| Lolita Express | |
|---|---|
 Pictured Boeing 727, an aircraft similar to the one Jeffrey Epstein owned | |
| General information | |
| Type | Boeing 727–100 |
| Owners | 1969–1979TWA 2001–2016 JEGE, Inc. (Jeffrey Epstein)[1] |
| Registration | N908JE |
| History | |
| First flight | June 25, 1969 (with TWA)[1] |
| Last flight | September 17, 2024 – September 30, 2031, per FAA Registration date.[2] |
| Fate | Sold and scrapped[2][3] |
The "Lolita Express" is the nickname given to aBoeing 727–100 aircraft that was owned byJeffrey Epstein. Sex parties involving children allegedly occurred onboard the aircraft, organized byGhislaine Maxwell.[4] The aircraft was aBoeing 727–100 registered N908JE and owned byJEGE, Inc.[5][6] Epstein also owned aGulfstream G550 jet,[3] a twin-engineCessna 421 and a private helicopter.[citation needed] The airplane had aBloomberg Terminal installed so Epstein could work while onboard.[7][citation needed]
Epstein traveled in the airplane frequently, logging "600 flying hours a year ... usually with guests on board".[8] In 2002 Epstein travelled on the airplane to Germany for a week "meeting with various government officials and financial types" and then travelled to Brazil.[9] Epstein sold the aircraft in 2017 and it was subsequently destroyed.[3]
Boeing 727–100 (Registration N908JE, Serial Number 20115) is a VIP-configured aircraft featuring a 29-passenger interior. As of late 2007, the airframe had logged 33,555 flight hours and 22,282 cycles. The aircraft underwent a performance upgrade via a engine conversion, utilizing twoPratt & Whitney JT8D-219 engines in the outboard positions and a JT8D-7B in the center. It is further modified with Winglet Systems Inc. winglets, RVSM approval, and long-range fuel tanks, bringing its maximum takeoff weight to 174,500 lbs.[10][11]
The custom "Exogrid" modular interior includes a forward salon with a home theater, a mid-cabin lounge and galley, and a private aft stateroom equipped with a queen-size bed and an en-suite lavatory featuring a European-style shower. Technical upgrades include aHoneywellEFIS flight deck,TCAS II, and dual Universal GPS/FMS systems. The aircraft was maintained under anMSG-3 program.[10][11]
Sex parties involving underage teenage girls allegedly occurred onboard the aircraft, organized byGhislaine Maxwell.[citation needed] In 2003, Epstein flew toCuba aboard his plane withColombian presidentAndrés Pastrana Arango at the invitation of Cuban presidentFidel Castro. According to Fabiola Santiago of theMiami Herald, Epstein was likely considering relocating to Cuba in order to escape U.S. law enforcement; Epstein was under investigation from U.S. law enforcement at the time.[12]
In 2009, Epstein's brotherMark Epstein claimedDonald Trump had flown on the plane at least once. He later toldThe Washington Post that Trump flew "numerous times" on Epstein's airplane, although Mark was present on only one of the flights.[13][14][15] According to Michael Corcoran, Trump flew Epstein on his own airplane at least once.[16] In a conversation with authorMichael Wolff recorded in 2017, Epstein claimed that Trump and his third wifeMelania Trump had sexual intercourse for the first time onboard the aircraft.[17]Nadia Marcinko was a regular traveller with Epstein on the aircraft.[18]
In September 2002, Epstein flewBill Clinton,Kevin Spacey, andChris Tucker to Africa in this jet.[9][19][20] Flight records obtained in 2016 show Bill Clinton flew 27 times on the same jet to at least a dozen international locations.[21] Flight logs did not list anySecret Service detail for at least five flights on a 2002 trip to Asia,[21] and the Secret Service stated that there is no evidence of the former president making a trip to Epstein's private island.[21] In 2019, a Clinton spokesperson stated that, in 2002 and 2003, Clinton took four trips on Epstein's airplane, making stops on three continents, all with his staff and Secret Service detail.[22] At the time of Epstein's 2019 arrest, Clinton's spokeswoman Angel Ureña stated that Clinton had "not spoken to Epstein in well over a decade, and has never been toLittle Saint James, Epstein's ranch inNew Mexico, or his residence in Florida".[23][24]
Other notable passengers who travelled on the aircraft included businessmanRon Burkle, modelNaomi Campbell, lawyerAlan Dershowitz, and the formerUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryLarry Summers.[25][26][27][28] Epstein sold the aircraft in 2017 and it was subsequentlyscrapped.[3]
Epstein's brother, Mark, recalled in 2009 that Trump had flown on Epstein's plane at least once
26 trips aboard the "Lolita Express" – even apparently ditching his Secret Service detail for at least five of the flights.
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