The initials of paedo tycoon Jeffrey Epstein have been erased from a temple-like retreat on the private Caribbean island where he was feared to have abused young girls.
“JE” was etched into the masonry of the Egyptian-styled building at his estate on Little St James – dubbed Paedo Island.
A huge, garish sundial has also been removed and sculptures and statues chosen by Epstein – some depicting gargoyles, cockatoos and a cow – also appear to have been taken away.
A local told the Sunday Mirror: “It looks like they’re trying to delete any memory of Epstein from the island.
“Despite it looking like paradise on earth, any connection to a man like Epstein is bad. Everyone here just wants to forget about him and what he’s accused of.”
The disgraced former Wall Street financier bought Little St James for just under £5million in 1998.
It is claimed victims were flown there and to his other luxury homes around the world on his private jet, dubbed the Lolita Express.
Virginia Giuffre – 17 when she claims Epstein arranged for her to sleep with Prince Andrew, 61 – has alleged in court papers that the tycoon used the island for “continuous” orgies.
She also claimed Epstein’s one-time lover, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, had sex “virtually every day” in cabins and by the pool.
(Image: James Breeden)
American Virginia, now 37, said: “There were blondes, there were brunettes, there were redheads. All beautiful girls. I would say the ages ranged between 15 and 21. The island was a place where orgies were a constant thing. One occasion stands out.
“Models – I think they were models – were flown in. There were orgies by the pool. She (Maxwell) was involved.”
Virginia also claimed she had a foursome involving Maxwell and Epstein “in the living room in the main house”.
Prince Andrew – who denies claims that he and Virginia had sex three times – was also named in the 2015 papers.
Maxwell is in jail in New York awaiting trial on child grooming charges – which she denies. On Friday, she pleaded not guilty to new sex-trafficking raps. Her trial is set for July but her lawyers have applied for a delay until January.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in 2019 while accused of sex trafficking underage girls. He previously did 13 months for procuring an underage girl for prostitution.
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: Getty)
Last week, demolition crews began razing Epstein’s mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, where it is claimed he abused girls. Developer Todd Michael Glaser bought it for $18.5million (£13m).
Epstein’s New York townhouse also sold last month for $51m (£37m), way down on the initial $88m (£64m) price.
And it is believed Little St James may also be put up for sale soon.
Our source added: “I imagine Epstein’s infamous connection to the island will make it harder to sell to any potential buyers, so it makes good business sense to remove any mark of him.”