Revealed: Epstein cultivated relationship with CBP officer, causing US investigation

"Federal investigators examined Jeffrey Epstein's relationship with a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer who worked at the St Thomas airport to which Epstein regularly flew on his private planes before traveling by boat or helicopter to his private island, newly released documents reveal. As part of that investigation, which did not result in any charges, investigators also issued subpoenas related to three additional CBP officers working at the Cyril E King Airport (STT) on St Thomas, documents show."

"The Guardian also identified two other CBP officers on St Thomas and in Florida who were in contact with Epstein, based on emails and text messages between Epstein, his staff and the officers. It does not appear the FBI ever investigated those two officers. The FBI in New York opened a preliminary investigation in October 2019 after receiving a report that a long-serving CBP agricultural inspector had ongoing friendship with Mr Epstein while working for CBP Pre-Clearance in Saint Thomas for over 7 years."

"The email establishing the investigation into the agricultural inspector, Timothy Bill Routch, is among the millions of files related to Epstein's crimes that were released by the Department of Justice (DoJ) this month. Federal authorities interviewed Epstein's longtime pilot about the convicted sex offender's contacts with CBP agents. US Customs and Border Protection is the federal law enforcement agency tasked with overseeing the entrance of people and goods through US ports of entry, including airports."

Federal investigators examined Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with a CBP officer at St Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport and issued subpoenas related to three other CBP officers; no charges resulted. Emails and text messages show two other CBP officers in St Thomas and Florida had contact with Epstein, though the FBI appears not to have investigated them. The FBI opened a preliminary probe in October 2019 into CBP agricultural inspector Timothy Bill Routch, who served in CBP Pre-Clearance in Saint Thomas for over seven years. Federal authorities interviewed Epstein’s longtime pilot about Epstein’s contacts with CBP agents. CBP enforces entry at U.S. ports and is a primary anti-trafficking agency. Epstein was indicted in July 2019 and died by suicide in August 2019.

Read at www.theguardian.com