Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, is once again disputing the official account of his brother’s 2019 death, calling recent government statements “ludicrous” and pointing to what he says is mounting evidence of foul play.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Mark Epstein criticized FBI leadership for reaffirming that his brother died by suicide, as he presented new claims to suggest Jeffrey Epstein was murdered inside his Manhattan jail cell.

On Sunday, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino appeared on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” where they emphatically stated Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2019.  Bongino echoed Patel’s view, saying he had reviewed the case file in its entirety and found no cause to suspect murder or cover-up.

He later doubled down on that conclusion online, stating he would only reconsider if new evidence emerged to suggest otherwise. “I’m not asking you to believe me or not,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I’m telling you what exists and what doesn’t.”

But Mark Epstein rejected those claims outright. He argued the men commenting on the case had no firsthand knowledge of the autopsy or the condition of the body. “[Patel has] no idea what the f*** he’s talking about,” Mark said, expressing frustration at what he sees as a premature conclusion by authorities.

Claimed inconsistencies in physical evidence

Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in his cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on multiple charges related to sex trafficking. The death was quickly ruled a suicide, though the original death certificate had initially been categorized as “pending further study.” Mark questioned how such a complex case could have been resolved in mere days—an unusually short timeline for a medical examiner’s final ruling.

Assessing the physical evidence himself, Mark said he had tested a prison-issue bedsheet similar to the one allegedly used in the hanging and claimed it failed to hold weight during his examination. Mark recalled that Jeffrey was meticulous about personal grooming and usually shaved on Fridays, but when found Saturday morning, the body appeared freshly shaven. He also noted signs of lividity on the upper back rather than on the legs and buttocks, which contradicts standard patterns when a person dies upright.

Allegations of access and surveillance failures

Mark Epstein questioned multiple reported failures in prison security the night of Jeffrey Epstein’s death. Surveillance cameras were reportedly malfunctioning during the overnight period when Epstein allegedly died, and no conclusive video evidence has emerged showing what happened inside or outside the cell during that timeframe.

He also noted there were roughly a dozen inmates housed on Epstein’s tier, any of whom, Mark claimed, could have gained access without being recorded going in or out. “There are six levels of security in that prison before you get to that tier… but they would not have to go in or out of the tier to kill somebody in their cell,” he asserted.

Former Attorney General Bill Barr had once stated he viewed footage that confirmed no one entered or exited during the time in question. Mark called those statements “asinine and ludicrous,” arguing that the data was not only incomplete but also misleading.

Suspicions about motive and suppression

In suggesting a motive for potential foul play, Mark said his brother possessed highly sensitive information about powerful figures. He cited a conversation Jeffrey allegedly had during the 2016 presidential election cycle, in which he remarked, “If I said what I knew about both candidates, they'd have to cancel the election.”

Mark believes Epstein’s demise was driven not by despair but by what he “knew” or “had on people”—and said this possibility has not been fully investigated due to political and institutional pressures. “It would be a lot easier for me if I thought it was suicide, but there's a long list of things that point away from it,” he said.

President Donald Trump has also expressed doubt about the official conclusion. During his first term, Trump signed an executive order calling for the declassification of government-held documents, including those related to Epstein and his network.

Release of investigation files reignites scrutiny

In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the first phase of the Epstein-related document release. The disclosed materials included heavily redacted contact lists and flight logs tied to Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. While many names were blacked out, some high-profile individuals were revealed in the documents.

Among the public names listed were celebrities, politicians, and public figures, including Mick Jagger, Alec Baldwin, Naomi Campbell, Courtney Love, and Ivanka Trump. However, the presence of these names does not imply any criminal association with Epstein’s activities. Donald Trump’s name was notably absent from the released records, and no evidence was presented linking the individuals named to Epstein’s alleged crimes. Still, the file’s partial transparency has renewed calls for further disclosure as public interest remains high.