Epstein Island Staff and Employees: Who Worked on Little St. James

The People Who Ran Epstein's Island

The operation of Jeffrey Epstein's Little St. James island required a significant workforce. From domestic staff and groundskeepers to boat captains and security personnel, dozens of people worked on or traveled regularly to the island over the course of two decades. Court testimony, depositions, the USVI Attorney General's complaint, and the Maxwell trial record provide a documented picture of who these workers were, what they did, and what some of them witnessed.

Staff Categories Documented in Court Records

According to testimony during the Maxwell trial and depositions cited in civil litigation, the island's staff fell into several categories:

Domestic Staff

Housekeepers and cleaners who maintained the main residence and guest quarters on a daily basis
Cooks and kitchen staff who prepared meals for Epstein, his guests, and other employees
Laundry workers who managed linens and personal items across the compound

According to testimony reported by Reuters during the Maxwell trial, domestic staff members described routines that included preparing guest rooms, managing the main residence, and following strict protocols about which areas of the compound they could access and when.

Grounds and Maintenance Workers

Groundskeepers who maintained the island's landscaped areas, gardens, and pathways
Maintenance workers who serviced the compound's infrastructure, including generators, water systems, and buildings
Construction workers who were brought in for ongoing building projects, according to the USVI AG complaint

Marine and Transportation Staff

Boat captains who operated vessels between St. Thomas and Little St. James
Helicopter pilots who flew between the airport in St. Thomas and the island's helipad
Dock workers who managed the marina and facilitated arrivals and departures

According to testimony during the Maxwell trial, as reported by the New York Times, transportation staff were among the most important witnesses because they could document who arrived on and departed from the island and when.

Security Personnel

Security guards who monitored access to the island compound
Camera and surveillance system operators, according to the USVI AG complaint
Staff responsible for controlling who entered certain areas of the compound

Administrative and Personal Staff

Personal assistants who managed Epstein's schedule, communications, and logistics
Administrative staff who handled the corporate entities that managed island operations
Sarah Kellen, Nadia Marcinkova, and other named associates who served in various administrative and personal assistant roles, according to court documents from the Florida investigation and the Maxwell trial

Non-Disclosure Agreements

One of the most significant aspects of Epstein's island operations was the use of extensive non-disclosure agreements. According to the USVI AG complaint and depositions cited by the Miami Herald:

What NDAs Required

Staff were required to sign NDAs as a condition of employment, according to the USVI AG complaint
The agreements prohibited employees from discussing what they saw, heard, or experienced on the island
NDAs covered not only proprietary business information but also personal observations about Epstein, his guests, and daily activities
Violation of the NDA carried financial penalties, according to the terms described in court filings

Impact on Investigations

The widespread use of NDAs had a documented impact on law enforcement efforts:

According to the Miami Herald's reporting, some former employees were reluctant to speak with investigators because of concerns about NDA enforcement
The USVI AG complaint alleged that the NDAs were used as a tool to conceal criminal activity
During the Maxwell trial, prosecutors noted that overcoming the chilling effect of NDAs was a significant challenge in building the case
Some employees who eventually cooperated with investigators did so only after receiving assurances that the NDAs would not be enforceable against testimony about criminal conduct

Local USVI Workers vs. Imported Staff

The USVI AG complaint drew a distinction between locally hired workers and staff brought in from outside the territory:

Local Hires

Many of the grounds, maintenance, and marine staff were hired from the local USVI workforce, according to the AG complaint
These workers often lived on St. Thomas and commuted to the island by boat
Local workers provided some of the earliest accounts of unusual activity on the island, according to the Miami Herald's investigation
Local staff were typically assigned to exterior and operational roles rather than interior domestic positions

Imported Staff

Domestic staff, personal assistants, and certain specialized workers were often brought in from the mainland United States or from overseas, according to the AG complaint
These staff members frequently lived on the island or in Epstein-controlled housing on St. Thomas
The AG complaint alleged that importing staff allowed Epstein greater control over employees, as they were dependent on him for housing and transportation
Imported staff were described as being more tightly integrated into Epstein's personal operations

Daily Routines According to Court Testimony

Testimony during the Maxwell trial and depositions in civil cases provided details about daily life on the island, as reported by Reuters and the New York Times:

Staff Schedules

Staff typically began work early in the morning, with domestic workers preparing the main residence before Epstein woke
Meals were prepared at set times, though the schedule could change based on Epstein's plans
Grounds workers operated on regular schedules during daylight hours
Boat runs to and from St. Thomas occurred multiple times per day for supplies and staff transportation

Protocols and Restrictions

Staff were directed to avoid certain areas of the compound at certain times, according to trial testimony
Workers were instructed not to make eye contact with or speak to guests unless spoken to, according to depositions cited by the New York Times
The compound operated under a hierarchical system where senior staff (personal assistants and schedulers) managed the daily assignments of other workers
Communication off the island was monitored or restricted for some staff, according to the AG complaint

What Staff Witnessed According to Court Testimony

Several former staff members provided testimony that was used in legal proceedings. According to the Maxwell trial record and civil depositions:

Direct Testimony

Former employees testified about seeing young women arrive on and depart from the island, as documented in the Maxwell trial transcript
Boat captains testified about transporting individuals to and from the island, including young women, according to court records
Housekeeping staff described being directed to clean specific rooms and finding evidence that young women had been present, according to testimony reported by Reuters
Some staff members testified about being directed by Maxwell or other senior staff to prepare rooms or make arrangements for specific visitors

What Staff Reported to Investigators

According to the Miami Herald's reporting and the USVI AG complaint:

Multiple former employees told investigators they had observed behavior that concerned them
Some workers described seeing young women who appeared to be underage on the island
Staff accounts corroborated victim testimony about the layout of the compound and daily routines
Transportation workers' logs and testimony helped establish patterns of visitor arrivals

The Role of Staff in Enabling Criminal Activity

Prosecutors in the Maxwell case and the USVI AG complaint alleged that the staff structure itself was designed to facilitate and conceal criminal activity:

How the System Worked According to Prosecutors

The compartmentalization of staff roles meant that no single employee had a complete picture of island operations
NDAs created legal barriers to reporting
The hierarchical structure placed trusted associates (such as Maxwell, Kellen, and others) between Epstein and the general workforce
The isolation of the island limited staff's ability to communicate with outside parties
Dependence on Epstein for employment, housing, and transportation created economic pressure against reporting

Legal Consequences for Staff

No rank-and-file island employees have been publicly charged with criminal offenses related to Epstein's activities
Several named associates who held senior staff-like roles (including Sarah Kellen) received immunity under the controversial 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement, according to court records
The Maxwell trial focused on Maxwell's role rather than that of other staff members
It remains unclear whether any former staff members are cooperating with ongoing investigations

What We Know and What We Don't

Established through court proceedings and official records:

The island employed dozens of workers across multiple categories
Staff were required to sign NDAs
Some staff members provided testimony used in the Maxwell prosecution
The USVI AG alleged the staffing structure was designed to facilitate criminal activity
Transportation staff records helped establish patterns of activity on the island

What remains unknown:

The total number of people employed on the island over two decades
Whether additional staff testimony exists in sealed court records or the DOJ Epstein Library
Whether any former staff members are cooperating with potential future prosecutions
The full scope of what staff witnessed and whether their accounts have been fully documented

Important note: Working on Little St. James does not imply knowledge of or participation in criminal activity. Many island employees performed routine jobs and may have had no awareness of the conduct alleged in legal proceedings.

Primary Sources

United States v. Maxwell, trial testimony — justice.gov
USVI Attorney General, complaint — vi.gov
Miami Herald, "Perversion of Justice" — miamiherald.com
Reuters, Maxwell trial coverage — reuters.com
New York Times, employee depositions — nytimes.com
DOJ Epstein Library — justice.gov/epstein

Learn about the buildings and structures on the island or explore who visited the island. Read about the recruiting network or browse the full case timeline.