When the wealthy and powerful end up behind bars, the public generally expects them to face the same harsh reality as everyone else. Stripped of their luxury, they are supposed to serve their time under strict supervision. Yet a fresh look into a high-profile case suggests that money can buy comfort even inside a prison cell.

Hidden prison perks
Fresh details have emerged about how billionaire Jeffrey Epstein managed his time behind bars in Florida. According to EFE cited by 20Minutos, a former assistant testified before the US Congress that the financier received highly unusual privileges during his stay at the Palm Beach jail.

The claims came to light through a transcript of Sarah Kellen’s testimony to the House Committee. She alleged that Epstein regularly used cash and theme park passes to compromise prison staff.

“I know he arranged for someone to deliver money and Disneyland tickets to one of the officers at the prison, and I’m not sure what he received in return,” Kellen said.

Video calls uncovered
The assistant described an environment where regular jail protocols simply vanished. Epstein reportedly used Skype to make video calls directly from his cell, a privilege rarely granted to standard inmates.

During these calls, his requests became deeply inappropriate. Kellen testified that the pedophile used the video connection to ask her to undress on camera.

When questioned about these events by Democratic Representative Max Frost, Kellen made her perspective clear. “I would assume he received special treatment. I’m not familiar with prison protocols, but it doesn’t appear that this was one of them,” she replied.

A revived scandal
The fresh testimony shines a critical light on the 2008 deal that originally kept Epstein out of federal prison. Even though local police investigated dozens of victims, a grand jury only indicted him on minor prostitution charges.

He walked free after just 13 months. Federal authorities finally locked him up again in 2019, but he died in his cell before facing a new trial.

The details are shaking up Washington again during the second presidential term of Donald Trump. High-profile figures are still answering for their ties to the disgraced financier, including tech billionaire Bill Gates. Gates admitted to Congress last week that Epstein tried to blackmail him over an affair, stating, “I should never have met with him.”

Read More: Epstein’s assistant drops bombshell claim: “He received special treatment”