Details released Wednesday night indicate that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found injured inside his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan while awaiting trial to face child sex trafficking charges, sources told NBC News.
The millionaire financier was semi-conscious with marks on his neck and in the fetal position on the floor of his cell when he was found sometime within the last two days.
Investigators remain unclear as to what actually happened and a number of different theories are being considered, including the possibility that this was a suicide attempt or a stunt to get himself transferred to a more isolated unit.
Assault has not been ruled out in the case either, and it has been suggested that one of his cellmates could have attacked him.
Nicholas Tartaglione, an inmate, was questioned about Epstein’s injuries but he denies having any involvement. Tartaglione is a former Orange County police officer who killed four men and buried their bodies in his yard. Tartaglione’s attorney, Bruce Barket, says that his client gets along with well with Epstein.
“They are in the same unit and doing well,” Barket said.
Barket added that both Epstein and his client have been complaining about the conditions inside the facility, including rodents, bad food, and flooding.
Regardless of the circumstances, authorities have put Epstein on suicide watch. He was taken to a nearby, undisclosed hospital after he was found and is reportedly in stable condition.
This news comes less than a week after the notorious billionaire was denied bail over fake passports that were found in a search of his $77 million Manhattan mansion. Epstein also sought and was denied permission to live under house arrest in his $77,000,000 mansion.
Since his arrest, at least a dozen new victims have come forward to confirm stories about the private room in his home where he is accused of luring underage girls and sexually assaulting them.
After years of using his money and influence to evade the law, it seems that Epstein may finally serve time in prison. U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta was one of the high profile figures behind Epstein’s sweetheart deal in 2008, which allowed him to avoid serious jail time for similar charges. After Epstein’s recent arrest, the controversy surrounding the case forced Acosta to resign from his position.
Epstein is connected to a large number of politicians and rich celebrities and it has been suggested that he will be turning over evidence on many of these people to reduce his prison sentence. There are also theories that Epstein was working for intelligence agencies by collecting blackmail on important figures.
Epstein has pled “not guilty” to all of the charges against him, but the evidence continues to mount.