The Daily Beast Latest Articles | Epstein Island Trespasser Says He Thought He Would Die After Being Hogtied and Thrown in Dungeon by Isabel van Brugen

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A Memphis nonprofit founder, Benjamin Owen, says he was kidnapped, hogtied, blindfolded and locked in a concrete “dungeon” on Jeffrey Epstein’s former private island, Little St. James, after he and two companions trespassed there on April 24 to research Epstein’s crimes. Owen claims the other two escaped by fleeing down a cliff, while he was seized by a group that tied him with rope, zip ties and duct tape, transported him uphill, and left him in a hot, sealed room until Virgin Islands police arrived and arrested him for trespassing. The island, now owned by billionaire Stephen Deckoff who plans to turn it into a resort, has seen a surge in unauthorized “urban explorer” visits; its holding company sued Owen and his associates as “internet‑fame seekers,” and authorities recently arrested former Epstein property manager Ann Rodriquez on unrelated kidnapping and assault charges linked to another trespassing incident.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/epstein-island-trespasser-benjamin-owen-says-he-was-hogtied-and-thrown-in-dungeon/

#BenjaminOwen #JeffreyEpstein #StephenDeckoff #AnnRodriguez #VirginIslands

Home - CBSNews.com | Where is Jeffrey Epstein's island — and what reportedly happened there?

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Jeffrey Epstein’s private 72‑acre island, Little St. James, lies about two miles off the coast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and housed several villas, a helipad and a dock accessed by a boat marked “LSJ.” Court documents, flight logs and witness statements indicate that Epstein used the island to conceal sexual abuse, transporting under‑age girls from St. Thomas by private jet and helicopters owned by his company Hyperion Air. The U.S. Virgin Islands’ attorney general, Denise George, described the island as a refuge for his criminal activity and sued his estate, securing a $105 million settlement for the territory. Testimonies allege that victims were locked in rooms, threatened with weapons, and could only leave by boat or helicopter, while some airport staff reported seeing Epstein with apparent pre‑teens. After Epstein’s 2019 death, billionaire Stephen Deckoff purchased Little St. James and neighboring Great St. James for $60 million, announcing plans to turn the properties into a luxury resort.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-island-little-st-james-what-allegedly-happened-there/

#JeffreyEpstein #DeniseGeorge #StephenDeckoff #VirginIslands #StThomas