Jeffrey Epstein case: Former prison guard Tova Noel denies cover-up, says she faced persistent threats | Today’s news
A former corrections officer who was on duty the night convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in a Manhattan jail says years of conspiracy theories and threats destroyed her personal and professional life, according to a transcript of her interview with the House Oversight Committee obtained and released by ABC News.
Former Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) officer Tova Noel told lawmakers she continues to face harassment, threats and allegations linking her to Epstein’s death, even though she was never charged in connection with causing it, according to the reporter.
“I thought I would be able to privately rebuild my life and career. Instead, I have been constantly subject to threats to my life, conspiracy theories and inflammatory rumors that are impacting my mental and physical health,” Noel said, according to a transcript reviewed by the news website.
She added that she has received threats from strangers and continues to face harassment at her home and workplace.
“I’ve received threats from strangers. I’ve witnessed strangers proclaim whether I’m a murderer or I’m going to end up dead,” Noel told lawmakers, according to the news outlet.
He blames a “dysfunctional culture” at MCC
ABC News reported that Noel admitted she did not properly perform required checks on inmates the night of Epstein’s death, but said her actions reflected long-standing systemic problems at the facility.
“My responsibility to conduct counts and rounds was improperly carried out due to severe understaffing, lack of adequate training, lack of communication between management and frontline correctional officers and other systemic failures,” Noel said.
She described the failure as part of what she called the “MCC Path,” referring to operational practices at the now-closed federal prison.
Admitted falsifying records
Noel and another correctional officer were indicted in November 2019. Federal prosecutors alleged that the officers spent much of their shift at their desks browsing the Internet and did not check on the inmate in the special housing unit for approximately eight hours before Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell.
ABC News reported that Noel admitted to submitting paperwork showing the rounds were completed. However, she insisted that the falsification of the record was unrelated to Epstein’s death and was not part of any cover-up.
Both Noel and another officer later entered into plea deals with prosecutors and the charges were dismissed in December 2021.
Answers internet search queries
ABC News reported that lawmakers questioned Noel about Internet searches shortly before Epstein was found dead.
Among the records released by the Justice Department was a search for “the last Epstein in prison” less than an hour before his death.
Noel told lawmakers she didn’t specifically remember looking.
“Like if I see it on the home page, I’ll click on it and read it. But as far as physically searching, I don’t remember doing that,” she reportedly said.
It deals with suspicious bank transactions
Committee members also asked Noel about financial transactions that had previously come under scrutiny, according to reports.
Some conspiracy theories suggested that the deposits were linked to Epstein.
Noel categorically denied the allegations.
“The source of the money, which, as I mentioned earlier, has nothing to do with Epstein, anyone associated with Epstein, Epstein. No one has ever called, offered, asked. Anything that has to do with my money has nothing to do with Epstein at all. It’s just me and my personal savings,” she said.
He denies knowledge of secret surveillance
Lawmakers also questioned Noel about an unexplained orange flash captured on surveillance footage near Epstein’s cell the night before his death.
The image has fueled speculation on the Internet for years.
Noel said she had no idea what caused it.
“To be very honest, I don’t know what it is, who it is. Because I never went back to level and I never wore anything orange and I never issued anything orange to anybody in the SHU — not just Epstein, just anybody,” she told lawmakers, according to the news site.
The DOJ ruled that Epstein died by suicide
Epstein died on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
The New York medical examiner ruled his death a suicide, a finding later supported by the US Department of Justice.
A 2023 Justice Department inspector general’s report documented numerous failures by prison staff and administrators, but concluded that Epstein died by suicide and found no evidence of foul play.
‘Let me heal and move on’
In her closing argument, Noel reportedly pleaded for an end to the scrutiny that has dogged her since Epstein’s death.
“I would like to ask the world to allow me to heal and move on with my life. I am not a criminal. I did not conspire to cause Mr. Epstein’s death. My desire is to be left alone after this entire conversation today,” Noel said.
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