FBI opens investigation after Florida referral (month-level)

Date: 2006-07 • ID: 2006-07-00-fbi-investigation-opens

The Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a formal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein in July 2006 following the referral of the matter from Palm Beach County to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The federal investigation broadened the scope of inquiry beyond the initial Palm Beach police investigation to include Epstein's properties in New York, New Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and examined potential violations of federal sex trafficking statutes.

The FBI investigation produced extensive documentary evidence, interview records (FD-302s), and financial records that informed both the 2007 draft indictment and the 2008 non-prosecution agreement. FBI investigative records connected to this investigation were later released as part of the Department of Justice’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, beginning in late 2025. The specific FBI documents released under that Act constitute the primary evidentiary record for this period.

Primary Sources

• DOJ OIG Review of the Epstein Non-Prosecution Agreement
  View report

Source Anchors

• DOJ FOIA review materials (investigative context)
  View document page

Additional Reporting and Oversight

• DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility — statement on Epstein 2006–2008 review (2020)
  https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/statement-doj-office-professional-responsibility-report-jeffrey-epstein-2006-2008
• U.S. v. Epstein (S.D. Florida) — CourtListener docket
  https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5475268/united-states-v-epstein/
  Public docket reference (RECAP where available).