U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett is currently under renewed scrutiny following the surfacing of records that detail multiple interactions with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. These encounters took place at an office in St. Thomas, related to a tax incentive program that is now being legally and politically scrutinized.
Emails and court documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon reveal that Plaskett met with Epstein at the Southern Trust Company’s office in August 2014, January 2019, and May 2019 in the Virgin Islands. The last meeting occurred merely two months before Epstein was apprehended on charges of sex trafficking, which has raised questions as Plaskett is purportedly contemplating a gubernatorial campaign for the territory.
Virgin Islands prosecutors have contended that Southern Trust operated through a "deliberately complex network" of entities to defraud the territory under the Economic Development Authority's tax incentive program. Notably, Plaskett served the Economic Development Authority until 2012, which is one year before the agency granted a 10-year tax incentive package to Southern Trust. This package allowed for a 90 percent reduction in income taxes, as evidenced by government filings that later became part of a lawsuit against Epstein's estate.
In 2020, the Virgin Islands attorney general initiated legal action against the estate, alleging that Southern Trust failed to engage in the promised business activities while it received fraudulent tax benefits. Epstein’s estate reached a settlement in 2022, agreeing to pay $105 million, which concluded the civil dispute but left political repercussions for those associated with the deal.
Additional reporting indicates that in September 2018, Plaskett visited Epstein at his New York residence to seek donations for the Democratic Party, according to Trending Politics. A text message sent by Plaskett later that day referred to Epstein as her "friend," contrasting her subsequent claims that she never maintained a friendship with him.
Emails highlight that Erika Kellerhals, a longstanding attorney for Epstein, facilitated the August 2014 meeting and organized the session in May 2019 at Southern Trust. The 2014 meeting was initially planned at Epstein's home but was later moved to "STC," an abbreviation for Southern Trust Company in internal communications. Kellerhals had previously testified in 2012, supporting Southern Trust's application for the tax incentive, characterizing the company as focused on "biomedical and financial informatics."
Plaskett stated in a 2023 deposition that Kellerhals introduced her to Epstein in 2014 as a possible donor. Records indicate that Epstein and his employees donated $10,400 in total to her campaign. Furthermore, social media posts reveal that Plaskett attended a 2021 fundraiser at Kellerhals's residence, with campaign records indicating approximately $1,000 in contributions from Kellerhals that month. Nonetheless, the specifics of their discussions remain unclear.
KanekoaTheGreat tweeted on January 31, 2026, hinting at Plaskett's visit to Epstein's island in 2014. The tweet also mentioned that Epstein texted Plaskett advice on how to criticize President Donald Trump during a 2019 congressional hearing, advice she seemingly utilized. Questions are being raised about whether other members of Congress had similar interactions with Epstein.
