Jeffrey Epstein was first formally investigated in March 2005 , when police in Palm Beach, Florida, opened a case after the family of a 14‑year‑old girl reported that he had sexually assaulted her at his home.

Quick timeline snapshot

  • March 2005 – Palm Beach police begin the first known criminal investigation into Epstein after the 14‑year‑old’s report.
  • Late 2005–early 2006 – The investigation expands as more underage girls tell police Epstein paid them for “massages” that were sexual in nature.
  • May 2006 – Local prosecutors move the case to a grand jury rather than filing multiple direct charges, a decision later heavily criticized.
  • Mid‑2006 – In response to concerns about leniency, federal authorities open a broader FBI investigation that eventually focuses on possible sex trafficking across state and national lines.

In other words, when people ask “when was Epstein first investigated,” they are usually referring to that Palm Beach police investigation that began in March 2005 , about two decades ago.

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