Noel and Thomas, flagged these searches. However, in a sworn interview with the Department of Justice in 2021, Noel denied performing these searches, stating, “I don’t remember doing that. I don’t recall looking him up,” and claimed the FBI’s records were inaccurate. Both Noel and Thomas were terminated from the Bureau of Prisons, though criminal charges against them were ultimately dismissed.
Financial Activity and Surveillance Footage
The Department of Justice release also included financial documents that raised questions about activity in Noel’s bank account. A suspicious activity report from JPMorgan Chase in November 2019 flagged multiple cash deposits linked to Noel, totaling $11,880 in seven deposits from December 2018 onwards. The largest of these, a $5,000 cash deposit, was made on July 30, 2019, just ten days before Epstein’s death. Noel, who later faced a lawsuit alleging assault in a different role, maintained her innocence regarding Epstein’s death. She also stated she had never worked in the Special Housing Unit where Epstein was held and that rounds were conducted every 30 minutes. However, internal FBI briefings examining surveillance footage from the night of Epstein’s death suggested Noel may have been an unidentified figure seen near his cell around 10:40 p.m., carrying what appeared to be linen or inmate clothing. Noel denied giving linen or clothing to inmates during her shift, stating such duties were handled by an earlier shift.
Global Interest in ‘Epstein Files’ Declines
In a separate development, global Google searches for the “Epstein Files” have seen a significant decline, dropping by over 80%. This decrease in public interest contrasts with the ongoing revelations from documents related to the late financier’s network and alleged criminal activities.
The newly surfaced details regarding Tova Noel’s online activity and financial transactions, coupled with the substantial drop in public searches for the “Epstein Files,” underscore the persistent interest in the circumstances surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s death and the broader investigation into his associates.