Cecile de Jongh
Snapshot
Cecile R. de Jongh served as a senior officer, banking signatory, and operational administrator within Jeffrey Epstein’s U.S. Virgin Islands corporate network. Records identify her as Vice President and Secretary of Financial Trust Company, Inc. (FTC), an Epstein controlled entity used to manage financial and business operations in the territory.
Her documented employment with Epstein overlapped entirely with the tenure of her husband, Governor John P. de Jongh Jr., who served as Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2007 through 2015. Internal emails, banking records, salary documents, and corporate filings place her at the center of several operational and administrative functions tied to Epstein’s territorial business structure.
Records also document:
- Her authority over corporate banking accounts
- Her involvement in staffing and payroll decisions
- Her coordination of meetings involving Epstein and government officials
- Her participation in document retention and shredding procedures
- A documented $200,000 payment from Southern Trust Company, Inc. in December 2015
Overview
Cecile de Jongh worked for Jeffrey Epstein’s Financial Trust Company, Inc. and related entities during the years Epstein expanded his financial and political footprint throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. Corporate governance documents identify her as Vice President and Secretary of FTC beginning no later than September 21, 2007.
In a February 9, 2011 email to a U.S. Virgin Islands official, de Jongh directly described her role and Epstein’s ownership structure:
“You are probably aware that I work for Financial Trust Company, Inc. which is run and owned by Jeffrey Epstein.”
The same email chain shows her coordinating a meeting between Epstein and a territorial official while acting in her capacity as an FTC employee.
Internal records additionally place her in operational discussions involving payroll, employee layoffs, banking authority, regulatory disputes, and document destruction procedures.
Role at Financial Trust Company, Inc.
Corporate Officer Positions
Corporate records dated September 21, 2007 list Cecile de Jongh as:
- Vice President
- Secretary
The same records list Darren Indyke as President and Jeanne Brennan as Treasurer.
Evidence
FTC Officer Elections — EFTA01584535
FTC Corporate Governance Records — EFTA01584527
Authorized Banking Signatory
Federal subpoena responses from FirstBank Puerto Rico identify de Jongh as an authorized signatory on multiple Epstein affiliated commercial accounts.
The records include:
- Financial Trust Company, Inc. checking accounts
- Southern Trust Company, Inc. accounts
- Accounts connected directly to Jeffrey Epstein’s U.S. Virgin Islands financial operations
Evidence
FirstBank Puerto Rico Grand Jury Subpoena Response — EFTA00065864
Southern Trust Company Banking Records — EFTA00065865
JPMorgan Account Authorization
On March 8, 2010, de Jongh signed a unanimous consent document authorizing Darren Indyke to open and operate banking, custody, and brokerage accounts at JPMorgan.
The authorization further permitted delegated operational authority to employees and agents of the corporation.
Evidence
JPMorgan Authorization Document — EFTA01584827
Salary and Compensation Records
Internal compensation records show de Jongh received substantial compensation packages through Epstein controlled entities.
Records document:
- Approximately $110,000 annual salary between 2009 and 2013
- Health insurance benefits
- IRA contributions
- Tuition payments
- Additional compensation and bonus structures
A later 2016 communication referenced an annual salary of $85,000.
Evidence
Salary and Benefit History — EFTA01957595
Monthly Salary Email — EFTA01992511
Salary Reference Email — EFTA02446867
Salary Increase Email — EFTA01754747
Southern Trust Payroll Bonus Record — EFTA00802367
Document Retention and Shredding Policy
A December 19, 2014 internal email from de Jongh outlined FTC’s document retention and destruction procedures.
The email stated:
“1999 through 2006 we shred. 2007 through 2014 we scan and shred.”
The communication further stated that approximately seventy five bags of records had already been shredded.
The timing of the email, sent shortly before the conclusion of Governor de Jongh’s administration, has drawn continued public and investigative attention.
Evidence
Document Retention and Shredding Email — EFTA01748314
Role in the J. Epstein Virgin Islands Foundation
Records establish that de Jongh served as Vice President and Trustee of the J. Epstein Virgin Islands Foundation, Inc., also known as Enhanced Education.
On February 29, 2012, she formally resigned from the organization alongside other Epstein associates, including Darren Indyke and Jeanne Brennan.
Evidence
Foundation Resignation Records — EFTA00311096
Overlap With Governor John de Jongh Jr.’s Administration
John P. de Jongh Jr. served as Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands from January 2007 through January 2015. Cecile de Jongh’s documented employment within Epstein’s companies overlaps with the entirety of that administration.
Documented interactions include:
- Coordinating meetings between Epstein and territorial officials
- Fundraising connected to gubernatorial events
- Internal communications involving territorial legislative matters
- Scheduling meetings involving Epstein and the Governor himself
A January 24, 2014 email chain shows de Jongh requesting a $15,000 contribution from Epstein for the Governor’s Special Events Fund. Epstein agreed to the contribution.
Another internal communication references a scheduled November 2014 meeting between Epstein and Governor de Jongh at Southern Trust Company offices.
Evidence
Meeting Coordination Email Chain — EFTA02027935
FTC Employment Self Identification Email — EFTA02027938
Governor’s Special Events Fund Email Chain — EFTA01940225
Meeting Scheduling Email — EFTA02090717
Political Discussion Email Chain — EFTA01873707
Journalist Inquiries
In 2011, investigative journalist Wayne Barrett of Newsweek and The Daily Beast sought to interview de Jongh regarding her role inside Epstein’s corporate structure and the potential overlap with the Governor’s administration.
Internal emails show de Jongh expressing reluctance to engage with reporters. Epstein instructed her to forward all mentions concerning him for review.
Evidence
Internal Response to Newsweek Inquiry — EFTA01988601
Wayne Barrett Email Chain — EFTA01990849
$200,000 Southern Trust Company Payment
A Deutsche Bank presentation prepared for the Southern District of New York identified a $200,000 payment from Southern Trust Company, Inc. to Cecile de Jongh dated December 29, 2015.
The presentation described her as:
“the former First Lady of the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
The available records do not establish the precise purpose of the payment.
Evidence
Deutsche Bank SDNY Presentation — EFTA01681865
Named In Documents
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| EFTA01584827 | JPMorgan authorization document |
| EFTA01584535 | FTC officer election records |
| EFTA00065864 | FirstBank subpoena response |
| EFTA02027938 | FTC employment self identification email |
| EFTA01681865 | Deutsche Bank payment presentation |
| EFTA01748314 | Document shredding policy email |
| EFTA01940225 | Governor fundraising email chain |
| EFTA02090717 | Epstein meeting scheduling email |
| EFTA00311096 | Foundation resignation records |
Evidentiary Gaps
Several issues remain unresolved in the currently available document corpus.
These include:
- The exact purpose of the documented $200,000 payment
- The full scope of de Jongh’s operational authority
- Whether she was interviewed by investigators
- The extent of territorial knowledge regarding Epstein’s activities
- The complete timeline of her post governorship employment with Epstein affiliated entities
No currently available public record conclusively resolves these questions.