You’ve probably seen the grainy drone footage or those weirdly saturated photos of a blue-and-white striped building that looks like a high-budget movie set. It sits on a rocky outcrop, surrounded by the kind of turquoise water that usually ends up on postcards. People call it "Epstein’s Island," but if you're looking for it on a standard navigation chart, you won't find that name.
It’s actually called Little St. James.
Honestly, finding out where is epstein's island is the easy part. It’s the "what happened there" and "who owns it now" that gets complicated. As of 2026, the island is no longer the fortress of a disgraced financier; it’s a piece of real estate in the middle of a massive rebranding effort. But the geography remains the same—isolated, stunningly beautiful, and tucked away in a corner of the Caribbean that was once the ultimate playground for the ultra-wealthy.
The Specific Location of Little St. James
So, let's get precise. Little St. James is a private island located in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). It’s part of the Lesser Antilles, sitting just southeast of St. Thomas. Specifically, it belongs to the East End subdistrict of St. Thomas.
If you were to punch the coordinates into a GPS, you’d find it at roughly $18^{\circ} 18' 0'' \text{N, } 64^{\circ} 49' 30'' \text{W}$.
The island is tiny—somewhere between 70 and 78 acres. To give you a sense of scale, it's about the size of a large shopping mall complex or a few city blocks. It’s dwarfed by its neighbor, Great St. James, which is twice the size at about 160 acres. For years, the two islands sat like silent sentinels off the coast of Red Hook, the bustling port town on St. Thomas where locals and tourists catch ferries to St. John.
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Most people don't realize how close it is to civilization. From the shore of St. Thomas, you can see the structures on the hill. It isn't hundreds of miles into the middle of the ocean. It’s a two-mile boat ride. That proximity is part of why the island remained such a point of local gossip for decades. People in the USVI saw the boats coming and going. They saw the "Lady Ghislaine," the 38-foot vessel named after Ghislaine Maxwell, ferrying guests from the main docks.
Why the Geography Mattered
The layout of the island was designed for extreme privacy. While it's close to St. Thomas, the topography is rugged. Most of the shoreline consists of steep cliffs and rocky edges, making it difficult for anyone to land a boat without using the private dock.
There are three main beaches, but they aren't the kind you can just pull up to for a swim. They were heavily monitored. The "temple"—that blue-and-white building with the gold dome (before Hurricane Irma ripped the dome off in 2017)—was built on a high point. From there, you have a 360-degree view of the surrounding Caribbean Sea.
The Infrastructure of a Private Kingdom
When Epstein bought the place in 1998 for about $7.95 million, it wasn't much. He spent tens of millions turning it into a self-sustaining compound.
- Power and Fiber Optics: In 2005, he actually hired the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority to run a dedicated undersea cable from St. Thomas. This meant the island didn't have to rely on noisy generators.
- The Buildings: The main residence was a sprawling stone mansion, but there were also four guest villas, a helipad, a gym, and a tiki hut.
- The "Temple": Perhaps the most discussed structure, this building was originally meant to be a music room or library, according to architectural plans, but its odd appearance fueled years of speculation.
Who Owns the Island in 2026?
The question of where is epstein's island has shifted from a search for a criminal hideout to a search for a luxury resort. Following Epstein’s death in 2019, the island became a massive legal liability. The U.S. Virgin Islands government eventually reached a $105 million settlement with the Epstein estate.
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In May 2023, billionaire Stephen Deckoff, the founder of Black Diamond Capital Management, bought both Little St. James and Great St. James for $60 million. That’s a huge discount from the original $125 million asking price.
Deckoff, who has lived in the USVI since 2011, is currently in the middle of a "clean-up" project. His goal? A world-class, 25-room luxury resort. As of early 2026, construction and rebranding efforts are ongoing. He’s been very vocal about wanting to distance the land from its past, though for many, the history is literally baked into the soil.
Traveling Near the Island Today
Can you visit? No. Not really.
Little St. James remains private property. While the "new chapter" is under Deckoff's control, the island is still a construction zone and a private residence. However, it’s a very popular spot for "disaster tourism." Boat charters out of St. Thomas frequently pass by the island. Tourists often ask captains to swing close enough to snap photos of the striped building and the remains of the compound.
If you’re on a vacation in the USVI and find yourself at St. Thomas's East End, look toward the horizon. You'll see it. It looks peaceful from a distance. That's the weirdest part—the juxtaposition of the horrific allegations with the undeniable beauty of the Caribbean landscape.
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Misconceptions About the Location
- It’s not in international waters. People think the island was a lawless zone because it was "out there." It wasn't. It’s firmly within U.S. territory and subject to U.S. federal and territorial laws.
- It’s not invisible. You can see it on Google Maps. You can see it from the ferry to St. John. It was hidden in plain sight.
- It wasn't a secret. Locally, it was known as "Pedophile Island" or "Orgy Island" long before the 2019 arrest. The locals knew exactly where it was and who was on it.
The Reality of the "New" Island
The current owner has a tough job. Transforming a place with such a dark history into a "five-star destination" requires more than just a fresh coat of paint. Part of the sale agreement involved the USVI government receiving half the proceeds—roughly $30 million—to fund counseling and support services for victims of sexual abuse.
It's a strange fate for a piece of land.
If you’re curious about where is epstein's island for the sake of history, you should know that much of the physical evidence of the crimes committed there has been cleared out by authorities or the estate. What remains is a 70-acre volcanic rock that is slowly being scrubbed of its past.
For those looking to understand the geography of the Caribbean, it’s a reminder that even the most beautiful places can have a history that doesn't show up on a map.
Actionable Insight for Curious Travelers
If you are planning a trip to the USVI and want to see the area responsibly:
- Book a private charter from Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie. Most captains are happy to point out the island while heading to the world-class snorkeling spots at nearby St. John or the more peaceful Great St. James.
- Support local victims' charities. Since the island’s sale contributed to a trust for survivors, you can mirror that by supporting organizations like the Family Resource Center on St. Thomas.
- Respect the privacy of new development. While it's tempting to get close, the waters immediately surrounding the private docks are monitored. Stick to the public waterways.
The island isn't going anywhere. It’s just a coordinates point on a map, $18.3004^{\circ} \text{N, } 64.8262^{\circ} \text{W}$. Whether it can ever truly move past being "Epstein's Island" is something only time, and the success of the new resort, will tell.