Daphne Wallace

Daphne Wallace served as a key administrative and financial manager in Jeffrey Epstein's operations based in the U.S. Virgin Islands from late 2010 through July 2019. Operating primarily from the Southern Trust Company offices in St. Thomas, Wallace held the formal title of LSJE Accountant and functioned as an essential coordinator for Epstein's island properties, contractor payments, construction projects, travel arrangements, and daily operational matters. The email archive documents 14,755 emails spanning her nearly decade-long involvement with Epstein's enterprise, revealing extensive management of Little St. James and Great St. James islands' operations, direct communication with Epstein, and coordination with his inner circle of assistants and employees.

Wallace's role extended beyond simple accounting to encompass property management, vendor coordination, meeting scheduling with local Virgin Islands officials including Governor Kenneth Mapp, and serving as an authorized signer on The 2017 Caterpillar Trust, one of Epstein's financial entities with both checking and brokerage accounts at Deutsche Bank. She was based in the Virgin Islands throughout Epstein's most intensive period of island development and operated until July 5, 2019, one day before his arrest. Epstein's final trust, signed August 8, 2019—just two days before his death—bequeathed Wallace $1,000,000, confirming her standing in his inner circle at the very end.

Background#

Public information about Daphne Wallace's background prior to her employment with Epstein is limited. Her email addresses in the archive include [email protected] as her primary address, with various domain associations including [email protected], suggesting possible Harvard Business School affiliation, though this cannot be confirmed from the available evidence. Deutsche Bank's 2019 presentation to the Southern District of New York classified Wallace's profession as "Finance" in its Know Your Customer records, indicating she may have had financial industry experience prior to joining Epstein's organization.

Wallace does not appear in Epstein's comprehensive 2010 payroll and benefits analysis, which documented 116 employees across all his entities including Island Grounds Inc., DKI PLLC, HBRK Associates, LSJ LLC, Financial Trust, NES LLC, and JEGE. Her earliest documented email dates to November 2, 2010, a brief message forwarding a phone call: "Good evening Mr. Epstein, Mr. Fekai called at 5:05 pm. He number is [redacted]. Kind regards, Daphne." The simple, receptionist-style nature of this early communication, combined with her absence from the 2010 payroll records, suggests Wallace was hired in late 2010 and began in a junior administrative capacity before expanding into her accounting and operational management role.

Wallace worked from the Southern Trust Company, Inc. office at 6100 Red Hook Quarters Suite B3, St. Thomas, VI 00802, located at American Yacht Harbor—a marina complex in Red Hook where Epstein was also a "passive investor" in IGY-AYH, d/b/a American Yacht Harbor, making him both landlord and tenant. She served as LSJE Accountant alongside office manager Cecile de Jongh, head accountant Jeanne Brennan, and IT manager Jermaine Ruan. According to an Economic Development Authority compliance document from August 2018, Wallace participated in Southern Trust Company's management training program and received employee training and professional development.

Wallace's employer, Southern Trust Company, was the vehicle for Epstein's most lucrative financial arrangement. Though STC's Economic Development Commission certificate described its business as providing "extensive DNA database and to develop a data-mining platform for the database to be available through the Internet" with services including "the development of financial and biomedical informatics," the company's actual primary revenue came from financial consulting. A letter agreement with Leon Black reveals STC charged Black $40 million in the first year (2013) for "Financial Estate Planning and Structuring Services," with subsequent years billed at 1% of Black's net worth, totaling approximately $158 million over the relationship's duration. STC received a 90% income tax exemption and 100% gross receipts tax exemption from the Virgin Islands, effective February 1, 2013 through January 31, 2023, signed by Albert Bryan Jr. (then Economic Development Authority Chairman, later Governor) and accepted by Jeffrey Epstein as STC President. By the end of 2017, STC's assets had grown to $391.3 million, up from $198.5 million at the end of 2013.

Recent reporting has noted Wallace's appearance in the released email archive, including her role in coordinating logistics for shipments of sacred Islamic artifacts from Saudi Arabia to Epstein's Virgin Islands properties. Press coverage has also referenced Wallace's communications regarding routine matters like food orders, though some reporting has suggested these may have contained coded language.

Operational Context#

Wallace operated within a highly compartmentalized organizational structure designed to prevent employee cooperation with law enforcement. According to the U.S. Virgin Islands government's complaint against the Epstein estate, "the Epstein Enterprise prevented its employees from cooperating with law enforcement. Employees and others were required to sign confidentiality agreements that prohibited them from speaking to or sharing information with law enforcement," and "If they were contacted by law enforcement they were to notify the Epstein Enterprise and be represented by Epstein's counsel." The complaint further states that "employees were directed not to communicate or interact with guests visiting Little St. James and were also directed not to disclose to anyone events that occurred on the island."

The USVI complaint also documented that the Epstein Enterprise used coded language, stating "The Epstein Enterprise used the term 'work' as a code for sexual abuse." Wallace's position in the St. Thomas office, rather than on Little St. James itself, placed her in the administrative and financial operations sphere rather than in direct contact with island guests, consistent with the compartmentalization described in the complaint.

Correspondence with Epstein#

Wallace's email correspondence spans from late 2010 to July 2019, with the archive containing 14,755 total emails, of which she was the sender in 5,355 instances and a direct recipient in 5,644 cases. Her communications reveal a highly operational role managing the daily logistics of Epstein's Virgin Islands properties and business operations. Her final documented email was sent July 5, 2019—just one day before Epstein's arrest on July 6, 2019—coordinating the departure of employee Patrick and noting "I shredded the card" in reference to returning a company American Express card.

Operational Management

Wallace coordinated extensive construction and maintenance projects on Little St. James and Great St. James. In July 2019, she managed mold remediation projects with contractor Seth Ettinger, handling equipment shipping schedules, crew travel arrangements, and project timelines with a negotiated contract of $50,000. She provided regular updates to Epstein through intermediaries including Rich Kahn, Ann Rodriguez, and Lesley Groff.

Her project coordination included detailed shipping updates tracking building supplies, pressure washers, erosion control materials, and construction equipment from various vendors through Tropical Shipping to the islands. She maintained meticulous records of barge operational status, electrical work by Frank's Electric, and multiple simultaneous construction projects ranging from pool painting to helipad irrigation.

Wallace regularly compiled and forwarded punch lists of completed and in-progress work to Epstein's management team, documenting items such as "Main Compound Vulkem Roof: Completed," "Cabana 1 New A/C installation: Completed," and tracking ongoing projects like "GSJ Cottage: in-progress" and "Grotto Pool: in-progress."

Direct Communication with Epstein

While much of Wallace's communication occurred through intermediaries, she maintained direct email contact with Epstein on operational matters. In a 2015 exchange about construction plans, Wallace wrote to Epstein: "Just spoke with John, he does have the dimensions on file, but has left his office for the weekend. He will forward those dimensions on Monday", demonstrating her role as liaison between Epstein and architects.

Epstein occasionally responded directly to Wallace's project updates. In a July 2011 exchange, after Wallace sent photographs of landscaping work, Epstein wrote to contractor Gary Igala: "it seems blue beach is untouched, WHY is anyone doing hell ? this cannot be the work done for the past two weeks. if it is. please fire three people from your crew immediately", copying Wallace on his directive.

Wallace used consistently deferential language in her communications with Epstein, typically opening with "Greetings Sir" and closing with "Respectfully, Daphne." In a February 2019 message, she wrote: "Marz Hill, assistant to Mr. Matt Riemann, emailed on Friday, 2/15 regarding confirming your meeting with Mr. Riemann on Sunday, March 3rd. May I respectfully requesting what time you are available to meet in New York".

Personnel and Vendor Management

Wallace handled personnel transitions and company property returns. In July 2019, she coordinated the departure of employee Patrick, listing required returns including "The AYH Parking Sticker that was assigned to Stephanie" (referring to the American Yacht Harbor marina parking), "The company cell phone with the charger," "The AMEX card, with the receipts," and various keys and access cards.

She processed check requests and payment approvals, though head accountant Jeanne Brennan instructed her in December 2012 to "copy Rich on emails such as these" regarding payment status inquiries, indicating oversight protocols for financial matters.

Wallace coordinated travel arrangements for contractors and visitors to the islands, booking flights and accommodations. She arranged architect James Cooper's visit in June 2019, confirming him at the Ritz Carlton and coordinating driver Carlos for airport pickup, writing: "You are confirmed at the Ritz Carlton Club on St. Thomas for tomorrow 6/26 to Saturday, 6/29... Carlos will be your driver during your stay".

Government Relations

Wallace served as Epstein's point of contact for scheduling meetings with Virgin Islands government officials. She coordinated a June 2017 meeting between Epstein and Governor Kenneth Mapp, confirming the 1:30 PM appointment at Government House through the Governor's Policy Advisor Colette Monroe, working with Carmen Potter, Rochelle Corneiro, and Thomas VanSluytman. In August 2017, when Epstein requested to speak with "David Mapp" (a separate contact from Governor Kenneth Mapp), Wallace asked: "Is there a particular time you would like to speak with David Mapp, or whenever I can get him on the phone for you?", suggesting an established relationship facilitating access to government contacts.

Financial Role and Banking Authority#

Wallace held significant formal authority within Epstein's financial structure, serving as an authorized signer on The 2017 Caterpillar Trust, which she and Lesley Groff signed on March 12, 2018, with Deutsche Bank accepting the account applications on March 13, 2018. The trust had two accounts at Deutsche Bank: a Checking account and a DBAGNY Preferred account, with Wallace as signatory on both. Jeffrey Epstein was listed as the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO), Grantor, and Beneficiary of the trust. The account opening documents listed the trust's mailing address as the STC office: 6100 Red Hook Quarter B3, St Thomas 00802.

In December 2018, Deutsche Bank's Know Your Customer remediation team in Mumbai flagged the Caterpillar Trust as "the only account which was due for remediation in 2019 from this relationship," asking whether they "should continue with the review or not, in light of recent developments in this relationship," suggesting the bank had concerns about the Epstein relationship months before his 2019 arrest.

Despite her authorized signer status, Deutsche Bank's September 2019 presentation to the Southern District of New York documented that Wallace received zero direct payments and had N/A affiliated payments through Deutsche Bank—making her one of only two Epstein affiliates onboarded by the bank with no recorded financial flows (the other being Jean Anne Brennan). This contrasts sharply with other associates: Lesley Groff received $420,235 in direct payments; Larry Visoski $757,926; Richard Kahn $485,755 plus $2 million in affiliated payments; Darren Indyke $480,000 plus $2.2 million in affiliated payments; and Brice Gordon $22,788 direct plus $600,000 in affiliated payments. Wallace's role as authorized signer without personal payments suggests she functioned as an operational conduit rather than a direct financial beneficiary during the Deutsche Bank relationship.

A Deutsche Bank summary of Epstein-related entities from January 30, 2019 lists The 2017 Caterpillar Trust with authorized signers Harry Beller and Daphne Wallace, alongside numerous other trusts and LLCs in Epstein's financial network.

Connections#

Wallace's primary collaborators within Epstein's network included:

Rich Kahn — Project manager at HBRK Associates with whom Wallace shared 5,086 emails, her most frequent co-correspondent after Epstein. Kahn supervised construction projects and vendor relationships, with Wallace providing operational support and financial tracking. They jointly handled contractor negotiations, as in ordering outdoor furniture from China where Wallace was copied on shipping coordination.

Ann Rodriguez — On-island manager who shared 4,426 emails with Wallace. Rodriguez sent frequent photo updates of construction progress and property conditions, which Wallace compiled and forwarded to Epstein's team. Their communications covered daily operational matters including staff runs, equipment status, and property maintenance.

Lesley Groff — Epstein's New York-based executive assistant with whom Wallace shared 1,819 emails. Groff coordinated Epstein's schedule while Wallace handled Virgin Islands logistics, with frequent exchanges about meeting confirmations, travel arrangements, and operational approvals. The two served together as authorized signers on The 2017 Caterpillar Trust.

Cecile de Jongh — Office manager at Southern Trust Company who shared 772 emails with Wallace. De Jongh was Wallace's immediate supervisor in the St. Thomas office structure and managed overall STC operations while Wallace focused on LSJE accounting. De Jongh signed Wallace's August 2018 EDA compliance letter as Manager.

Bella Klein — Shared 1,476 emails with Wallace, coordinating various logistical and procurement matters. Klein worked on purchasing decisions including the Miele Rotary Iron order that Wallace tracked.

Michael Glidden — Shared 1,237 emails with Wallace on construction and maintenance projects, receiving her regular shipping updates and contractor status reports.

Wallace also coordinated with contractors including architects John P. Woods and Jeffrey Boschulte, pilots Larry Visoski, and numerous vendors and service providers for the island properties.

No documented communications were found in the archive between Wallace and Ghislaine Maxwell, Sarah Kellen, Nadia Marcinkova, or Adriana Ross, though this may reflect operational compartmentalization rather than absence of contact. Maxwell's primary operational involvement was during an earlier period and in different geographical locations (primarily New York and Palm Beach), while Wallace's documented role was Virgin Islands-focused from 2010 onward.

Document References#

An organizational chart from LSJE operations identifies Wallace's formal role as LSJE Accountant at Southern Trust Company, describing the office as "the Administration office for LSJE which controls Purchasing, Vendor payments, Expense tracking, Staff payroll and Contractor(s) payments." The document places Wallace within a management structure reporting through Cecile de Jongh while working alongside head accountant Jeanne Brennan.

Wallace appears as an authorized signer on The 2017 Caterpillar Trust, one of Epstein's financial entities, in Deutsche Bank account opening documents signed March 12, 2018. The trust account application lists Wallace alongside Lesley Groff as authorized signers, and was accepted by Deutsche Bank on March 13, 2018. A Deutsche Bank summary of Epstein-related entities from January 2019 lists The 2017 Caterpillar Trust with authorized signers including Harry Beller and Daphne Wallace, alongside numerous other trusts and LLCs in Epstein's financial network.

Southern Trust Company's August 2018 compliance letter to the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority confirms that Wallace participated in management training programs and received tuition reimbursement and professional training, alongside Jeanne Brennan, Cecile de Jongh, Una Pascal, Ann Rodriguez, and Sophia Mwaura. The letter demonstrates Wallace's status as a recognized employee receiving professional development benefits.

Multiple documents reference Wallace's role in coordinating payroll and contractor payments for island operations, though specific financial details are often redacted or forwarded through other managers. Her position gave her visibility into and responsibility for processing payments to the dozens of contractors and employees working on Epstein's properties.

The 1953 Trust Bequest#

Epstein's final trust document, titled "The 1953 Trust," dated August 8, 2019—just two days before his death on August 10, 2019—named Wallace as a beneficiary of $1,000,000. The trust document states in Section 2.3(A)(26): "to DAPHNE WALLACE, if she survives me, One Million Dollars ($1,000,000)." This was bequest number 26 of 48 total bequests in the trust.

Wallace's bequest amount matched those of her Southern Trust Company office colleagues: Cecile de Jongh ($1 million, bequest #23), Jeanne Brennan Wiebracht ($1 million, #24), Jermaine Ruan ($1 million, #25), and Una Pascal ($1 million, #38). This tier of bequests represented the middle level of Epstein's final distributions. Higher-ranking associates and managers received substantially more: Ann Rodriguez received $5 million (#17), Bella Klein $3 million (#12), Larry Visoski $10 million (#11), Ghislaine Maxwell $10 million (#16), Richard Kahn $25 million (#3), and Darren Indyke $50 million (#2). Notably, Lesley Groff, despite serving as co-authorized signer with Wallace on The 2017 Caterpillar Trust, was not named as a beneficiary in this version of the trust.

The 1953 Trust was an amendment of "The Jeffrey E. Epstein 2019 Trust," which had been originally dated January 18, 2019 and previously amended February 4, 2019. Wallace's inclusion in this final trust document, signed less than 48 hours before Epstein's death, confirms her standing as a trusted member of his inner circle through the very end of his life.

Visits to Epstein Properties#

The archive does not document Wallace making visits to Epstein's properties outside the Virgin Islands. Her role appears to have been exclusively based in St. Thomas, managing the islands' operations from the Southern Trust Company office. She coordinated logistics for others' visits but her own communications consistently reference working from the STC office rather than traveling to Little St. James, Great St. James, or Epstein's other properties:

• Little St. James: Managed operations remotely from St. Thomas office
• Great St. James: Managed operations remotely from St. Thomas office
• St. Thomas office (STC): Primary work location throughout employment
• Manhattan townhouse: No documented visits
• Palm Beach residence: No documented visits
• New Mexico ranch: No documented visits
• Paris apartment: No documented visits

Wallace's role involved coordinating others' travel to the islands and managing on-island operations through managers like Ann Rodriguez and contractors, rather than personally visiting the properties herself.