Mumbai, March 7: Newly released Department of Justice (DOJ) documents have uncovered a series of previously undisclosed actions by Tova Noel, one of the two prison guards on duty the night Jeffrey Epstein died. The records reveal that Noel performed targeted internet searches on Google for Epstein just minutes before his body was discovered and received a significant, unexplained cash deposit in the days leading up to his August 2019 suicide.

Suspicious Digital Activity and Financial Records of Tova Noel

According to an FBI forensic examination of the Bureau of Prisons' desktop computers, Noel, 37, searched for "latest on Epstein in jail" at 5:42 AM and again at 5:52 AM on August 10, 2019. These searches occurred less than 40 minutes before her colleague, Michael Thomas, reported finding Epstein dead by hanging at 6:30 AM. Umar Dzhabrailov Dies: Russian Businessman Who Called Jeffrey Epstein’s Ex-Girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell His ‘Soulmate’ Found Dead.

Prison Guard Googled Jeffrey Epstein Minutes Before His Body Was Found

Financial records included in the DOJ files show that Chase Bank flagged several "suspicious" cash deposits into Noel's account, totaling nearly USD 12,000 between late 2018 and mid-2019. The largest single deposit, amounting to UAD 5,000, was made on July 30, 2019 - just ten days before Epstein's death and shortly after she began her assignment at the Special Housing Unit (SHU).

Surveillance Discrepancies Reported

The documents also shed new light on a long-debated "orange shape" seen in blurry surveillance footage near Epstein's cell at approximately 10:40 PM While a 2023 inspector general report referred to the figure as an "unidentified correctional officer," the recently released FBI briefing explicitly names Noel as the likely individual. The briefing suggests she was carrying linen or inmate clothing toward the tier at that time. Epstein reportedly used strips of orange cloth - similar to prison linens - to take his own life. During a 2021 sworn statement, Noel denied being the figure in the video, claiming she "never gave out linen" because that task was assigned to the previous shift. Is math-tutors.org Related to Jeffrey Epstein? Why the ‘Proxy’ Website Is Trending.

History of Negligence and Dropped Charges Against the Prison Guards

Noel and Thomas were originally indicted for falsifying prison logs to indicate they had performed mandatory 30-minute checks that they actually missed. Prosecutors alleged that during their shift, the pair spent hours sleeping and browsing the internet for furniture and motorcycles. Although they were fired from the Bureau of Prisons, criminal charges against both were dropped in 2021 after they completed community service and cooperated with the DOJ's inspector general investigation. Noel has since transitioned to a role as a medical office assistant at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, where she is currently facing a separate civil lawsuit for an alleged workplace assault.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2026 11:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).