NEW: Democrat Politician Faces Firestorm Over Bombshell Epstein Texts

U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett privately referred to Jeffrey Epstein as her “friend” and shared him exclusive, non-public details about her legislative work, according to newly released text messages that undercut her public claims about the nature of their relationship.

In a Sept. 24, 2018, message, Plaskett thanked Epstein, a longtime campaign donor and Virgin Islands resident, for his “support” and asked whether it would be “presumptuous” of her to “consider you a friend.”

“Privileged to be called friend,” Epstein replied. He was arrested 10 months later on federal charges accusing him of trafficking dozens of women and girls for sex. He died by suicide in jail on Aug. 10, 2019.

Other texts show Plaskett feeding Epstein inside information ahead of public announcements. In a Feb. 27, 2018, exchange, Plaskett told Epstein the IRS had extended a key tax break for Virgin Islands residents following hurricanes.

“You’re the first person I told,” Plaskett wrote. “Don’t say anything yet.”

“Great work,” Epstein replied. Reports have said Epstein saved more than $300 million in taxes through shell companies in the territory.

“Now let’s see if we can create some controls for the money we get for rebuilding,” Plaskett added.

Those messages are part of roughly three million Epstein-related documents released by the Justice Department. They depict a far closer relationship than Plaskett has publicly acknowledged, even as she considers a potential run for Virgin Islands governor. Plaskett serves as a nonvoting delegate on the House Intelligence Committee.

After earlier Epstein texts surfaced last fall, Plaskett moved to distance herself. She told CNN in November, “I’ve been a prosecutor for many years, and there are a lot of people who have information that are not your friends that you use to get information from to get at the truth.”

“I believe that Jeffrey Epstein had information, and I was going to get information,” she said. “The truth is, having a friendship with him is not something that I would deign to have.”

But the newly released messages show Plaskett calling Epstein a “friend” hours after visiting him at his Manhattan townhouse, where she asked him to donate again to her campaign and $30,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The documents also show Plaskett visiting Epstein’s private island, Little St. James, in August 2014 and again on May 18, 2019, just two months before his arrest. She was accompanied by Erika Kellerhals, a Plaskett donor and Epstein’s longtime real estate attorney. Plaskett previously worked for Kellerhals’ firm.

BREAKING: Stacey Plaskett received detailed instructions on how to reach her August 18, 2014 appointment with Jeffrey Epstein on Little Saint James.

In an email, Little Saint James barge captain Ann Rodriguez writes that she sent Plaskett instructions to report to the Saint… pic.twitter.com/iiSHpjSxL8

— Bad Hombre (@Badhombre) February 1, 2026

Additional texts show Plaskett updating Epstein on meetings with Bill Clinton, Eric Holder and Mike Pence, along with communications with federal agencies. She also alerted Epstein first about IRS decisions tied to Virgin Islands residency rules.

“Don’t say anything yet. I’m preparing a press release now,” she wrote. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”

The exchanges include personal banter. On her birthday in May 2019, Epstein wrote, “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks! How’d you know?” Plaskett replied.

“You told me when you were in my office,” Epstein said.

“You’re good!!” Plaskett answered.

“No I’m bad, but I’m thoughtful,” Epstein wrote.

After Epstein’s arrest, Plaskett said she was unaware of the allegations against him until charges were announced. That claim is disputed by prior records. In 2016, her opponent Gordon Ackley criticized her for accepting Epstein donations, calling it “disgusting that our congresswoman took thousands of dollars from a convicted pedophile.”

Epstein’s financial backing proved pivotal early in Plaskett’s career. She won her first race in 2014 by just 737 votes after Epstein and his associates donated heavily at the urging of Cecile de Jongh, an Epstein office manager and the governor’s wife at the time.

“We would have a friend in Stacey,” de Jongh wrote in a June 2014 email to Epstein. Epstein agreed to donate and recruit employees to do the same.

Campaign records show Epstein and his network continued giving to Plaskett in 2016 and 2018, including a $2,700 check dated July 16, 2018.

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