FBI Searches Epstein's Zorro Ranch After New Revelations
Key Takeaways
- ▶ The Santa Fe District Attorney's Office searched Jeffrey Epstein's former Zorro Ranch after revelations in recently released FBI files.
- ▶ State prosecutors cited FBI documents as the basis for the search but did not specify what new evidence emerged.
- ▶ The 8,000-acre New Mexico property has been referenced in civil lawsuits alleging victims were trafficked to the ranch and assaulted there.
- ▶ Epstein purchased Zorro Ranch in 1993; the property features an airstrip and multiple structures across remote high-desert terrain.
The Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office searched Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch after revelations in recently released FBI files, according to state prosecutors in New Mexico.1
Prosecutors confirmed the search operation at the sprawling property in Stanley, New Mexico, which Epstein owned until his death in 2019.1 The search was prompted by information discovered in FBI documents, though prosecutors did not provide specific details about what new evidence emerged.1
The 8,000-acre ranch sits approximately 30 miles southwest of Santa Fe. The property features an airstrip, main residence, and multiple structures across remote high-desert terrain.1
FBI Files Trigger Search
The Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office cited “revelations in FBI files” as the basis for executing the search warrant.1 State prosecutors did not specify which FBI documents prompted the investigative action or what investigators sought at the ranch.1
New Mexico authorities opened their first full investigation into Zorro Ranch in February, following years of federal and state scrutiny of the property.1
Epstein purchased the property in 1993. The ranch has been referenced in civil lawsuits filed by victims who alleged abuse occurred at multiple Epstein properties, including the New Mexico location.1 Several women have alleged they were trafficked to the ranch and assaulted there.1
Parallel Investigations
The FBI has maintained investigative interest in Epstein’s various properties, including his residences in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Paris, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to the New Mexico ranch.1 Federal authorities conducted multiple searches of these locations as part of investigations into Epstein’s trafficking network.1
The Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office has not announced whether the search yielded evidence or whether any charges are anticipated.1
Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan federal jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He had been convicted in 2008 on state charges of soliciting a minor in Florida.1
The ranch was among the assets controlled by Epstein’s estate, which established a compensation fund for victims after his death.1