Law&Crime Sidebar - Mystery Epstein Google Search, Cash Deposit Made in Jail Before Death: Records

Episode Date: March 9, 2026

A correctional officer guarding Jeffrey Epstein allegedly Googled him just minutes before his body was discovered. Newly released Epstein files reveal the search activity along with suspicious cash deposits flagged by a bank days before Epstein’s death and a handwritten inmate note describing guards shouting “breathe” the morning he was found. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down why these revelations are adding new questions to Epstein's already controversial death at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: 👉 Grab your free seat to the 2-Day AI Mastermind: https://link.outskill.com/LAWCRIMEMAR2🔐 100% Discount for the first 1000 people💥 Dive deep into AI and Learn Automations, Build AI Agents, Make videos & images – all for free!🎁  Bonuses worth $5100+ if you join and attendHOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea, Alex Ciccarone, & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrimeTwitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another weird alleged detail in connection with the death of Jeffrey Epstein, the newly released documents from the DOJ suggests that one of the correctional officers who was supposed to be watching the sex offender was Googling him right before his body was found in a jail cell, his dead body. And apparently, there are some financial deposits that have come under scrutiny, too. Let's talk about it. Welcome to Sidebar. Presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. All right, real quick, by the way, we're quarter through 2026. Are we really? That's pretty crazy to think about.

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the QR code and join our WhatsApp community to stay up to date. One of the greatest points of contention, maybe the most disagreed points about Jeffrey Epstein, something that people out there have a lot of disagreement about seems to be regarding his death. Because no matter the official conclusions from authorities, there are those who still have a ton of questions about how he died in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10, 2019, as he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Because there is a theory that he didn't die from his own hand. There is a theory that he was actually murdered. Goes to the idea that he knew too much. He was a liability. Although, to be clear,

there's no concrete evidence or proof to support that. However, a lot of weird things. A lot of weird things. That's why there's so much debate and questions. I mean, right now, we have something that we want to talk about that came out from the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files that will probably add more fuel to this discussion. Because it turns out one of Epstein's guards allegedly Googled him right before his dead body was found. And there's also what's being characterized as these kind of like weird money transfers days before his death too. It's eerie. It's eerie, right? So I want to explain this. At one point in time, obviously, there was a full investigation into Epstein's death. And one of the things that happened was that after he died,

there was a forensic examination conducted on the desktop computers that were apparently used by the correctional officers that were supposed to be watching him. Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, they were signed to Epstein's unit. Now, by the way, they were both arrested and charged and connection with allegedly falsifying reports to make it look like they properly made the rounds the night before Epstein's death. Those charges were dropped. They were ultimately fired. But this again, raised a lot of questions. Now, I'll talk about the conclusion what we should make of that in a minute. But before I even get into the Google searches, which is the focus of today's topic, something else about Tova Noel. It's coming out more in the documents in the Epstein

Files Library, released as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. There was a strange note from an parent inmate at the MCC. Now, this is based on reporting from the Miami Herald, but we have the actual note, too, from the files. So apparently an inmate at the MCC spoke with the FBI, and there is a five-page handwritten note of an interview with this inmate who claims that on the morning of August 10, 2019, he hears officers shouting at 6.30 a.m. So again, that's the reported time when Epstein's body was found. Breathe, breathe, he recalled Officer Schroft, shouting. And then he allegedly hears an officer say, and this is what you can read from the handwritten note, this is the best way that it's deciphered. Dudes, you killed that dude. And then he

claims that a female guard replied, if he's dead, we're going to cover it up and he's going to have an alibi, my officers. And then he claims that inmates later on made the accusation, quote, Miss Noel killed Jeffrey. All right, to be clear, there is no corroborating evidence to back this up. And the DOJ's investigation concluded, quote, none of the inmates who were interviewed had any credible information suggesting Epstein's cause of death was something other than suicide. This is from one of the reports. But I want to go back to the Google searches. Okay, so now we keep that in mind. There's been a lot of attention focused on Tova Newell.

So this is being reported now, and I actually went and found the documents. You have one document in the Epstein Files Library that says, Timeline Analysis of Desktop Property User Tova Noel. 810, 2019, 55229, so again, close to 6 in the morning, user searches Google for, quote, latest on Epstein in jail. Remember 630s like time that his body was found around that time. 810, 2019, 543.03. User navigates an I.E. to this CNBC article.

And it says documents released about Jeffrey Epstein and Galane Maxwell. 810, 2019, 546.06. User navigates an IE, too, and there's another article that's about Jeffrey Epstein repeatedly refused to answer questions about allegations he orchestrated sex trafficking ring. There's also another document in this files released. It's titled Forensic Notes, LITS, Leonard Forensics, Request for Examination of Two Desktops from Bureau of Prisons. And then you go to page 23 and highlighted in yellow is the Google search for latest on Epstein

in jail. on 810, 2019, 542.56, and 810, 2019 at 552.29. So, this is documentation that Tova Noel seemingly was researching Epstein less than, what, 40 minutes before her colleague, Thomas, would end up finding Epstein's dead body in his cell. You could see why this is weird, right? You can see why people will probably say, this seems like a strange coincidence. Well, Tova Noel was actually interviewed about this. So this is also in the files. We have another document. It is titled, digitally recorded sworn statement of Tova Noel, and this is the Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, June 21st, 2021.

And in this interview, Noel is asked questions by who appears to be a special agent with the Inspector General's New York field office. Here is part of that exchange. So the questions asked of Noel, you said you were on the internet. Are you authorized to use the internet when you're in the S HU, that's the special housing unit. Nuel responds, I don't know if I'm authorized to use the internet in the SHU, but I did. I don't know if I'm authorized. All right. And did you conduct internet queries when you were assigned to the SHU on August 10th, 2019? Noelle responds, what do you mean? Like internet searches. Did you like Google things or look things up when you were in there? Noelle responds, yeah. Do you remember conducting any internet queries related

to Epstein? No, I don't remember doing that. So you don't remember actually conducting queries on Epstein around four or five a.m.? Mm-hmm. On August 10th? No. Okay. Does that surprise you for me to ask that question? Noel responds, if I don't remember doing that?

I don't know. Had you queried him before? Had you looked up Epstein previously? Noel reportedly responds. I don't recall looking him up. No? No, because when you open the computer and when you click on it, like he's there in the Google search, like he's there.

Epstein is? like when you click on the browser, you know, like if you open it, Emerson or Google, like how it has that little news piece, like one time he was there. And was that on August 10th? No, I don't recall that being on August 10th. I don't remember, but I don't recall it being on August 10th. The conversation continues. Do you remember reviewing news articles on Epstein? Noel responds, yeah. And then the question is on August 10th. On August 10th, I don't recall if it was August 10th, but I remember when I saw it,

I like scrolled and read it. Okay. And what was the purpose of that? What was the purpose of that? Yep, because he's in there. I just scrolled and there's cross talk where the agent seems to say, sure. So you're trying to learn about the inmate that was okay. And then Noel responds at one point because remember, I was asked like, do I know who that was? And I was like, no. And it was like he's always in the news.

So when I saw it, I just briefly like skimmed to see like what he was in the news for. But and there's cross talk. Okay. And do you recall at 542 to 552 on August 10th, 2019? at articles related to Epstein? Well, seemingly responds, no. You do not recall that? No.

Do you remember searching for him? No. Or having anything to do with when you're on the internet? No. Does it surprise you to hear that you know internet searches would show that's what you were doing from 542 24 to 5.52 a.m. on August 10th, 2019? Yeah. Now, she was also asked point blank if she had anything to do with Epstein's death.

I mean, that's the elephant in the room, right? That's what we're talking about. Did you have any part in Epstein's death? No. Prior to Epstein dying, did you have any communications, verbal, electronic, handwritten, or otherwise with anyone, BOP staff members, or otherwise, about the safety and well-being of Epstein? No. Now, there was also a matter of money, which has come out more in the records release and a lot

of different outlets are reporting about this, but primarily the New York Post. So the New York Post is reporting that Newell's bank, Chase Bank, had apparently flagged these cash deposits in her account. And it was in this suspicious activity report that was sent to the FBI in November of 2019. Now, there was reportedly a series of deposits, but the largest was for $5,000 on July 30th, 2019. So what's that? A week before Epstein died. And just to amplify that a bit, the Miami Herald reported that the file show she received

thousands of dollars in cash and Zell payments in the months leading up to Epstein's death. Now, I haven't seen an official explanation for those payments or. where they're coming from or the purpose, although I will tell you that it has been reported that when you look at Noelle's financial records, it may indicate she was paying off a new Range Rover. Okay. Now, one other reason that this becomes interesting or notable is because Epstein's former cellmate apparently told prison authorities that he told Epstein that he should pay off the inmates and the guards to protect him while he's locked away. And according to the Miami Herald, their sources told them that the deceased financier did make protection payments.

Now, to be clear, neither Thomas nor Noel ever faced homicide charges in connection with Epstein's death. In fact, no one has. The investigation revealed that they were just allegedly negligent in their duties, with Thomas and Noel apparently surfing the web for motorcycles, sports news, furniture shopping, that they fell asleep, that Noel allegedly admitted that they didn't do the required checks on Epstein. And Thomas allegedly saying, we messed up. This was according to an indictment that they both faced, even though the charges were dropped. Now, the reason this is significant and to put it in context

and will no doubt continue the conversation into Epstein's death is because, again, there is already weird stuff surrounding this episode. Even though it was officially determined to be a suicide, remember the FBI, the DOJ,

they had this memo that was released last summer where they said that after looking at all the files regarding Epstein's death, quote, after a thorough investigation, FBI investigators concluded that Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10th, 2019.

This conclusion is consistent with previous findings, including the August 19th, 2019 autopsy findings of the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the November 2019 position of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in connection with the investigation of federal correctional officers responsible for guarding Epstein and the June 2023 conclusions of DOJ's office of the Inspector General. But you and I both know that didn't stop people from speculative. that there's more here, again, because there's weird stuff. According to CBS, investigators looked at the jail surveillance footage from the night of August 9th,

so the night before Epstein was reportedly found dead, and they see this orange-colored shape moving up a staircase toward the tier where Epstein's cell was at about 1039 p.m. Why is that important? Because remember, it's believed Epstein died before 6.30 a.m. That's what his body was found. Now, according to a DOJ, Inspector General memo of investigation, this memorandum of investigation. The FBI has identified that the only camera in the SHU recording was located above the G-tier near the entrance for the 10 South Unit.

The camera footage had low-quality video and the camera angle only partially shows the SHU, including the SHU officer station and partial view of the stairs leading to the tiers in the SHU. It should be noted due to the quality of the video. The person's on camera cannot be properly identified other than possibly if the person is a male or female.

The MCC Daily Assignment roster shows that on August 9th, 2019, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., correctional officers Tova Noel and redacted were assigned to work in the S.HU. According to the FBI, 1039, a flash of orange looks to be going up the L-tier stairs, could possibly be an inmate escorted up to that tier. Now, according to CBS, that wasn't previously reported by authorities, including from then Attorney General Bill Barr. So, seemingly, no one mentioned someone entering the... the area where Epstein was being housed the night of his death or before his death.

You have this 1041 person walks from direction of either L-tier or exit to laundry room back to desk area can then see papers moving around at the desk area. Now, the office of the Inspector General and the FBI, they both analyzed the video, and it seems based on this memo, they arrived at slightly different conclusions, right? So the OIG report says that at 1039, this flash of orange can be seen going up the stairs of L upper tier inmates are currently unlocked. It is possible someone is carrying inmate linen or bedding up to the stairs. According to the IG's report, released in June of 2023 at approximately 1039, an unidentified

CEO appeared to walk up the L-tier stairway and then reappeared within view of the camera at 1041 p.m. This is believed to be the last time anyone entered L-tier before approximately 6.30 a.m. on August 10th, between approximately 1040 p.m. on August 9th and just before 6.30 a.m. on August 10th, the OIG did not observe on the recorded video any CO or other individual enter any of the S HU tiers, which is consistent with Tova Noel and material handler Michael Thomas's admissions to the OIG that the SAU rounds and counts were not conducted during that time frame. So they say correctional officer, right? And then you have this FBI briefing report where it said that it was Tova Noel.

There seemed to be a conclusion that that was Tova Noel. And this is significant because CBS previously looked into this. and we did a whole sidebar on this video analysis. And the movement, at one point there was a theory that was more consistent with an inmate. So someone actually wearing an orange prison uniform rather than a CEO carrying clothing or betting, and that, yeah, it would also be kind of unusual for a CEO to be escorting an inmate at that time too. And what complicates all this is that there was only one camera recording that night, and you really couldn't see Epstein's unit or the tier.

Now, the FBI report included diagrams and photos showing the bad angles. But the issue with all of this is that Noel apparently swore under oath that she saw Epstein alive, quote, somewhere around after 10. And she, quote, never gave out linen ever or clothing to inmates because that's done in the shift before hers. And then you go to her interview that I mentioned with the OIG's office. She was asked about the linens in the interview. Okay, why did Epstein have extra clothing and extra linens? his cell. Noel apparently responds, I don't know. There was cross talk with the agent says on August 10th. Noel responds, I don't know. Now, there were also questions about a change in the recorded

number of inmates in the SHU, which evidently went from 73 to 72 sometime in the middle of the night. Noel apparently told officials that she was probably mistaken on that count. But again, you couple that with something else. For example, and we've talked about this on a previous sidebar, there were internal reports suggesting that Jeffrey Epstein's mindset, that weren't consistent with him doing something to himself. The Bureau of Prison Psychology Services released a report after Epstein reportedly tried to hurt himself earlier in July. This was weeks before guards said they found him dead in a cell.

And I just want to read you a little bit of it. It says protective factors. Mr. Epstein adamantly denied current suicidal ideation or intent or history of suicide attempts. He stated, I have no interest in killing myself. He explained, although his situation is not perfect due to his being incarcerated, He noted he has lots to do for his legal case. He described having a wonderful life to include interactions with interesting people and projects.

He said it would be crazy to take his life. He furthered, I would not do that to myself. He denied feelings of hopelessness, although did report being depressed and unhappy about his current legal situation. He previously denied a history of child abuse. He reported he is sleeping adequately now that he is no longer in the SHU. He appears future-oriented as he endorsed an interest in being housed in general population. There's another entry from the next day that reads, Inmate Epstein did reveal he is unhappy with his current confinement in SHU,

as he considers it a punishment cell. He said he finds the restrictions up there unfair, as he has not done anything wrong. Inmate Epstein stated he feels it is dangerous in the SHU. He cannot sleep well up there due to noise from the other inmates. It smells and it's difficult for him to work on his legal case up there. He stated he has not received the phone calls. He was promised, nor has he been able to receive recreation.

It was explained to him that he spends the, the entire day in the attorney conference room and it is likely that he has missed the times when staff members have attempted to give him phone calls and recreation. Inmate Epstein also reported complaints about the attorney conference room stating they do not take him to the bathroom frequently enough. Inmate Epstein adamantly denied any suicidality at this time stating I am too vested in my case to fight it. I have a life and I want to go back to living my life and he denied any acute symptoms at this time. Now again, that could be all true but you never know. what's going on in somebody's mind and circumstances can change.

And I also talked about this in a previous sidebar, how he kind of made changes to his financial arrangement before his death. And, you know, that secret girlfriend, Corinna Shuliac, apparently spoke to her on the phone the night before his death. But anyway, talk about weird stuff, everything that I mentioned with Tova Noel. Remember I mentioned this? These newly released reports show that a decoy was used when officials were removing Epstein's body from the prison. You have this report on an interview with a redact.

the redacted food services employee that reads, due to the large news media presence outside the MCC, a male OCHE official called and said he would be arriving at the loading dock with a black vehicle. In order to thwart the media, redacted, redacted, and redacted, use boxes and sheets to create what appeared to be a human body, which was put into the white OCEME vehicle, which the press followed, allowing the black vehicle to depart unnoticed with Epstein's body. Yeah, yeah, you see what I mean? Why there's a lot of questions. Now, the new documents also apparently show that the chief medical examiner's office in New York City reviewed the jail surveillance footage six days after Epstein died. Concluded, again, that the video was too blurry to identify anyone, but then hours later,

they announced they determined that Epstein had taken his own life. And in the end, the DOJ found that while there had been serious oversights and failures involving, you know, missing video evidence and staff misconduct, there was no evidence that Jeffrey Epstein. died as a result of any outside actors, that, quote, no one entered or exited Epstein's cell after Epstein was locked in that night. But of course you have the conclusion, nonetheless of Dr. Michael Bodden, a claim forensic pathologist who was hired by Epstein's estate to attend the official autopsy, believes that Epstein's injuries, like three fractures on the left and right side of his larynx and hemorrhages in his eyes, were more consistent with

strangulation, meaning homicide. Now, I say all this to be clear. none of this is definitive proof that Jeffrey Epstein was killed or that there was a cover-up. Again, this could be what authorities say it is, a total case of negligence, a mess-up, okay? But at the same time, as we are learning more and more from these files, the questions are going to continue. The discussion is going to continue. That's all we have for you right now here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, or

wherever you should get your podcast. You can also follow us on NBC's Peacock as well. We've got sidebar episodes up there as well. If you want to follow me, ex-instagram, my News Nation show, Jesse Weber Live, Monday through Friday, 11 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you next time, everybody.