Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse and sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
An ex-FBI agent has explained the presence of Jeffrey Epstein's dentist chair after disturbing new photos of his infamous island were released to the public.
On Wednesday (3 December), Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released never-before-seen images of the criminal financier and convicted child sex offender's infamous island.
Epstein boasted numerous properties on his private islands, Little Saint James and Great Saint James, where he was said to have groomed and abused hordes of young girls - including some as young as 14.
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The paedophile also regularly invited a number of A-list stars and powerful politicians to his extravagant residences, prior to taking his own life while awaiting trial in New York on sex trafficking charges in 2019.
The images in question were taken during an FBI raid on Epstein’s Florida home in 2005 and others from the same day showed his bedroom, offices, as well as a massage table.
One particular photo has drawn a sharper reaction than the rest. It was taken inside one of Epstein’s properties and shows a stark white room lined with dressers and drawers.
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A yellow chair sits in the centre, the sort you would expect in a dental clinic, complete with a reclining leg rest and lamp. A strange fit for someone known as a businessman and media figure rather than a dentist.
Arguably, the most peculiar aspect of the space, however, is a series of masks that litter each of the walls visible, which appear to be casts of men's faces.
None of the faces carries clear features, so if they were modelled on real people, the identities are impossible to place. That hasn’t stopped a wave of speculation, with social media users expressing their unease.
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Former FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, who once led the agency’s work in the Virgin Islands, has now urged a closer look at the scene, voicing concern that Epstein’s associates might have used the 11 male face masks to obscure their identities inside the Little Saint James residence.
Coffindaffer also revealed her verdicts on the dentist chair - a detail which has disturbed many people online.
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She told the Daily Mail that affluent people sometimes keep private dental or salon chairs, so the equipment alone proves little. The masks, however, really caught her attention.
"It is not unusual for those involved in these kinds of sex crimes, especially those involving minors, to wear masks," she said, and noted that, if she were conducting the search, the masks would be 'very interesting'.
Coffindaffer stressed that the items 'could be innocent', and investigators have no current evidence that they played a role in any offence. Even so, she said that 'in the context of what went on at that island, I would be looking for a meaning behind them'.
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The ex-FBI agent explained that she would examine each mask for hair, markings or other signs of use, adding: "They appear to be indicative of ‘something’. What exactly that is is hard to tell from the image release, but as an investigator they would certainly pique my interest."
Another room contained a large chalkboard, bearing the words 'political', 'plots', 'deception', 'power', 'truth', and 'music', all of which had been scratched in, alongside a handful of indecipherable expressions.
Coffindaffer viewed this as the sort of material that can offer a window into a suspect’s mindset, telling the outlet: "The words themselves are gibberish, and they show the rambling thoughts of a man writing down the things that are important to him."
She said similar writings are usually passed to the FBI’s Behavioural Science Unit for review.
"'I would send it into the BSU, which is where I guarantee it was sent. They can draw a profile of a person just on their writings," she said.
Last month, the Committee released more than 20,000 pages linked to Epstein, covering details of his prison suicide along with private emails, flight records and court material.
More disclosures are on the way after US President Donald Trump approved a bill directing the Justice Department to release all remaining case files.
The public should have them by about 19 December at the latest, though they may appear sooner.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, US News, News, Politics, Crime
Rhiannon Ingle