NEW YORK, NY – A former high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family has reignited debate surrounding the controversial death of Jeffrey Epstein by asserting that suicide in the disgraced financier’s jail cell would have been physically impossible. Michael Franzese, a former mob caporegime turned author and speaker, says he spent time in the exact same cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan where Epstein was found dead in August 2019.
Franzese made the explosive comments during a recent appearance on NewsNation, where he detailed his own time at MCC. According to Franzese, the design and dimensions of the cell make the official explanation for Epstein’s death implausible.
There’s just no way to hang yourself in that cell,” Franzese said. “There’s nothing on the ceiling. The beds are low. You’d have to be a midget and work really hard to make it happen.”
The story was first reported by the New York Post, which noted that Franzese served seven months in the very same housing unit years prior. His firsthand account adds fuel to long-standing speculation that Epstein may not have taken his own life – despite repeated affirmations by the Department of Justice and New York City’s Chief Medical Examiner that Epstein died by suicide.
Epstein, who was facing federal sex trafficking charges and was connected to powerful figures across politics and finance, was found hanging in his cell on August 10, 2019. The incident followed multiple unusual lapses in jail protocol, including inoperative security cameras and guards allegedly asleep on duty. These irregularities prompted widespread public suspicion and multiple official investigations.
Photos of Epstein’s cell, made public after his death, have shown bunk beds and window bars, which federal investigators have maintained could have been used as anchor points for a hanging. However, Franzese’s personal recollection challenges that narrative.
There’s nothing in there that allows for it,” he said during the NewsNation interview. “If you understand how tight that place is, you’d know how absurd it sounds.”
Despite the continued controversy, the DOJ has not reopened the case. In fact, its most recent statement reaffirmed the findings of suicide and noted that no surveillance footage showed anyone entering Epstein’s cell on the night of his death.
Franzese, once one of the highest-earning mobsters in America and son of longtime Colombo underboss John “Sonny” Franzese, has since become a public figure who speaks out against organized crime. His remarks about MCC come amid renewed scrutiny of the Epstein case and broader distrust of institutional narratives surrounding high-profile figures.
Whether Franzese’s claims will lead to further investigation remains to be seen, but his comments have once again stirred public interest in a case many believe remains unsolved – or at least, unresolved.
