Another strange and captivating detail has emerged from the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein saga. According to the Department of Justice, one of the deceased and disgraced financier’s prison guards acted very suspiciously in the days leading up to the infamous murder suicide.
Investigators say the prison guard, who was in charge of Epstein’s unit, deposited $5,000 in cash into his bank account about 10 days before the inmate was found deceased. In November of 2019, Chase Bank flagged the deposits as “suspicious activity” and filed a report. Investigators found out that the $5,000 deposit was only the tip of the iceberg.
About 11 other large cash deposits were made into Tova Noel’s bank account. The first time this type of cash was deposited into the account was in December of 2018. In total, Noel made $11,880 in deposits. Noel just started working in Epstein’s unit weeks before the death.
While Noel should’ve been doing rounds every 30 minutes to check on Epstein and other inmates, she was instead browsing online. An investigation into her internet search history that night revealed Noel was shopping online for furniture. At around 5:42 A.M., she googled “latest on Epstein in jail.” Then, at 5:52 A.M., she allegedly searched for the same thing again. Eerily, Epstein was discovered deceased less than 40 minutes later.
Interestingly, the prison guard told FBI agents that she doesn’t remember looking up or Googling the inmate.
While nothing has been confirmed, an internal FBI briefing that was later released showed the agency suspected Noel might be the mysterious orange shape that’s spotted on the surveillance cam near Epstein’s cell that night. The report suggests that the blurry officer provided linens and extra inmate clothing to the unit, which were likely used by Epstein to finalize his story. No one has been able to clearly identify the blob, despite it being a huge source of debate within the FBI and the public.
Ultimately, Tova Noel was fired after the horrible incident. She was also arrested for falsifying records to claim she had checked on Epstein throughout the night of his suicide, but those charges were later dropped.
Falsifying Records as a Correctional Officer
In New York, correctional officers have historically faced serious, felony-level charges for falsifying records. When falsifying records leads to coverups for violent incidents like assaults, murders, or suicides, then the charges can result in up to 20 years in federal prison. Correctional officers can also face similar penalties if falsifying records leads to a coverup of misconduct, like not actually conducting rounds as is required.
On top of criminal consequences, these officers typically lose their jobs and whatever pensions, or retirement are associated with their position. In some cases, especially when convictions occur, the person can be permanently disqualified from working in law enforcement.
If you’ve been accused of falsifying records or committing another type of offense as a correctional officer, then it’s important to hire legal representation as soon as possible. Contact our office now to schedule a free consultation.
