(CNN) Jeffrey Epstein's cause of death was suicide by hanging, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Friday.

Hours later, Epstein's attorneys said they will conduct their own investigation into the circumstances of his death.

The medical examiner's determination came almost a week after the multimillionaire was found in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where the 66-year-old was awaiting trial on federal charges accusing him of sexually abusing underage girls and running a sex trafficking ring. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The autopsy was performed Sunday, the chief medical examiner's office said in a statement at the time, but its findings were pending further information. A private pathologist also observed the autopsy, the statement said, calling it "routine practice."

Read More </s> FILE – This July 25, 2013, file image provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows financier Jeffrey Epstein. Officials say the FBI and U.S. Inspector General’s office will investigate how Epstein died in an apparent suicide, while the probe into sexual abuse allegations against the well-connected financier remains ongoing. A person familiar with the matter says Epstein, accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, had been taken off suicide watch before he killed himself Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in a New York jail. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeffrey Epstein’s prison death has been confirmed a suicide by hanging, the medical examiner’s office said Friday.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Aug. 10, touching off outrage and disbelief over how such a high-profile prisoner, known for socializing with powerful people including presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, could have gone unwatched.

The Bureau of Prisons said Epstein had apparently killed himself, but that didn’t squelch conspiracy theories about his death.

Messages seeking comment were left for Epstein’s lawyers. An office telephone number for Dr. Michael Baden, the pathologist hired by Epstein’s representatives to observe the autopsy, rang unanswered.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor on July 23 with bruising on his neck.

But multiple people familiar with operations at the jail say he was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Attorney General William Barr says officials have uncovered “serious irregularities” at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department’s inspector general are both investigating Epstein’s death.

Jail guards on duty the night of Epstein’s death are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they were checking on inmates every half-hour as required, according to several people familiar with the matter.

A guard in Epstein’s unit was working a fifth straight day of overtime and another guard was working mandatory overtime, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who is in charge of the criminal case against Epstein, asked the jail’s warden this week for answers about the earlier episode, writing in a letter Monday that it had “never been definitively explained.”

The warden replied that an internal investigation was completed but that he couldn’t provide information because the findings were being incorporated into investigations into Epstein’s death.

The Associated Press often does not report details of suicide methods, but has made an exception because Epstein’s cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that several bones in Epstein’s neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide.

Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson issued a statement Thursday in response to those articles, saying: “In all forensic investigations, all information must be synthesized to determine the cause and manner of death. Everything must be consistent; no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum.”

The medical examiner’s ruling came a day after two more women sued Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he “liked young, pretty girls to massage him,” and wouldn’t engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts. </s> NEW YORK — New York City's medical examiner ruled Jeffrey Epstein's death a suicide Friday, confirming after nearly a week of speculation that the financier hanged himself in his jail cell.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Aug. 10, touching off outrage and disbelief over how such a high-profile prisoner, known for socializing with powerful people including presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, could have gone unwatched.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said in a statement that she made the suicide determination "after careful review of all investigative information, including complete autopsy findings."

The Bureau of Prisons said at the time Epstein had apparently killed himself, but that didn't squelch conspiracy theories about his death.

One of Epstein's lawyers, Marc Fernich, declined to comment. An office telephone number for Dr. Michael Baden, the pathologist hired by Epstein's representatives to observe the autopsy, rang unanswered.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor July 23 with bruises on his neck.

RELATED: Epstein accuser sues as questions swirl about his death

But multiple people familiar with operations at the jail say he was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Attorney General William Barr says officials have uncovered "serious irregularities" at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department's inspector general are both investigating.

After news of Epstein's death went public, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said the federal investigation into the allegations against Epstein remains steadfast.

Jail guards on duty the night of Epstein's death are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they were checking on inmates every half hour as required, according to several people familiar with the matter. Both were working overtime because of staffing shortages at the jail, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

The Associated Press often does not report details of suicide methods but has made an exception because Epstein's cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that a bone in Epstein's neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide, though experts said the bone in question often breaks in suicidal hangings.

Sampson issued a statement Thursday in response to those articles, saying: "In all forensic investigations, all information must be synthesized to determine the cause and manner of death. Everything must be consistent; no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum."

Autopsy reports are not public records in New York and the details of the medical examiner's finding, or what evidence she relied upon, were not immediately made available.

Epstein, 66, was a wealth manager who hobnobbed with the rich, famous and influential, including presidents and a prince.

He owned a private island in the Caribbean, homes in Paris and New York City, a New Mexico ranch, and a fleet of high-price cars. His friends had once included Britain's Prince Andrew, Clinton and Trump. Clinton and Trump both said they hadn't seen Epstein in years when new charges were brought against him last month.

The medical examiner's ruling came a day after two more women sued Jeffrey Epstein's estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he "liked young, pretty girls to massage him," and wouldn't engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time of day or night or chat online. </s> Convicted sex offender and former financier Jeffrey Epstein has been confirmed to have died by suicide by the chief medical examiner of New York City. According to The New York Times, Epstein’s autopsy lists suicide by hanging as his cause of death. Authorities found the 66-year-old Epstein unresponsive in his jail cell on Saturday, August 11. He awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges before his death.

Previously, The Inquisitr reported that a New York City medical examiner wanted additional information after performing Epstein’s initial autopsy. The reason is that the accused sex trafficker suffered several broken bones in his neck, which initially made the death appear suspicious.

Epstein’s suicide remains the focus of at least four current investigations by the FBI, the Justice Department Office of Inspector General, and more. The suspicious nature of the suicide gave rise to a multitude of conspiracy theories from both sides of the political spectrum. Even President Donald Trump spread a prominent theory Clinton body count theory, according to The Inquisitr. Many who ascribe to the idea believe that somehow former President Bill Clinton and former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton had Epstein murdered in jail. The high-powered couple hoped to avoid his impending testimony, which many believe could implicate President Clinton and other high ranking individuals.

On the flip side of the conspiracies, several believe that President Trump has the most to gain from silencing his former friend Epstein. Plus, Trump had the means given that Epstein resided at The Metropolitan Correctional Center, which is a federal prison. There is the possibility that Trump’s name would have come up when Epstein testified given their decades-long friendship.

The conspiracies about the accused’s death run the gamut with some people refusing to believe the billionaire actually died. Some of the more bizarre theories include the idea that Epstein is the Witness Protection Program. A multitude of conspiracy theorists believes that the suicide ruling is a cover-up for Epstein’s murder at whoever’s hands. There are even people who say that many from the 1 percent who were involved with Epstein worked together regardless of political affiliation to silence him.

NBC News reported earlier today that Epstein’s former cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione of wrongdoing in a possible suicide attempt that happened about three weeks before Epstein died. Many, including the attorney general, William P. Barr, believe that there are “serious irregularities” in how the prison handled the prisoner’s supervision in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to his death. Because of Epstein’s previously attempted suicide, it is surprising that the prison officials took him off of suicide watch. </s> NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the aftermath of Jeffrey Epstein's death (all times local):

The medical examiner's office said in a statement Friday that an autopsy and other evidence confirms the 66-year-old financier hanged himself in his cell at a federal jail.

Epstein was placed on suicide watch in late July after he was found on his cell floor with bruising on his neck.

But multiple people familiar with the jail's operations ail say he was taken off the watch at the end of July.

The Associated Press often does not report details of suicide methods, but has made an exception because Epstein's cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

Federal officials have been told to expect that a medical examiner's findings on Jeffrey Epstein's death will be released Friday.

That's according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Epstein is believed to have killed himself early Saturday at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, where he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The federal jail in Manhattan where Epstein was being held has come under sharp scrutiny in the wake of Epstein's suicide.

Attorney General William Barr says officials have uncovered "serious irregularities" at the jail.

The FBI and the Justice Department's inspector general are both investigating Epstein's death.

Two more women have sued Jeffrey Epstein's estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit was filed Thursday in a federal court in New York.

The women say they were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide a massage to Epstein, saying he "liked young, pretty girls to massage him."

The lawsuit says that the recruiter promised no unwanted touching but that Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore.

They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger, flashbacks and nightmares. </s> FILE – This July 25, 2013, file image provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows financier Jeffrey Epstein. Officials say the FBI and U.S. Inspector General’s office will investigate how Epstein died in an apparent suicide, while the probe into sexual abuse allegations against the well-connected financier remains ongoing. A person familiar with the matter says Epstein, accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, had been taken off suicide watch before he killed himself Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in a New York jail. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s medical examiner ruled Jeffrey Epstein’s death a suicide Friday, confirming after nearly a week of speculation that the financier faced with sex trafficking charges hanged himself in his jail cell.

Epstein, 66, was found dead at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Aug. 10, touching off outrage that such a high-profile prisoner could have gone unwatched at the Manhattan federal lockup where infamous inmates Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff came and went without incident.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said in a statement that she made the suicide determination “after careful review of all investigative information, including complete autopsy findings.”

Sampson’s announcement came as a Justice Department official told The Associated Press that some prison staffers believed to have relevant information aren’t cooperating with investigators.

Epstein’s lawyers said they were “not satisfied” with Sampson’s conclusions and that they would conduct their own investigation, including seeking to obtain any video of the area around Epstein’s cell from the time leading to his death.

Epstein, arrested July 6 and jailed since, was found dead with a bedsheet around his neck less than 24 hours after more than 2,000 pages of documents were made public from a since-settled lawsuit against an ex-girlfriend alleged to be his aide-de-camp. The documents included graphic allegations against Epstein and a 2016 deposition in which he refused to answer questions to avoid incriminating himself.

At the time of Epstein’s death, the Bureau of Prisons said he had apparently killed himself. But that did not squelch conspiracy theories , including one retweeted by President Donald Trump that speculated Epstein was murdered.

What emerged in the days that followed, however, was not evidence of a sinister plot, but early signs that prison staff failed to properly secure and monitor a prisoner, leading to ferocious criticism by everyone from Attorney General William Barr to Epstein’s lawyers.

Jail guards on Epstein’s unit failed to check on him every half hour, as required, and are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they had, according to several people familiar with the matter. Both were working overtime because of staffing shortages, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor July 23 with bruises on his neck.

Multiple people familiar with operations at the jail say Epstein was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Barr says officials have uncovered “serious irregularities” at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department’s inspector general are investigating.

“It is indisputable that the authorities violated their own protocols,” Epstein’s lawyers said in a statement late Friday, calling the conditions in the unit where Epstein spent his final hours, “harsh, even medieval.”

In the wake of Epstein’s death, federal prosecutors have shifted their focus to possible charges against anyone who assisted or enabled him in what authorities say was rampant sexual abuse. Barr, on Monday, warned that “any co-conspirators should not rest easy.”

Authorities are most likely turning their attention to the team of recruiters and employees who, according to police reports, knew about Epstein’s penchant for underage girls and lined up victims for him.

The Associated Press reviewed hundreds of pages of police reports , FBI records and court documents that show Epstein relied on an entire staff of associates to arrange massages that led to sex acts.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Epstein’s death is being hampered because some people, including jail staff members who are believed to have information pertinent to the probe, aren’t cooperating and have not yet been interviewed by the FBI, according to a Justice Department official.

The official said the FBI has repeatedly sought interviews with staff members but those interviews are being delayed by union representatives. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

One possible roadblock to further charges is the controversial plea agreement Epstein struck more than a decade ago in Florida . The non-prosecution agreement not only allowed Epstein to plead guilty in 2008 to lesser state charges and serve just 13 months behind bars, it also shielded from prosecution several Epstein associates who allegedly were paid to recruit girls for him.

The AP often does not report details of suicide methods but has made an exception because Epstein’s cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that a bone in Epstein’s neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide. Sampson responded that “no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum” and experts said the bone in question often breaks in suicidal hangings.

Autopsy reports are not public records in New York, and the details of the medical examiner’s finding, or the evidence she relied upon, were not immediately available.

An office telephone number for Dr. Michael Baden, the pathologist hired by Epstein’s representatives to observe the autopsy, repeatedly rang unanswered on Friday.

Epstein was a wealth manager who hobnobbed with the rich, famous and influential, including presidents and a prince.

He owned a private island in the Caribbean, homes in Paris and New York City, a New Mexico ranch and a fleet of high-price cars. His friends had once included Britain’s Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. Clinton and Trump both said they had not seen Epstein in years when new charges were brought against him last month.

The medical examiner’s ruling that Epstein’s death was a suicide came a day after two more women sued Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, saying he sexually abused them. The suit, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he “liked young, pretty girls to massage him,” and wouldn’t engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts.

Michael Balsamo reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Jim Mustian in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report. </s> Jeffrey Epstein's prison death has been ruled a suicide by hanging, the medical examiner's office said Friday.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Aug. 10, touching off outrage and disbelief over how such a high-profile prisoner, known for socializing with powerful people including presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, could have gone unwatched.

The Bureau of Prisons said Epstein had apparently killed himself, but that didn't squelch conspiracy theories about his death.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor on July 23 with bruising on his neck.

But multiple people familiar with operations at the jail say he was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Attorney General William Barr says officials have uncovered "serious irregularities" at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department's inspector general are investigating Epstein's death.

Watch: U.S. attorney general appalled by 'irregularities' at Epstein's jail

Jail guards on duty the night of Epstein's death are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they were checking on inmates every half-hour as required, according to several people familiar with the matter.

A guard in Epstein's unit was working a fifth straight day of overtime and another guard was working mandatory overtime, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who is in charge of the criminal case against Epstein, asked the jail's warden this week for answers about the earlier episode, writing in a letter Monday that it had "never been definitively explained."

The warden replied that an internal investigation was completed but that he couldn't provide information because the findings were being incorporated into investigations into Epstein's death.

The Washington Post and the New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that several bones in Epstein's neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide.

Chief medical examiner Barbara Sampson issued a statement Thursday in response to those articles, saying: "In all forensic investigations, all information must be synthesized to determine the cause and manner of death. Everything must be consistent; no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum."

The medical examiner's ruling came a day after two more women sued Epstein's estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit, filed in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he "liked young, pretty girls to massage him," and wouldn't engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million US in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts. </s> New York — Jeffrey Epstein’s prison death has been ruled a suicide by hanging, the medical examiner’s office announced Friday. Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10.

His death sparked outrage and disbelief over how such a high-profile prisoner, known for socializing with powerful people including presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, could have gone unwatched.

The Bureau of Prisons said Epstein had apparently killed himself, but that didn’t squelch conspiracy theories about his death.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor on July 23 with bruising on his neck.

But multiple people familiar with operations at the jail said he was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Attorney General William Barr said officials have uncovered “serious irregularities” at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department’s inspector general are both investigating Epstein’s death.

Corrections officers may have falsified reports saying they checked on Epstein as required by protocol, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told CBS News this week.

A guard in Epstein’s unit was working a fifth straight day of overtime and another guard was working mandatory overtime, several people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who is in charge of the criminal case against Epstein, asked the jail’s warden this week for answers about the earlier episode, writing in a letter Monday that it had “never been definitively explained.”

A representative for staff at the Metropolitan Correctional Center said work conditions at the facility have been inadequate for nearly two years. Corrections officers have long complained about being overworked with 60-plus hour work weeks and mandatory overtime.

The warden replied that an internal investigation was completed but that he couldn’t provide information because the findings were being incorporated into investigations into Epstein’s death.

The Associated Press often does not report details of suicide methods, but has made an exception because Epstein’s cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that several bones in Epstein’s neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide.

Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson issued a statement Thursday in response to those articles, saying: “In all forensic investigations, all information must be synthesized to determine the cause and manner of death. Everything must be consistent; no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum.”

Epstein accuser targets his businesses as details emerge about Ghislaine Maxwell

The medical examiner’s ruling came a day after two more women sued Epstein’s estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages. One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit said an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he “liked young, pretty girls to massage him,” and wouldn’t engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts. </s> NEW YORK — Jeffrey Epstein's prison death has been confirmed a suicide by hanging, the medical examiner's office said Friday.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Aug. 10, touching off outrage and disbelief over how such a high-profile prisoner, known for socializing with powerful people including presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, could have gone unwatched.

The Bureau of Prisons said Epstein had apparently killed himself, but that didn't squelch conspiracy theories about his death.

Messages seeking comment were left for Epstein's lawyers. An office telephone number for Dr. Michael Baden, the pathologist hired by Epstein's representatives to observe the autopsy, rang unanswered.

Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing numerous underage girls over several years, had been placed on suicide watch last month after he was found on his cell floor on July 23 with bruising on his neck.

But multiple people familiar with operations at the jail say he was taken off the watch after about a week and put back in a high-security housing unit where he was less closely monitored, but still supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Attorney General William Barr says officials have uncovered "serious irregularities" at the jail. The FBI and the Justice Department's inspector general are both investigating Epstein's death.

Jail guards on duty the night of Epstein's death are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they were checking on inmates every half-hour as required, according to several people familiar with the matter.

A guard in Epstein's unit was working a fifth straight day of overtime and another guard was working mandatory overtime, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the lacked authorization to publicly discuss the investigation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who is in charge of the criminal case against Epstein, asked the jail's warden this week for answers about the earlier episode, writing in a letter Monday that it had "never been definitively explained."

The warden replied that an internal investigation was completed but that he couldn't provide information because the findings were being incorporated into investigations into Epstein's death.

The Associated Press often does not report details of suicide methods, but has made an exception because Epstein's cause of death is pertinent to the ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday that the autopsy revealed that several bones in Epstein's neck had been broken, leading to speculation his death was a homicide.

Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson issued a statement Thursday in response to those articles, saying: "In all forensic investigations, all information must be synthesized to determine the cause and manner of death. Everything must be consistent; no single finding can be evaluated in a vacuum."

Epstein, 66, was a hedge fund manager who hobnobbed with the rich, famous and influential, including presidents and a prince.

He owned a private island in the Caribbean, homes in Paris and New York City, a New Mexico ranch, and a fleet of high-price cars. His friends had once included Britain's Prince Andrew, Clinton and Trump. Clinton and Trump both said they hadn't seen Epstein in years and knew nothing of his alleged misconduct when new charges were brought against him last month.

The medical examiner's ruling came a day after two more women sued Jeffrey Epstein's estate, saying he sexually abused them.

The suit, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York, claims the women were working as hostesses at a popular Manhattan restaurant in 2004 when they were recruited to give Epstein massages.

One was 18 at the time. The other was 20.

The lawsuit says an unidentified female recruiter offered the hostesses hundreds of dollars to provide massages to Epstein, saying he "liked young, pretty girls to massage him," and wouldn't engage in any unwanted touching. The women say Epstein groped them anyway.

One plaintiff now lives in Japan, the other in Baltimore. They seek $100 million in damages, citing depression, anxiety, anger and flashbacks.

Other lawsuits, filed over many years by other women, accused him of hiring girls as young as 14 or 15 to give him massages, then subjecting them to sex acts.
The death of accused sexual trafficker Jeffrey Epstein is ruled a suicide by hanging by the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Epstein's attorneys say they will be conducting their own investigation into his death.