US financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
His body was discovered at 06:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on Saturday at a facility in New York.
Officials said his death was an apparent suicide. The FBI is investigating the incident.
Epstein, 66, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and conspiracy charges last month and was being held without bail.
“[He] was found unresponsive in his cell in the Special Housing Unit from an apparent suicide,” a statement from the justice department said.
“Mr Epstein was transported… to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries, and subsequently pronounced dead,” the statement added.
Last month, shortly after he was denied bail, Epstein was found semi-conscious in his cell with injuries to his neck. He was treated at a nearby hospital, reports say, before being returned to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.
The facility is widely considered to be one of the most secure in the country.
There are reports that Epstein was placed on suicide watch following this incident, although this has not been confirmed by officials.
Epstein’s death comes a day after hundreds of pages of court documents were released that revealed new allegations against him and some of his associates.
What was he charged with?
Epstein was accused of paying girls under the age of 18 to perform sex acts at his Manhattan and Florida mansions between 2002 and 2005.
He was arrested on 6 July after landing in New Jersey on his private jet. He avoided similar charges in a controversial secret plea deal in 2008, and instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
That plea deal was closely scrutinised in recent weeks and, last month, US Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigned over his role in it.
Prosecutors also accused Epstein of paying large amounts of money to two potential witnesses ahead of his trial, which was scheduled to take place next year.
He faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
New York-born Epstein worked as a teacher before moving into finance.
Prior to the criminal cases against him, he was best known for his wealth and high-profile connections.
He was often seen socialising with the rich and powerful, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and the UK’s Prince Andrew.
In a 2002 profile in New York Magazine, Mr Trump referred to Epstein as a “terrific guy”.
But he later said the pair fell out “12 or 15 years ago” and reiterated last month that he was “not a fan of Jeffrey Epstein”.
Reports of Epstein’s wealth vary, with his Virgin Islands-based firm generating no public records.
History of the allegations
2002: The earliest allegations of abuse covered by the recent case take place.
October 2002: Donald Trump tells New York magazine he has known Epstein for 15 years, and that he is a “terrific guy…. it is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side”.
2005: One of Epstein’s alleged victims, aged 14, reports him to the police in Palm Beach – sparking the first investigation.
May 2006: Epstein is charged with unlawful sex acts with a minor. Later in the year, the case is referred to the FBI.
2007: A plea deal is struck with Alex Acosta, the US attorney in Florida. Instead of facing federal sex-trafficking charges, he pleads guilty to two charges of soliciting prostitution, including with a minor.
June 2008: Epstein is sentenced to 13 months in prison – a private wing of a county jail. He is also allowed to leave for work – up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. He does, however, have to register as a sex offender.
April 2017: Alex Acosta is appointed labor secretary by now-President Donald Trump.
November 2018: The Miami Herald publishes its explosive investigation into Epstein, the plea deal, and the dozens of women alleging abuse.
July 2019: Epstein is arrested on new sex-trafficking charges, which he denied. Alex Acosta resigns.
Source: BBC