‘The easiest thing in the world to do’: Jeffrey Epstein’s brother is calling the newly unsealed suicide note a forgery

A newly unsealed suicide note allegedly left by Jeffrey Epstein has brought fresh attention to the theories surrounding his death in jail. In the note, Epstein claimed he was treated unfairly by the FBI and that his arrest was a “treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.” Epstein’s brother, Mark, says the note is a forgery, made to support the official ruling that his brother died by suicide.

Mark Epstein, 71, told Business Insider that the handwriting in the note looks suspicious and that anyone could have easily copied the language, which closely resembles phrases Epstein used in previously released emails to friends and family. “That’s the easiest f—ing thing in the world to do,” Mark said. 

Tartaglione, a former police officer who was convicted of murdering four men and burying them on his upstate New York property, claims that Epstein left the note inside a book after an alleged suicide attempt in July 2019. This was just weeks before Epstein was found dead inside New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. Mark Epstein has consistently rejected the official findings and maintains his brother was murdered.

Mark Epstein’s forgery claims add a new layer of doubt to an already disputed death

The note stayed buried in court records for years before a federal judge unsealed it this week as part of criminal proceedings tied to Tartaglione. The note reads in part: “They investigated me for month, FOUND NOTHING!!!… Watcha want me to do, Bust out cryin!!” The final line closely resembles phrases Epstein used in previously released emails to friends and family, referencing the 1930s comedy series Little Rascals.

Mark Epstein’s doubts go beyond just the language in the note. He believes the whole thing was fabricated to support the story that his brother died by suicide. “They stole it from me to make it sound like it was him,” he said. Reports have also shown that Epstein removed key evidence before his mansion was raided, raising further questions about what was being hidden and why.

The case has continued to attract conspiracy theories for years, fueled by malfunctioning security cameras and ongoing disputes about the nature of Epstein’s injuries. Many people, including legal experts, have questioned the official ruling of suicide.

The note’s sudden reappearance in court proceedings has only added more fuel to those doubts, with some pointing out that it is highly unusual for such a significant piece of evidence to remain sealed for so long. Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner is among those who have publicly expressed skepticism. Kirschner told The Daily Beast Podcast that he still has serious questions about the note and what it actually proves.

“It’s really hard for me to accept anything that Todd Blanche and this Department of Justice says, because we have seen them lie. We’ve seen them contradict themselves,” Kirschner said. Drawing on his background as a former homicide prosecutor, he said he finds it hard to believe Epstein killed himself, and that the note does little to change his view. The New York City Medical Examiner officially ruled Epstein’s August 2019 death a suicide.

However, that conclusion has been questioned due to security failures at the now-closed Manhattan jail where he was being held, as well as conflicting observations about an orange shape seen moving toward his cell in the hours before he was found dead. The broader Epstein case has also drawn in other powerful figures, including an Epstein-linked billionaire accused of crimes against a minor, showing just how far the case extends beyond Epstein himself.