An abandoned private jet, formerly owned by the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein, now sits neglected and covered in dust on a Georgia runway, accumulating thousands of dollars in storage fees.
Prosecutors have alleged that the idle Boeing 747, known as the ‘Lolita Express’, was utilized by Epstein to shuttle his young sex trafficking victims between his various properties in New York, New Mexico, Paris, the US Virgin Islands, and Palm Beach.
Epstein, who took his own life at the Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center last August while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, has been accused of engaging in sexual activities with girls as young as 14 in the early 2000s at his residences in Manhattan and Florida. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Reports indicate that the plane, built in 1969, ferried high-profile passengers such as Bill Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and actor Kevin Spacey to various destinations worldwide.
Since its final flight on July 11, 2016, the plane has remained abandoned, accruing monthly storage costs of about $1,000.
Upon inspection by Daily Mail, the once opulent interior of the jet, adorned with deep-pile carpets, throw blankets, and fluffy pillows, was found overrun with mold and mildew.
Monogrammed tissues and a bottle of baby lotion were discovered in Epstein’s private wood-paneled bathroom, along with wet wipes, tissues bearing Epstein’s tail number, baby powder, and other toiletries tucked away in a cabinet.
Federal aviation records show that the aircraft has been unregistered since 2019, rendering it legally inoperable, and it is currently parked at a facility belonging to Stambaugh Aviation, an independent jet maintenance firm.
Mark Stambaugh, the joint owner of the facility, initially stored the aircraft for free but began levying storage fees of around $1,000 per month when it became evident that no action was being taken.
Stambaugh expressed concerns about the deteriorating condition of the plane, stating, “As a father of two daughters, I’m not real thrilled with having it here. But I guess an airplane is just an airplane. Somebody needs to come and do something with it or it needs to be scrapped because it’s just going to sit here and keep deteriorating.”
According to Stambaugh, he is owed $11,000 in unpaid storage fees, and he cautioned about the extensive damage caused by the prolonged exposure to the elements.
Amidst the revelations about Epstein’s jet, his alleged co-conspirators, including British socialite Ghisilaine Maxwell, have also faced charges related to sex trafficking offences.
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