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'Unfortunate typo' blamed for wrong date on draft statement about Epstein death

BBC News (BBC Verify) · back to the audit

We've had some questions sent to our inbox over the past few days asking whether an official statement confirming Jeffrey Epstein's death was actually dated the day before he died by suicide.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) told BBC Verify the wrong date was put on a draft version of the document that was only circulated internally. It came to light after being included in the latest tranche of DOJ documents about the convicted sex offender.

The draft notice announcing that Epstein "had been found unresponsive in his cell" at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York was listed for release on "Friday, August 9, 2019".

But a declassified FBI report into Epstein's death in custody, as well as a post-mortem examination, internal prison documents and photographs all show he was found dead on Saturday 10 August 2019.

The DOJ told BBC Verify: "Official statements regarding the death of Jeffrey Epstein were edited and circulated over several email chains within the Southern District of New York beginning August 10, 2019.

"While initial drafts of the statement list the previous date, this was merely an unfortunate typo that was later updated to reflect the correct date before being publicized.

"Any suggestion that the department drafted a statement in advance of Jeffrey Epstein's death is false."