Jeffrey Epstein's private island, Little St James, in the US Virgin Islands, was the site of much of his offending.
Newly released US Government files reveal a New Zealand couple managed properties for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including his infamous island, during the period prosecutors say he sex trafficked women and girls.
New Zealand couple Brice and Karen Gordon were linked to the management of Epstein’s Zorro Ranch more than two years ago in international media reports about the New Mexico property.
Now, files released by the US Department of Justice in the past 48 hours relating to the deceased financier, detail years of correspondence between the couple and Epstein. The files also show the pair spent time managing his infamous island property.
The documents cited in this story do not allege the couple was involved in any offending.
A search of Brice Gordon’s name in the DOJ’s Epstein document library turns up more than 11,000 mentions.
A permit application to the US Environmental Protection Agency from 2011 listed the name Brice Gordon as the “island manager” for Little St James Island.
The small private island in the United States Virgin Islands was owned by the convicted child sex offender from 1998 until his death in 2019.
In a 2016 email, Gordon describes “LSJ”, assumed to mean Little Saint James, as his and Karen’s “new home”.
“HI Brice... quick questions... when you and Karen go to NY do you stay in an apartment or at JE’s house? I want to set aside an apartment if need be!
“Also, when you come back from your New Zealand holiday on Jan. 14th, where will you return to? the island? thanks!” an email from a redacted account sent to Gordon said.
“Hi there,” Gordon responded.
“In the past we have stay in the apartment Regarding January 14 th We I’ll be returning to LSJ our new home Have we forwarded updated contact info ? Cheers Brice.”
Earlier emails from 2014, released by the Justice Department, detail email communications directly between the employee and Epstein himself.
“Jeffrey”, he wrote, “Karen and I would like to take some time off in April to visit Family in New Zealand. do we have your approval to do so. regards.”
“Yes of course,” Epstein, who at the time was convicted for procuring a child for prostitution, replied.
An email from 2012, signed off by a person named “K”, reads: “Brice and I will be away” in New Zealand for the month of March. The email sign off shows the job title “Island Manager”, a title Karen Gordon used in many other unredacted communications.
Other emails between Karen Gordon and Epstein show the pair organising guests to visit the island.
“The 2 guests that will be arriving on the island tomorrow, will they be staying the night, activities - lunch & dinner?,” she asked.
“Lunch , they will leave after,” Epstein said.
In another email to Gordon, Epstein asked for “privacy at the flagpole until I leave please.”
Days after Epstein’s death on August 10, 2019, FBI agents and New York Police Department investigators raided Little St James.
Epstein once described the United States Virgin Islands as his “favourite place to be”.
The island acted as a hideaway for Epstein, where the late sex offender negotiated local tax breaks as he faced federal investigations for sexual misconduct, the New York Times reports.
The document dump includes more than three million pages of files related to the convicted sex offender, published on a designated department website with 180,000 images and 2000 videos.
The Gordons have no confirmed address in the US or New Zealand and do not have any social media presence.
Property records show a person named Brice M Gordon has historical property interests in Auckland, Dunedin and Queenstown.
That person also had interests in two businesses removed from the companies register in 2012 and 2013.
The Sun reported numerous attempts to contact the couple, with sources telling the outlet the pair appeared to have “disappeared”.
The Herald has been unable to reach the pair through anyone linked to them.
They are not the only New Zealanders mentioned in the files.
Auckland academic Brian Boyd, who was discussed in the documents, has spoken publicly to say he feels “pretty icky” to have his name connected to the paedophile after the disgraced financier offered to fund a book he hoped to write.
Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.