Epstein, 66, was taken from New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center on Saturday morning in cardiac arrest and died at an area hospital, the sources told CNN.
An ambulance was called at about 6:40 a.m. Epstein was being treated by members of the detention center’s medical unit and was administered CPR, and he died a short time later at an area hospital, one of the sources said.
A spokeswoman for the US Attorney’s office in Manhattan, which was prosecuting Epstein, declined to comment on Saturday.
An attorney for Epstein, Reid Weingarten, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
He was put on suicide watch after July injuries
It was not clear to jail officials at the time if the injuries, which were not serious, were self-inflicted or the result of an assault, the sources said. Epstein told authorities he was beaten up and called a child predator, they said.
July indictment followed 2007 plea deal
Federal prosecutors said he used employees and associates to lure the girls to his residences and then paid some of his victims to recruit other girls for him to abuse.
He was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking of minors and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking.
Epstein faced similar accusations in Florida in 2007 but signed a plea deal that year with Miami prosecutors allowing him to avoid federal charges and plead guilty to lesser state prostitution charges.
Civil lawsuits could continue
Though criminal charges won’t be pursued against a deceased defendant, accusers still could file civil lawsuits seeking money from Epstein’s estate, CNN legal analyst Paul Callan said.
“(Epstein’s) estate, you can imagine, would be sued by a lot of potential victims. So, his suicide will not end coverage and the interest in the Jeffrey Epstein case,” Callan said.
This is a developing story. More to come on all CNN platforms.