Wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, US media report.
His body was discovered at 07:30 local time (11:30 GMT) on Saturday at the facility in New York.
The circumstances of his death are unclear. He was reportedly on suicide watch following an earlier incident.
Epstein had pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and conspiracy charges and was being held without bail.
Last month, he was found semi-conscious in his cell with injuries to his neck. He was treated at a nearby hospital, reports say, before being returned to New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Epstein was accused of paying girls under the age of 18 to perform sex acts at his Manhattan and Florida mansions between 2002 and 2005.
He was arrested on 6 July after landing in New Jersey on his private jet.
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
New York-born Epstein worked as a teacher before moving into finance.
Prior to the criminal cases against him, he was best known for his wealth and high-profile connections.
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He was often seen socialising with the rich and powerful, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and the UK’s Prince Andrew.
Reports of Epstein’s wealth vary, with his Virgin Islands-based firm generating no public records.
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Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on July 6 by authorities in New York on charges of sex trafficking of minors. He has pleaded not guilty, and is now awaiting trial – provisionally set for June 2020.
Harriet Alexander
Jeffrey Epstein wished to “improve” the human race by impregnating multiple women at his New Mexico ranch, according to scientists.
Three people – two award-winning scientists and an adviser to large companies and wealthy individuals – said that Epstein confided in them that he wanted to improve the gene pool
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