Guard Who Discovered Epstein's Body Received Mystery Cash Payments Before His Death
Newly released documents have revealed startling details about the prison guard who found Jeffrey Epstein dead in his jail cell, including that she received a series of suspicious cash payments totaling over $11,000 in the months leading up to the financier's death. Tova Noel, the correctional officer at New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center, was on duty the night Epstein died in August 2019 and discovered his body when delivering breakfast.
Suspicious Financial Transactions Flagged by Bank
According to reports, Noel received seven cash payments from December 2018 through July 2019 that raised red flags with financial institutions. Chase Bank identified twelve transactions from April 2019 as suspicious and reported them to the FBI. The largest single payment was a $5,000 lump sum deposited on July 30, 2019, just days before Epstein's death on August 10.
During her Department of Justice interview in 2021, Noel was not questioned about these mysterious cash deposits despite driving a $62,000 2019 Land Rover Range Rover at the time. The origin and purpose of these payments remain unexplained in the released documents.
Search History Reveals Guard Googled Epstein Before Discovery
Newly released search history shows that Noel searched for "latest on Epstein in jail" less than an hour before the convicted sex offender was found dead in his cell. She clicked on an article about documents related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during her shift. Noel also searched for information about Omar Amanat, a film producer convicted of wire fraud who was incarcerated alongside Epstein at the time.
During the same night shift when she was supposed to be checking on Epstein every thirty minutes, Noel reportedly slept on duty, browsed furniture websites online, and conducted these searches. Her colleague, Michael Thomas, shopped for motorcycles during his shift.
Criminal Charges and Investigation Outcomes
Both Noel and Thomas faced criminal charges for fabricating prison records to show they had conducted required checks on Epstein the night before his death. These charges were eventually dropped after both agreed to complete 100 hours of community service and cooperate with the Department of Justice investigation.
Noel insisted during her 2021 DOJ interview that she had no recollection of searching for information about Epstein that night, despite the documented evidence of her search history.
Additional Revelations from Released Documents
The documents also identify Noel as likely being the "mysterious orange shape" captured on CCTV footage at 10:40 PM near Epstein's cell the night before his death. She denied bringing any linen or clothing to the Special Housing Unit where Epstein was held and claimed she had no knowledge of why extra sheets were present in his cell.
A 2023 Justice Department report concluded there was no evidence of homicide in Epstein's death but cited serious negligence and multiple failures by prison staff that contributed to the circumstances surrounding his suicide.
The revelations about the suspicious payments to the guard who discovered Epstein's body add another layer of mystery to the already controversial case that has drawn international attention and conspiracy theories since the financier's death while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
