Luciano "Jojo" Fontanilla, Jr. was a Filipino household employee who worked as a driver and general assistant at Jeffrey Epstein's properties, primarily the Manhattan townhouse at 9 East 71st Street. The archive contains 13,397 emails involving Fontanilla spanning from November 2001 to March 2022, documenting his role coordinating logistics, running errands, managing deliveries, and transporting guests for Epstein. He worked alongside his wife, Jun-Lyn (Lyn) Fontanilla, who also served as household staff. Epstein named Fontanilla as a beneficiary in his 2019 Trust, bequeathing him $1 million in cash and full ownership of a New York property valued at approximately $3 million. Public reporting identified the Fontanillas as long-time Epstein employees whose Facebook photos with high-profile visitors to Epstein's homes drew media attention after Epstein's 2019 arrest.
Background#
Luciano A. Fontanilla, Jr., known as "Jojo," was a Filipino national who worked for Jeffrey Epstein beginning in the 1990s, according to media reports. He and his wife Jun-Lyn Fontanilla were employed as household staff at Epstein's Manhattan residence. After Epstein's death, Facebook photographs showing the couple posing with prominent visitors to Epstein's properties—including Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Sarah Ferguson—were widely reported in September 2019. The couple captioned one photo showing them with Epstein, who wore a Harvard sweatshirt, "With our boss."
According to Reddit discussions analyzing Epstein's will and trust documents, Fontanilla was listed as a $1 million cash beneficiary and received full ownership of a New York property through an LLC, making him one of several Filipino household employees who received substantial bequests. Author Michael Wolff, who visited Epstein's homes, described household staff like the Fontanillas as "pawns" in Epstein's world, noting their presence alongside high-profile guests at dinners and events.
Correspondence with Epstein#
Fontanilla's email correspondence in the archive spans two decades, from 2001 to 2022, with the bulk of activity occurring between 2010 and 2019. The emails document routine household and logistical tasks coordinated primarily through Lesley Groff, Epstein's executive assistant, who functioned as the intermediary for most instructions.
The correspondence reflects Fontanilla's role as driver and general assistant. In May 2019, Groff instructed Fontanilla to pick up Caroline Lang from the 301 apartments and drive her to JFK for an Air France flight, though Epstein later gave him the night off. In May 2013, Fontanilla was copied on flight logistics for Epstein's trip to Little St. James island, with staff coordinating "house plants," a chair, and kites for the airplane. In June 2017, he received instructions to drive 30 DNA kits from the townhouse to JFK Airport to deliver them to an Emirates supervisor for transport to Dubai.
Fontanilla regularly received scheduling updates and task assignments. In May 2017, Groff notified him that Epstein would have breakfast with Leon Black at 9:30am, then need transportation at 12:15pm for a medical appointment. In May 2019, he was instructed to pick up a book from author Michael Wolff and deliver it to Bella Klein for scanning and overnight shipment to Epstein in Palm Beach. In June 2017, he delivered carpet samples to Eric Roth on Epstein's behalf.
The emails also document Fontanilla's personal arrangements. In May 2019, he requested to change his flight to the Philippines to an earlier time, with Groff coordinating the booking adjustments. In May 2019, he requested to leave work at 2:30pm to go to Jersey City, which Epstein approved. In December 2018, an Apple Watch ordered through HBRK Associates was shipped to "Jojo Fontanilla, c/o Jeffrey Epstein, 9 East 71st Street," with Groff forwarding the tracking information.
Fontanilla was copied on communications about Epstein's appointments with high-profile individuals. A November 2010 email from Groff to Epstein noted that Bill Gates would visit on December 6th, with "girls should be form 5-7 gates from 7-", copying Fontanilla and his wife Lyn. A December 2010 email about a dinner party with "the Duke" (Prince Andrew) and Katie Couric stated there would be "6 girls and 6 boys" as guests. Fontanilla received scheduling notices for visitors including Mort Zuckerman, Charlie Rose, Brian Greene, and Kathy Ruemmler.
Connections#
Fontanilla's primary contact was Lesley Groff, Epstein's executive assistant, with whom he shared 6,825 emails. Groff served as the conduit for virtually all instructions and scheduling information. He had 5,146 emails with Epstein's various email aliases.
He worked closely with other household staff, including Merwin dela Cruz (4,111 shared emails), his wife Lyn Fontanilla (2,228 shared emails), and later staff member Leo Loking. In May 2019, Groff instructed Leo to be on standby while Fontanilla picked up Epstein from the airport, indicating coordination between drivers.
Fontanilla regularly interacted with Richard Kahn (1,108 shared emails), who managed business and household matters for Epstein. In May 2019, Kahn coordinated the pickup of an iPad from the Apple Store, specifying "Merwin or Jojo" as the pickup contact. He also had correspondence with Darren Indyke (847 emails), Epstein's attorney, and Larry Visoski (1,032 emails), Epstein's pilot, who provided flight schedules. In June 2019, Visoski notified Fontanilla and other staff of departure and arrival times for flights between Palm Beach and Teterboro.
Other regular contacts included Karyna Shuliak (1,205 emails), Bella Klein (761 emails), and various property managers and vendors.
Document References#
Fontanilla is named as a beneficiary in Epstein's 2019 Trust Agreement. Section 2.3(A)(16) bequeaths Fontanilla $1 million if he survived Epstein. Section 2.3(A)(17) bequeaths "to LUCIANO A. FONTANILLA, JR., or his heirs, successors and assigns, whether or not LUCIANO A. FONTANILLA, JR. surivives me, all of my interest in the property, improvements, fixtures, permits and other rights of and pertaining to the real property located at, and known and referred to as, 18 Teneyck Avenue, Valley Stream, New York." The trust specifies that Epstein's interest consisted of 100% of the membership interests in Lyn & Jojo, LLC, a New York limited liability company holding title to the property, which was held in the name of Darren K. Indyke as Epstein's nominee.
Fontanilla appears in multiple court filings as a recipient of emails in the Epstein archive. Bryant v. Indyke, No. 1:19-cv-10479 (S.D.N.Y.), Helm v. Indyke, No. 1:19-cv-10476 (S.D.N.Y.), and Doe 1000 v. Indyke, No. 1:19-cv-10577 (S.D.N.Y.) are discovery dispute letters filed in May 2020 by victims' attorney Sigrid McCawley, seeking to compel Epstein's estate executors to produce documents beyond those explicitly mentioning the plaintiffs. These letters do not allege specific wrongdoing by Fontanilla but note that the estate's document production included emails to and from household staff.
Visits to Epstein Properties#
The archive documents Fontanilla's presence at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse throughout the correspondence period, as this was his primary workplace. The emails reference his duties at the residence from 2001 through at least 2022, including receiving deliveries, coordinating with building staff, and managing access for visitors and vendors.
Evidence of travel to or work at other Epstein properties:
Palm Beach, Florida: Fontanilla traveled to Palm Beach on occasion. In March 2015, Karyna Shuliak asked him to put Epstein's large iMac computer in the car for transport on a Saturday evening flight to Palm Beach. The correspondence suggests he primarily worked at the Manhattan property rather than being permanently stationed in Palm Beach.
Little St. James Island: In May 2013, Fontanilla was copied on an email about Epstein's planned trip to the island, with staff coordinating items for the airplane including house plants, a chair, and kites, but the email does not confirm Fontanilla traveled to the island.
New Mexico Ranch: No specific visits documented in the archive.
Paris Apartment: No visits documented in the archive.
The correspondence indicates Fontanilla's role was primarily based at the Manhattan townhouse, with occasional coordination regarding other properties and their logistics.