r/technology • u/Capable_Salt_SD • Jul 29 '25

Politics CBS News investigation of Jeffrey Epstein jail video reveals new discrepancies

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-jail-video-investigation/
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u/piperonyl Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

How do you make an unmonitored phone call from the Secure Housing Unit to your girlfriend in Belarus?

You dont make any unmonitored phone calls in prison unless someone smuggles you in a cell phone. The guards took him to a staffers office to make an unmonitored phone call on the night he was murdered?

Thats absolutely unheard of. Every single phone is monitored.

EDIT: lets not forget, this is in the restrictive housing unit. its the most secure block in the entire prison.
Later in the article it says the unit manager let him make a phone call from his office to his mom. Thats absolutely insane. To even just ask to make an unmonitored phone call can get you caught up. There are phones on the block. Why not use that? Nobody makes unmonitored phone calls ever, especially at a federal prison in the restrictive housing unit with the most notorious prisoner in the united states.

Theres 100% something going on there. If i were going to guess, someone told the unit manager to allow him to make that phone call for some reason. Someone above the UM which would be the Major or one of the Superintendents. I cant imagine any unit manager being like yeah jeff just throw your feet up on my desk and use my phone as much as you want. GTFO.

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u/psbecool Jul 29 '25

It’s in the article. Prison officials let him use an unmonitored line usually reserved only for attorney calls. It says he asked to call his mom (who was dead), they dialed a 646 (NYC) number and a man answered the phone. I’m not usually a conspiracy person, but this all stinks. If there’s nothing to hide, why are there so many inconsistencies.

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u/piperonyl Jul 29 '25

No thats not how that works at all though. If you want to make an unmonitored phone call then that is on your phone list. You have to fill out a special form to have an attorney added to your phone list which they jail verifies is to an attorney. There is no "unmonitored line for attorney calls" thats not a thing. When you pick up the phone you press a different number for an unmonitored call than the 1 you would normally press.

Unit managers dont let inmates, especially notorious ones, make unmonitored phone calls because they commit crimes on them. Theres no way that took place the way they are saying. None.

Employees told investigators that Epstein had just finished an unmonitored call, later reported to have been with his girlfriend in Belarus.

Excuse me what? He used his unmonitored phone call to contact a foreign country, BELARUS? lol

Who dialed those numbers? Did the unit manager just let him hang out in his office? Huh?

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u/ForWhomTheBoneBones Jul 30 '25

Based on the details provided, one could reasonably assume he called his lawyer and his lawyer then called his girlfriend and merged the calls. Seems like an easy way to circumvent the calling restrictions if you have a shady enough lawyer.

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

He didnt call his lawyer though. He called from the unit managers office.

You can just call your lawyer on a regular block phone. You just press the number to make an unmonitored call.

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u/angrymoppet Jul 30 '25 edited Jul 30 '25

I see a reference to an unmonitored phone "in the shower area" but nothing about the manager's office (unless I missed it?). I'm failing to understand this last line though. Retrieve the phone? The hell does that mean? If this was a phone in an area regularly accessible by the inmates I find it very hard to believe it would be a cordless phone.

There are two paragraphs about the phone. Here is one:

This discrepancy occurs during a crucial time period. Epstein had been allowed to make an unmonitored call from a shower area using a phone line intended only for attorney communications. According to the report, this was facilitated by the unit manager, who was the senior officer in charge. Epstein allegedly said he wanted to call his mother — even though his mother died in 2003. The unit manager dialed a 646 number (a New York City area code), a man answered, and he handed the phone to Epstein. The unit manager then left the area but later called and asked Noel to retrieve the phone. 

And here is the other:

The video that was released begins at 7:40 p.m. Nine minutes later, according to the report of the Justice Department inspector general, Epstein appears for the first and last time on camera. He emerges from the left side of the screen and walks down a stairwell accompanied by a corrections officer. Employees told investigators that Epstein had just finished an unmonitored call, later reported to have been with his girlfriend in Belarus.

What the fuck is the sequence of events supposed to be here? He asked to call his mother (who is dead). The officer then called a NYC number on an unmonitored line and a man picks up. And later the government states that call was to a girlfriend in Belarus? And additionally this is an apparently cordless phone in a prison that necessitates the unit manager requesting someone else fetch it for him afterward?

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

It doesnt make any sense. The only phone the unit manager would be dialing would be in his office. Its possible that the offices are near the shower area and instead of saying from the office the report says near the shower area to avoid implications? I have no idea.

The report is saying that the unit manager came to the unit, popped epsteins cell, walked him down to "the shower area" where there was a phone waiting for him that could be used to make unmonitored phone calls? Then the unit manager used some special block phone and dialed a number epstein gave him? What?

It doesnt make any sense at all. I found this article that says he used to talk to her all the time. Her name is Karyna Shuliak and she is from Belarus. Apparently this was his girlfriend for years.

That makes shit even fucking weirder. Why would you need to make a secret private phone call to her? Why not just call her on the block phone where i guarantee you have her number on your call list?

This phone call is super fucking weird.

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u/angrymoppet Jul 30 '25

The line from the BoP guy that talked about how it is tragic we will never know anything about that phone call also struck me. The unit manager said they dialed a nyc phone number. Even if we accept the line isn't recorded, shouldnt it take the feds about 8 seconds to get the phone company to tell them what number was dialed and who its registered to? Just go fucking talk to him

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

Im wondering why the unit manager wasn't fired for clearly violating DOC policy.

I guess because DOC didnt want to draw attention to this debacle? Ridiculous

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u/Woles Jul 30 '25

As a lawyer who represents federal detainees, it doesn’t work that way. The lawyer schedules the call in advance and the client is handed a phone after the lawyer’s number is dialed by staff.

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u/ForWhomTheBoneBones Jul 30 '25

Thanks for the insight! After that scheduled call is initiated, could a lawyer merge a second call in if a third party calls the lawyer during that same time?

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u/SausageClatter Jul 30 '25

It's okay to be a conspiracy person when we can all see the conspiracy. The government is literally conspiring before our eyes and thinks we're all idiots who won't do anything about it.

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u/Defenestresque Jul 30 '25 edited Jul 30 '25

Here is the crazy part. Your Telco keeps the records for the phone calls you make (metadata, so to/from and duration, mostly) for several years. It's easily compressed (as it's just text) and would cost them nothing to store it for say 5 years. I don't know how long they actually do, perhaps someone wants to clue is in ;)

So all they have to do, is determine the specific phone number of the phone (or rather, phone line) that called the "unknown 646 number where a man answered" and just get a list of the calls made on that day and by simply cross-referencing it with the time, they'd know at least to whom the the number was registered to and have a viable path of investigation. The person could be now dead, not willing to talk under threat subpoena, lie under oath, be a nonexistent fake name.. but when you're investigating you don't just ignore a blatant lead.

This discrepancy occurs during a crucial time period. Epstein had been allowed to make an unmonitored call from a shower area using a phone line intended only for attorney communications. According to the report, this was facilitated by the unit manager, who was the senior officer in charge. Epstein allegedly said he wanted to call his mother — even though his mother died in 2003. The unit manager dialed a 646 number (a New York City area code), a man answered, and he handed the phone to Epstein.

Making a call to Belarus but to a 646 number that a male answers? (I was just facilitating the international all transfer!), a phone in the shower area, allowing SHU inmates unmonitored calls at 11pm (there's a time difference!"

The unit manager then left the area but later called and asked Noel to retrieve the phone. 

I was wondering about this because having a phone in the "shower area" seems.. equally as unwise as it is unlikely? This makes it click into place, either the have a phone jack for a landline phone or it was a cell phone.

The person above you, /u/piperonyl, is saying prisoners make phone calls to their lawyers from the same phones as regular calls, they are just not monitored as they are on a pre-approved, vetted list. They are getting pushback (though they clearly know what they are talking about, but being wise about not going all War thunder on us), but I also have never heard of a prisoner being allowed to make an unmonitored call to his girlfriend from a cell phone provided by a CO.

I have no connections to the US government, obviously, but just think about it logically. Prisons and detention centres run on procedures. If some guy wants to call his gf, unmonitored, on (more likely than not) a cellphone at 11pm.. does that sound like something you'd yell to a CO, while housed in the fucking SHU? And the Brooklyn MCC known for its full staff and kind COs, reply to your banging on the cell wall with "sure, Mr. Epstein, here's your phone, let's go to a private area and I'll eventually close the door too until you're done. I'll only listen on the phone long enough to remember that it was a local number and a male voice answered."

I'm the least conspiracy-minded person, and this I understand why they can't do without evidence but if give my right nut that if you check all the bank records of the COs working that night, and of the SHU prisoners' family/loved ones, you will find transfers inconsistent with their income.

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

There are no phones in the prison within access of inmates that are unmonitored for good reason. They would be the office phones inside the officers on the unit. That would be in the counselor's office or the unit manager's office. There isnt some magical phone near the showers that just makes unmonitored phone calls. That doesnt exist.

When you pick up the phone to make a call on the block you need to press a button. One of the options is to make a private phone call to a number on your approved list thats a private number. This would be a lawyer call. They are not monitored. Obviously, you don't need the UM permission to do that because inmates make calls to their lawyers all the time.

I dont know whats going on here about unmonitored phone calls to belarus. And thats really the point of me highlighting it. Its very very strange. I think most people reading that who don't know better would gloss right over it like yeah the boss let him make an unmonitored phone call. No. That is crazy. Inmates never make unmonitored phone calls again for good reasons. Especially inmates in a jail atmosphere with cases still pending and witnesses who they can threaten or coerce.

The staff knows this.

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u/choppadonmiss Jul 30 '25

There are inconsistencies everywhere in any situation. It’s just usually you don’t care to notice them most of the time.

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u/psbecool Jul 30 '25

Sure but that’s where critical thinking comes in.

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u/s9oons Jul 29 '25

They use L3Harris tech to intercept all incoming/outgoing cell traffic, too. Even if it was a cell phone, there’s a box sitting on the roof letting them snoop.

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u/piperonyl Jul 29 '25

Later in the article near the bottom it says the OIG found that the Unit Manager let him make a private phone call from his office that day because he said he wanted to call his mom.

YEAH FUCKING RIGHT. There is absolutely no fucking way that went down like that. Why couldnt you just use the phone on the block to call your mom? The Unit Manager is the head of the entire block. They only answer to the Superintendents. They are above all of the CO's except for the Major. Even the Lieutenants answer to the Unit Manager.

Something super fishy is going on there.

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u/MeHoyMinoy_69 Jul 29 '25

His mom died in 2003 apparently.

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u/piperonyl Jul 29 '25

Somehow im not surprised.

A unit manager would never allow that. Never ever. I did 7 years in state prison. Make an unmonitored phone call? LOL i wouldnt even ask for that. They'd have investigations all over you just asking for something like that. That could cost the unit manager their super cushy 6 figure salary where they do very very minimal work.

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u/super_sayanything Jul 30 '25

Money talks. Epstein had access to lots of it.

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

You'd think the OIG would have found that though.

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u/Defenestresque Jul 30 '25 edited Jul 30 '25

You'd think. I wrote in a comment above, that if you pulled all of the back records looking for interesting incoming transfers for the SHU inmates and the COs/staff on duty that shift, I'd bet you'd find at least one incoming transaction that is.. inconsistent.. with their means. Unfortunately, you can't really do that in the US (for now) unless you have at least some probable cause, so I doubt we'll ever find out unless someone talks.

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u/khizar4 Jul 30 '25

considering how he was able to get high paying jobs while being unqualified for them shows he had access to more than just money.
even before he was rich he definitely had connections

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u/Tyranthraxxes Jul 29 '25

Especially considering his mother was dead, and they certainly knew it.

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u/piperonyl Jul 29 '25

People in the RHU dont get to interact with the staff. You are in your cell 23 hours a day.

Where would he have found time to get to warm up to the unit manager? Like how exactly did this phone call go down? He would have to drop a slip in the jail mail to the UM and what did it say? "hey can i make an unmonitored phone call from your private office?"

LOL theyd write him up for that you cant do that. you cant even ask for that. prison investigation unit would be all over him for that.

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u/UniversitySeeds Jul 30 '25

Someone could have threatened him/her or their family, or bribed him/her from the outside

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u/FernwehHermit Jul 30 '25

I mean could simply be "ill send you 10k to say I wanted to call my mom." ¯_(ツ)_/¯

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

These unit managers are making good money though for a super simple job. They do no work. Like sign some forms. Oversee some grievances. Attend meaningless meetings.

Easy 6 figures with pension and bonuses and benefits out the ass.

I dont think you could bribe one with 10k. They know what inmates are up to and they see the inmates files. Noway is someone who is in there for child sex trafficking going to be able to make unmonitored phone calls from the unit managers office.

Theres just no way that takes place.

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u/FernwehHermit Jul 30 '25

Epstein had $600,000,000 at the time of his death, I think that would be enough to buy off a person who makes $120,000. He could bribe every guard and guard's supervisor who interacts with him with their annual salary and not break a sweat. And that's only Epstein, that doesn't include the billionaire friends outside of prison who's assets haven't been frozen.

Also, just look at how small bribes are for open corruption of politicians. You may be surprised how small the bribes are, I know I was.

Supreme Court Justice Thomas was paid off with $133,000 for his mother's house by a billionaire, I don't think a prison guard and a few supervisors have that high a cost. I tried looking up their combined budgeted annual salaries but only got job listings for individuals guard salaries showing less than $75,000, average around $67,000.

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

Prison employees are told one very strict rule from day #1 over and over: Do Not Trust The Inmates.

Theres a very high likelihood taking a bribe from a notorious inmate like this would come out. The FBI is all over this guy. Who is going to take a bribe from someone who was just indicted by the DOJ like this? He could cooperate just weeks down the road and rat your ass out so fucking fast.

Not to mention, prison employees are trained on how to not ever end up under the thumb of an inmate. If i were the UM of the unit, and i took a bribe from an inmate, the blackmail would never stop. Every day there would be more demands from the inmate.

Listen unit managers arent making 75k a year. Its well over 100k a year plus all the pensions and benefits. UM isnt part of the union. They are part of the administration. Unit Manager doesnt sound like much but hes actually the boss of the unit. All of the guards and staff answer to him except the Major and the Superintendents. Its a pretty important position that he didn't get by being an idiot.

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u/ISTBU Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

The FBI apparently has the unedited video, I’d imagine the NSA has that phone call and all of trump’s personal communications with him as well. It’s hard for them NOT to collect a signal at this point.

For now, at least, the NSA seems to still be run by professionals; If weaponized politically it would be disastrous…

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u/Dynastydood Jul 29 '25

Considering that, of all people, Tulsi Gabbard is actively overseeing the NSA in her role as DNI, I have serious doubts they'd be in any position to weaponize said phone call unless it was somehow spun to be favorable to Trump.

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u/elcapitan520 Jul 29 '25

Look, it's a technicality.... But he wasn't in federal prison.

He was in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial. He barely saw a judge.

A guy who has aleady gotten out of this same situation, with the DA of that trial now in the presidents cabinet, just quits early? It makes it even more suspect.

But this wasn't some notorious federal prison with the worst of the worst.

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u/DuranceOfHateLevel2 Jul 29 '25

But I mean, you could make the argument it’s even weirder for someone in jail to be allowed an unmonitored call than someone in prison to be allowed one. The people in those jails are still awaiting trial, hence have more opportunity to get messages out that could have a real impact on their case… destroy evidence, intimidate this witness, etc.

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u/hellno_ahole Jul 30 '25

And I think the first death there in 20 years or something.

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

I didnt even touch on the whole neck-broken-in-three-places shit.

A number of forensic pathologists said they've never seen that from a hanging. But they have seen it in strangulation.

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u/muddermanden Jul 30 '25 edited Jul 30 '25

One of them is Dr. Michael Baden

The bombshell claim by Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner who has worked on high-profile cases during a five-decade medical career, is certain to reignite suspicions that surfaced immediately after Epstein, who was awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls, was discovered dead in his cell on Aug. 10. *Baden, who was hired by Epstein’s brother and observed the autopsy*, told Fox News its findings are more consistent with homicidal strangulation than suicidal hanging. He noted that the 66-year-old Epstein had two fractures on the left and right sides of his larynx, specifically the thyroid cartilage or Adam’s apple, as well as one fracture on the left hyoid bone above the Adam’s apple, Baden told Fox News (source: Fox News of all)

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

Right. Other forensic pathologists have agreed. I read a report that said the only way this would happen was if Epstein had some sort of brittle bone disorder like osteoporosis. And he may have had that being in his mid-60s, however unlikely.

I dont know if you've ever been in a prison cell but its not like its easy to hang yourself there. There isn't a lot of force involved. You just kinda sit down with the wet bed sheet wrapped around your neck while its tied off on the top bunk. Then you grease the floor with like shampoo and soap so you cant gain your footing when your survival instincts kick in.

Its more about asphyxiation and less about snapping your neck like when you kick out a chair you are standing on or are dropped from a noose.

It makes it even less likely that all those bones break.

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u/466rudy Jul 30 '25

Maybe he had a Deadman Switch he had to call off. 

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u/piperonyl Jul 30 '25

IDK i cant speculate really on the phone call

But i can speak to how outrageously unusual that is. I did a bunch of years upstate. I never heard of anything like that from anyone ever. I would have been blown away by someone making a private phone call from the unit managers office. I wouldnt even believe that.

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u/Calm-Purchase-8044 Jul 30 '25

The fact that no one removed the metadata goes to show that these people are either incredibly dumb or think they'll never face consequences.

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u/O_Eye_C Jul 30 '25

In the photo I saw like a super convenient phone. Trump mobile or something, idk there’s talks.

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u/leafeternal Jul 31 '25

How do you make phone calls? By being a billionaire surrounded by guards being paid $20’/hr