Epstein's Secretive New Mexico Ranch Faces Renewed Scrutiny

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Heinous allegations have prompted state officials in New Mexico to restart an inquiry into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's lesser-known property, the Zorro Ranch. The 30,000-square-foot mansion and surrounding 30,000 acres of land have long avoided thorough investigation, despite claims from some of Epstein's victims that they were trafficked there and that the property may have been used to conceal criminal activity. A new bipartisan state commission has been empowered with subpoena power to probe the history of the ranch, which was sold after Epstein's death in 2019.

Why it matters

Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico has largely escaped scrutiny compared to his other properties, like the infamous Little St. James island in the Caribbean. But the recent release of documents and an anonymous tip about possible buried bodies have prompted New Mexico officials to take a closer look at what may have occurred at the remote desert compound over the decades Epstein owned it. This investigation could uncover new evidence of criminal activity and human trafficking that was previously overlooked.

The details

The Zorro Ranch sits on 30,000 acres of remote high desert land south of Santa Fe. Epstein purchased the property in 1993 from the family of a former New Mexico governor, and over the years expanded it to include a private runway, helicopter pad, airplane hangar, and a 30,000-square-foot mansion believed to be the largest in the state. The property was surrounded by barbed wire fencing and hidden cameras. Some of Epstein's victims have claimed they were trafficked to the ranch, and that the property may have been used to conceal criminal activity, including the alleged deaths of two abused girls. However, a thorough investigation of the ranch was never conducted, even as Epstein's other properties faced intense scrutiny.

• Epstein purchased the Zorro Ranch in 1993.
• In 2019, a state-led inquiry into Epstein's activities in New Mexico was taken over by federal prosecutors, and then apparently fizzled.
• Last month, New Mexico lawmakers voted unanimously to impanel a bipartisan 'truth commission' to investigate the history of Zorro Ranch.
• The New Mexico Attorney General also announced he would reopen an investigation his office had closed shortly before Epstein's death in 2019.
• The Zorro Ranch property was sold in 2023 to a new owner, Dallas real estate magnate and former state senator Don Huffines.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The new bipartisan 'truth commission' in the New Mexico State Legislature, equipped with subpoena power, will continue its investigation into the history and activities at the Zorro Ranch. The New Mexico Attorney General has also reopened his office's own investigation into the property.