Newly released Epstein files ignite social media buzz linking prison officer Roberto Grijalva to a 4Chan post, reviving a debunked conspiracy about Epstein’s death.
According to records connected to the newly released files, Roberto Grijalva is identified as an officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York. (Photo: DoJ)
The latest release of previously sealed Jeffrey Epstein files has stirred online chatter, fueling claims that a prison official named Roberto Grijalva authored an anonymous post on 4Chan on the day Epstein died in 2019. Social media users widely shared the idea that this person was behind a controversial message suggesting something unusual happened before Epstein’s death, including a revived version of the long-debunked prison swap theory.
However, investigators have repeatedly concluded that Epstein died by suicide, and there is no verified evidence that he was secretly replaced by another prisoner.
According to records connected to the newly released files, Roberto Grijalva is identified as an officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York. His name surfaced in government subpoena responses tied to efforts by prosecutors to find the author of an anonymous post on 4Chan the morning Epstein’s death was announced.
The files show that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) convened a grand jury the day after Epstein’s death and issued subpoenas to 4Chan, Apple, AT&T, and Citibank to uncover who made the 4Chan post. Grijalva’s name is said to appear in the records returned by Citibank to that subpoena.
The anonymous message on 4Chan, posted on August 10, 2019, claimed that Epstein was seen leaving his cell in a wheelchair the night before his death, and that a van arrived at the prison under unusual circumstances. Some users interpreted the claim as suggesting Epstein didn’t die by suicide and was secretly taken away.
An anonymous 4chan poster said that Epstein was wheeled out of prison hours before his reported death
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) February 2, 2026
Subpoenas show that man was Roberto Grijalva, who was a lieutenant at the prison at this time
It appears Epstein really did get broken out of prison and flown to Israel pic.twitter.com/DtTdDwY06r
These details have no official confirmation and do not appear in any formal report by authorities. The original prison records and metadata do not support a swap theory, and law enforcement investigations have ruled Epstein’s death a suicide after reviewing guard logs, surveillance footage, and medical reports.
The prison swap theory alleges that Epstein was replaced by another prisoner before his death and that fake evidence was used to cover it up. This idea has circulated online for years, often citing guard errors, surveillance gaps, or unexplained details from the night of Epstein’s death.
Despite persistent online speculation, official investigations — including reviews by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal prosecutors — confirmed that Epstein died by suicide in his cell in 2019 because of failures in prison protocol and guard oversight.
The batch of documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act includes millions of pages of records, videos, and emails from various sources connected to Epstein’s prosecution and personal affairs. Some files detail subpoena proceedings around the 4Chan post and show investigative steps taken by prosecutors.
However, many of the files are heavily redacted or lack context, leaving gaps that conspiracy theorists have filled with speculation. The Justice Department has said that it is releasing all materials it can lawfully publish, and that redactions protect victims’ privacy.
Legal and security experts caution that just because a name appears in subpoena documents, it does not prove wrongdoing or support any conspiracy. Anonymous internet posts often spread without verification, and linking them to official records can be misleading.
The DOJ and medical examiners have consistently stated that Epstein’s death was a suicide, with no credible evidence of a prison switch. Readers should treat social media speculation with skepticism unless confirmed by reliable authorities.
