Little St. James Island (often called “Epstein Island”) is currently owned by U.S. financier Stephen Deckoff , through his firm SD Investments, which bought it from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate in 2023. The island itself is part of the United States Virgin Islands, so it falls under U.S. jurisdiction even though the land is privately held.

Quick Scoop: Who owns Little St. James Island?

  • The current private owner is Stephen Deckoff, a billionaire investor and founder of Black Diamond Capital Management.
  • He purchased both Little St. James and the neighboring Great St. James from Epstein’s estate for about $60 million in 2023 via SD Investments.
  • The islands are located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, meaning the country with sovereignty over Little St. James is the United States.

Brief ownership history

  • 1990s: Before Epstein, Little St. James was owned by venture capitalist Arch Cummin and listed for sale in the late 1990s.
  • 1998–2019: A company called L.S.J. LLC, solely associated with Jeffrey Epstein, bought the island in 1998, and it became the center of his residence and the crimes he was later accused of.
  • 2019–2023: After Epstein’s death in 2019, the island was controlled by his estate while victims pursued civil cases and the properties were prepared for sale.
  • 2023–present: Sold to Stephen Deckoff, who has stated plans to redevelop the islands into a “world-class” luxury resort destination, aiming for an opening around the mid‑2020s.

Country vs. private owner

  • Country/sovereignty: Little St. James is part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and lies within the United States Virgin Islands territory, so it is under U.S. federal and territorial law.
  • Private property: Within that jurisdiction, the land itself is privately owned by Deckoff’s investment entity, not by the U.S. government.

Ongoing context and “latest news”

  • Recent coverage focuses on Deckoff’s resort plans and the debate over whether the island’s dark history can or should be “rebranded” into a high-end tourist destination.
  • Commentators, forums, and news outlets continue to discuss Little St. James as a symbol of wealth, secrecy, and abuse, so any development plans tend to spark public scrutiny and renewed attention to Epstein’s crimes and the lawsuits connected to the islands.

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