Jeffrey Epstein’s former cellmate is claiming the government deliberately left the disgraced financier unprotected in jail, arguing authorities wanted both men dead before Epstein could stand trial.
Nicholas Tartaglione, a former New York police officer accused of a quadruple murder, made the explosive allegation in a 21-page pardon petition obtained by the Daily Mail.
Tartaglione was housed with Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, a decision that has long raised questions given his violent history and hatred of sex offenders.
In his petition, Tartaglione claims Epstein was intentionally exposed to danger as part of a calculated effort to ensure he would not survive.
“I clearly was not protected on purpose, nor was Epstein. I truly believe that the government wanted both Epstein and me dead,” Tartaglione wrote.
He alleges that shortly after Epstein’s death, he himself was transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was violently assaulted by other inmates.
Tartaglione claims he was beaten with a lead pipe and nearly killed in multiple attacks, which he believes were allowed to happen intentionally.
The former officer argues it was no coincidence that prison officials placed Epstein in a cell with a man accused of brutal murder.
Epstein had previously accused Tartaglione of attempting to kill him just weeks before his death, claiming he was strangled in their shared cell, per the Daily Mail.
That allegation was later withdrawn by Epstein, who told guards he could not remember the incident, a reversal that has fueled speculation.
Tartaglione denies assaulting Epstein and claims he actually tried to save him after finding him semi-conscious with a piece of string around his neck.
The petition also accuses prosecutors of misconduct, alleging that Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey targeted Tartaglione and sought to coerce Epstein.
According to Tartaglione, Epstein told him that prosecutors suggested he could walk free if he implicated President Donald Trump in Epstein’s crimes.
Trump has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activity and has publicly distanced himself from the financier.
A White House official told the Daily Mail that anyone can submit a pardon petition and said the administration was not aware of Tartaglione’s filing.
The claims arrive as new DOJ file releases revive long-standing doubts about Epstein’s official cause of death.
Investigators noted surveillance footage appeared to show an orange figure moving toward Epstein’s cell tier on the night of his death.
The Office of the Inspector General said the footage could show an inmate accessing the area, contradicting earlier accounts.
Two cameras outside Epstein’s cell malfunctioned that night, and no official time of death has ever been established.
Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell on August 10, 2019, and his death was ruled a suicide by hanging.
Just three weeks earlier, Epstein had been found injured in his cell with marks on his neck, initially blaming Tartaglione.
The bizarre housing decision, camera failures, and conflicting reports have kept conspiracy theories alive for years.
Tartaglione’s petition now adds a new allegation that the failures were not incompetence, but intentional.
Federal authorities have not responded directly to the claims outlined in the pardon request.
Whether the allegations gain traction remains unclear, but they have once again thrown Epstein’s final hours into question.
The mystery surrounding Epstein’s death continues to deepen as new documents and accusations emerge years later.
