Former Epstein guard Tova Noel denies being mystery orange figure near cell: 'I never went back'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former correction officer Tova Noel testified before the House Oversight Committee, denying that she was the unidentified orange-colored figure captured on surveillance footage moving toward Jeffrey Epstein’s cell tier the night before his 2019 death.

Her role in the inquiry remains significant because she was one of the guards responsible for monitoring Epstein during his final hours. The Department of Justice Inspector General noted in a report that the figure in the footage was "likely her," though Noel insisted, "I was never carrying anything orange at all."

Tova Noel disputes Epstein footage identification

According to a transcript released on Thursday, June 4, House Oversight Committee members questioned Noel on May 18 about surveillance footage recorded at approximately 10:39 pm on August 9, 2019.

The footage shows an orange-colored figure ascending a staircase near Epstein’s cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center’s Special Housing Unit.

Noel rejected the suggestion that she was the person in the footage and insisted she was not even in the area at the time. 

"To be very honest, I don't know what it is, who it is, because I never went back to the tier, and I was never carrying anything orange at all, and I never issued anything orange to anyone in the SHU, not just only Epstein, just anyone," she stated.

While the Inspector General’s report speculated that the figure was likely Noel, it did not provide conclusive evidence. An FBI log reviewing the same footage suggested the individual could possibly have been an inmate, which would have been highly unusual in the high-security unit.

Tova Noel acknowledges failures, rejects allegations

Noel acknowledged failing to conduct the required inmate rounds on the night in question but denied any involvement in Epstein’s death.

She explained that she was working mandatory overtime on her first overnight shift in the unit after returning from a workplace injury. She also claimed she was unfamiliar with Epstein’s identity and specific confinement requirements, including the requirement that he have a cellmate.

Additionally, she testified that she never saw a mandatory 30-minute round notice printed on orange paper that had been attached to her computer monitor.

Addressing her finances, Noel stated, "Like, I deposited my money into my bank account," adding, "And that's from my personal savings plan. And no one has ever approached me about money or given me money in reference to Mr Epstein at all, ever."

She also maintained that Epstein’s death would have occurred regardless of whether she had completed the required checks.

Tova Noel rejects Epstein death conspiracy theories

The former officer addressed several allegations and conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death, including an email claim that she and another officer were paid $6,500 to neglect their duties so that a man named Michael Rose could enter the cell and kill Epstein. 

Noel denied knowing the individual named in the allegation and rejected the conspiracy claim outright.

She also described the moments after Epstein’s body was discovered, explaining that she did not initially enter the cell and only saw his feet while a colleague performed CPR.

Recalling the aftermath, she said she heard inmates chanting, "Y'all in so much trouble."

Her attorney issued a statement saying Noel participated in the committee interview voluntarily to "assist in providing clarity to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, ensure that the Oversight Committee has all the facts known to her, not based on speculation or conspiracy theories, about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Epstein, and bring closure to her involvement in this tragic situation."