A flight manifest has revealed that Navy Secretary John Phelan was a passenger on a private jet owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The flight took place on March 3, 2006, traveling from London to New York City. This information was reported by CNN, which obtained documents detailing the passenger list.
Epstein was awaiting trial for child sex-trafficking charges when he died in his jail cell on August 10, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. His death was ruled a suicide by medical examiners. The document release from the House Oversight Committee last year included the flight manifest, which listed Phelan’s name alongside that of other notable passengers, including Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent who was found dead in his jail cell in 2022 after being charged with sexual assault and rape of a minor.
A close friend of Phelan confirmed to CNN that he was invited to the flight by Jimmy Cayne, the late CEO of Bear Stearns. The friend stated that this was the only occasion Phelan interacted with Epstein. According to the source, Phelan was unaware he would be flying on Epstein’s jet until their arrival. The friend emphasized that Phelan never had any further contact with Epstein and had no knowledge of any wrongdoing at that time.
Phelan, who founded Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida, has also been noted as a significant donor to Donald Trump‘s second reelection campaign. His connection to Epstein has raised questions, but CNN reported that there is no evidence suggesting Phelan was aware of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Of the 13 passengers listed on the manifest, six names were redacted. The document included Brunel’s name, misspelled as “Jean Luke Brunnel.” This detail further emphasizes the controversial nature of the individuals who associated with Epstein during that period.
Following his appointment, Phelan was announced as Navy Secretary by Trump on November 26, 2024, and he took office four months later. As the current Secretary of the Navy, Phelan has not publicly commented on the flight or the implications surrounding it. Military Times has reached out to his office for further clarification on the matter.
The release of these documents, along with the recent unveiling of 3.5 million documents related to Epstein by the Department of Justice, continues to shed light on the extensive network surrounding the disgraced financier, raising ongoing concerns about accountability and transparency.
