when did epstein island start

Epstein’s private island “started” as his property in 1998, when he bought Little St. James in the U.S. Virgin Islands and began building out the compound shortly afterward. Reports and survivor accounts indicate that the criminal activity people associate with “Epstein Island” began years later, in the early 2000s, after the estate and main residence were developed enough to host guests regularly.

Quick timeline

• 1998: Jeffrey Epstein purchases Little St. James (about 70–72 acres) for around 7.95 million dollars and immediately starts construction on a main residence, guest cottages, helipad, dock, and support facilities.

• Early–mid 2000s: Victim and legal accounts describe the island as an active site of trafficking and abuse during this period, with young women and girls brought there under false pretenses.

• 2016: Epstein adds a second nearby island, Great St. James, expanding his holdings in the area.

• 2019: Epstein is arrested; federal agents raid Little St. James, and the island’s role in his crimes becomes widely publicized worldwide.

• 2023–2025: The islands are sold and plans announced to convert them into a luxury resort, though their reputation remains closely tied to Epstein’s offenses.

In everyday discussion, when people ask “when did Epstein Island start,” they usually mean either when he first owned it (1998) or when it became the hub of his abuse (early 2000s), both tied to that same private estate on Little St. James.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.