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Immigrations Enforcement Texas Fatal Shooting

The death of Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, would mark the earliest of at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since the start of anationwide immigration crackdownin President Donald Trump's second term. On Friday, DHS said the shooting on South Padre Island last March occurred after the driver intentionally struck an agent.

The shooting involved a Homeland Security Investigations team that was conducting an immigration enforcement operation in conjunction with local police, according to documents obtained by American Oversight, a nonprofit watchdog group based in Washington.

The records are part of a tranche of heavily redacted internal documents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that the nonprofit obtained as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

Though Martinez's death on March 15, 2025, was reported by local media outlets at the time, federal and state authorities did not disclose that the shooting involved the team from HSI. In a statement Friday, DHS said the driver who was killed "intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent," resulting in another agent firing "defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public."

The department did not respond to questions about why it had made no media release or other public notification of the officer-involved shooting over the last 11 months.

Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, said her son was just days past his 23rd birthday when he and his best friend drove from San Antonio down to the beach for the weekend to celebrate. South Padre Island, located on the Gulf Coast just north of the U.S.-Mexico border, is a renowned spring break destination that attracts tens of thousands of college-aged partiers each March.

Martinez worked at an Amazon warehouse, liked to play video games and hang out with friends. His mother said he had never had any prior run-ins with law enforcement.

"He was a typical young guy," Reyes told The Associated Press. "He never really got a chance to go out and experience things. It was his first time getting to go out of town. He was a nice guy, humble guy. And he wasn't a violent person at all."

Records show federal agents were assisting police

According to an internal two-page ICE incident report included in the newly disclosed documents, shortly after midnight, HSI officers were assisting South Padre Island police by redirecting traffic through a busy intersection after a vehicle accident with several injuries.

A blue, four-door Ford with a driver and passenger approached the officers, who ordered the driver to stop. The report does not say why. Initially, the driver didn't respond to commands but did eventually come to a stop, according to the report.

Agents then surrounded the vehicle, telling those inside to get out, but the driver "accelerated forward" and struck an HSI special agent "who wound up on the hood of the vehicle," the report said. An HSI supervisory special agent standing by the side of the car then fired his weapon multiple times through the open driver's side window, and the vehicle stopped.

Paramedics already on the scene of the accident quickly provided medical aid and the driver was taken by ambulance to a regional hospital in Brownsville, where he was pronounced dead, according to the report. The passenger, also a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody.

The HSI officer who the report says was struck by the vehicle was treated for an unspecified knee injury at a nearby hospital and released.

The names of the two HSI agents involved in the shooting and the names of the two men in the car were all redacted from the ICE report, but Reyes confirmed the dead driver was her son. She said he was shot three times.

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State investigation into shooting is still 'active'

The report says the Texas Rangers responded to the shooting scene and took the lead as the primary agency investigating the shooting.

Reyes said she first learned her son had been shot by a federal agent, rather than a local police officer, about a week after he was killed. She was contacted by an investigator from the Rangers who she said told her there were videos of the shooting that contradicted the account provided by federal agents. DHS did not immediately respond to an email Friday about the claim that there is video showing a different account.

She said she was told by the investigator that the state report into the shooting was completed in October and that the case would be presented to a grand jury for potential criminal charges.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, which includes the Rangers, said in a statement Friday that the investigation into the shooting is still "active" and declined to offer more information.

Messages left with the office of Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, an elected Democrat whose jurisdiction includes South Padre Island, received no response Friday. South Padre Island Police Chief Claudine O'Carroll also did not respond to requests for comment.

Attorneys for the family said Friday they have spent the past year pursuing accountability and transparency.

"It is critical that there is a full and fair investigation into why HSI was present at the scene of a traffic collision and why a federal officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen as he was trying to comply with instructions from the local law enforcement officers directing traffic," attorneys Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm said in a statement.

Agents involved were part of a border task force

According to the ICE report, the HSI agents involved in the shooting were part of a maritime border enforcement security task force typically focused on combating transnational criminal organizations at seaports. Over the last year, however, officers from across multiple federal agencies have been reassigned to prioritize immigration enforcement.

In January,Renee Good,a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis, was killed in the driver's seat of her SUV by ICE officer Jonathan Ross. Trump administration officials initially attempted to paint Good as a "domestic terrorist" who tried to ram officers with her vehicle beforemultiple videos emerged of the incidentthat cast doubt on the government's narrative.

As in the Good case, experts in police training and tactics questioned why a federal officer apparentlypositioned himself in front of Martinez's vehicle.

"You don't stand in front of the car, you don't put yourself in harm's way," said Geoffrey Alpert, a police use-of-force expert at the University of South Carolina. He added that there's never a scenario where it's justified, "because you don't know whether this person is going to flee, and if he flees, you could be dead."

Alpert said investigators will likely review any available body camera video or other footage to examine how swiftly Martinez moved the car forward, if he merely took his foot off the break or pressed down hard on the accelerator.

Martinez's mother said she didn't believe he would ever intentionally assault a law enforcement officer.

"They didn't give him a chance," Reyes said. "It's so excessive. They could have done anything else besides that. It's like they shoot first and ask questions later."

Bedayn reported from Denver.

NEED TO KNOW

• There are five confirmed cases, and "these cases likely represent just a fraction of the true number of measles cases," a health official said

• The U.S. is seeing an ongoing spike in measles infections

The state of Oregon has declared ameaslesoutbreak, as the five confirmed cases are likely "a fraction" of the overall infections.

"Measles is here in Oregon and spreading in the United States," Howard Chiou, M.D., Ph.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division, said in aFeb. 19 statement, "and vaccination remains the best way for people to protect themselves. We encourage everyone to talk with a healthcare provider to ensure they and their families are fully protected."

The state has launched awastewater surveillance tool, which, at press time, showed low levels of the virus in some counties. As Chiou said, "It's really important to remember that these cases likely represent just a fraction of the true number of measles cases," perOregonLive.

Four of the five people sickened with measles were unvaccinated, theOHA says, and the vaccination status of the fifth person is unknown.

This is the seventh measles outbreak in 2026, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.As of Feb. 19, there have been 982 confirmed cases of the wildly contagious virus in the U.S. This includes a massive outbreak inSouth Carolina, which largely sickened children and left at least19 hospitalized.

Cases in the U.S. have spiked year over year. Last year, there were 2,281 confirmed cases of measles, with illnesses reported in 45 states. In 2024, there were 285 cases — a third of the cases the U.S. has seen just two months into this year.

Measles is extremely infectious. As Oregon health officials point out, the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours. Nine out of ten people exposed are likely to get sick if they aren't protected from the virus.

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TheCDCsays, "Two doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended by doctors as the best way to protect against measles, mumps and rubella."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

It's a two-shot series: The first dose is administered between 12 and 15 months of age and the second shot comes between 4 and 6 years.

Some adults may not remember getting the shots — or if they were born before 1957, traditional guidelines considered them immune. Measles was so widespread before the vaccine's introduction in 1963 that medical professionals assumed most people were exposed to it, resulting in some immunity.

The virus isn't "just a little rash," theCDCsays. Measles can also cause a high fever, cough, pneumonia, swelling of the brain (encephalitis) and death. The agency says one in five people with measles will be hospitalized, and one in 20 children will develop pneumonia, which it says is "the most common cause of death from measles in young children."

Read the original article onPeople

The complaint, which was first filed in 2024, alleges that Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, co-executors of Epstein's estate, "facilitated" Epstein's "sex trafficking and abuse" and "were also integral in allowing Epstein to escape justice for years by concealing his litany of crimes."

Indyke and Kahn denied the allegations in Thursday's filing, adding that they were not involved in "the Epstein sex trafficking venture in any way" and that they do not believe "any Class Member has suffered any harm, injury, or damages as a result of their conduct." The settlement would resolve all claims against the two defendants and the estate. A judge must now sign off on the agreement.

It comes amid the fallout from the Justice Department's release of millions of pages of files related to Epstein in document dumps over the course of the last year. The files include numerousprominent names, and revelations have promptedseveral executives to step down.

The parties agreed on a settlement of up to $35 million, according to a court filing Thursday. The final figure depends on the number of survivors that signed onto the class-action lawsuit, and it could be as low as $25 million if there are less than 40 "Eligible Class Members."

An attorney for Indyke and Kahn stressed that they are not admitting to any wrongdoing by agreeing to the settlement.

"Neither of the co-executors has made any admission or concession of misconduct," lawyer Daniel Weiner said in a statement to CNN. "Because they did nothing wrong, the co-executors were prepared to fight the claims against them through to trial, but agreed to mediate and settle this lawsuit in order to achieve finality as to any potential claims against the Epstein Estate."

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CNN has reached out to lawyers representing the survivors.

Several survivors have already received compensation since Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting his sex trafficking trial.

In November 2019, attorneys for Epstein's estate executors filed a request to pursue a survivor compensation fund to avoid litigation and the program started in June 2020. By early 2021,payouts were pausedbecause the estate was low on cash. Before the pause, over 150 claims were filed and the program paid out over $50 million to eligible claimants.

Survivors have also reached settlements with two banks where Epstein was a client:JP Morgan Chase, which agreed to pay $290 million to settle a class-action lawsuit, andDeutsche Bank, which reached a $75 million settlement.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN's Lauren del Valle and Chris Isidore contributed to this report.

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Project Runwayis returning without one beloved mentor. Fashion mavenTim Gunnwill notreturn for Season 22, which is slated to premiere later this year. Instead, Season 4 winnerChristian Sirianowill serve as the mentor for the designers. Tim Gunn recently opened up about his exit from the runway in an episode ofChelsea Handler'spodcast, Dear Chelsea. He revealed he was not asked back for Season 22, calling the news "devastating." Here's what you need to know.

Tim Gunn has "no complaints" despite not returning to Project Runway

Fans were surprised when news brokethat Project Runwaywas returning without Tim. His name and the show have become synonymous, which may explain the uproar from fans after hearing word of his departure. He spoke candidly about the end of his Project Runway career in his conversation with Chelsea.

"I wasn't invited to return to the party," he shared. "My agent called the producers to say, 'We understandHeidi [Klum]signed up. We haven't heard a thing about Tim,' and they said, 'We don't want him.'"

Tim said the news initially devastated him, but he now looks back on the show with gratitude.

"I feel extremely lucky to have had 19 seasons of the show, 16 with Heidi, and I have a beautiful Emmy sitting on my kitchen counter," he said. "Yeah, so no complaints. I feel very, very, very lucky."

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Producers offered Tim a cameo on the upcoming season, but he declined.

"What do I do? Wave from a bus? As the designers are going into Mood [Fabrics]? Heidi comes to see me at the retirement home, and we play croquet?" he joked. "No, thank you. And as Heidi would say, you're either in or you're out. And I'm out."

Project Runwayis streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

TELL US – DO YOU WANT TIM BACK ON PROJECT RUNWAY?

The postProject Runway Star Tim Gunn Gets Honest About Not Being Asked Backappeared first onReality Tea.

The former prince allegedly leaked confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to previousUSA TODAY reporting. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing.

King Charles III is the older brother of Mountbatten-Windsor and in response to the arrest, issued a statement via Buckingham Palace signaling support for a "full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities."

"Let me state clearly: the law must take its course," the king added. "As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all."

Still, some might wonder if the king could pardon his brother, former Prince Andrew. The short answer: it's very unlikely. Here's what to know.

Live updates:Former Prince Andrew seen in first photo since release after arrest

Police officers, unmarked vehicles and media were seen at residences linked to disgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026. Windsor was reportedly arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on the Sandringham estate. In a statement, Thames Valley police said they were also "carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk" as part of the investigation. See the scene outside various residences, beginning here near the entrance to Wood Farm in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The media gather to report near the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026, in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked police vehicles enter the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, on Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> In this photo illustration, a statement from His Majesty King Charles III via communications at Buckingham Palace pledges his "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" to the "appropriate authorities" in response to the arrest of his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person steps out of unmarked car at the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026, in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked police vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Police investigate homes tied to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor amid his arrest

Police officers, unmarked vehicles and media were seen at residences linked todisgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsoron Feb. 19, 2026. Windsor wasreportedly arrestedon suspicion of misconduct in public office on the Sandringham estate. In a statement, Thames Valley police said they were also "carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk" as part of the investigation. See the scene outside various residences, beginning here near the entrance to Wood Farm in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Who is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?Ex-prince tied to Epstein scandal

Can King Charles pardon ex-Prince Andrew?

King Charles holds the "royal prerogative of mercy," a power granted to the ruling British monarch that allows them to issue pardons for persons convicted of criminal offenses, according to theUK government.

If Mountbatten-Windsor is convicted of a crime, it's technically not impossible for him to receive a pardon from his brother, King Charles. However, issuing clemency would require approval from governing bodies.

The king has no direct power to ask for a pardon, Robert Hazell, director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, said in emailed comments to USA TODAY.

"King Charles has no discretion independently to exercise the prerogative of mercy: He can only do so on the advice of the government," said Hazell.

Expert: An Andrew pardon could cause 'riot in the streets'

Another reason a pardon is unlikely is because the British public would likely not approve and the king could face backlash.

When the then-prince was stripped of his royal titles in 2025 over his ties with Epstein, it came with the overwhelming support from Brits. He'd previously been removed as a senior royal in 2022.

According to a 2025Ipsos poll, 88% of Britons thought it was definitely or probably the right decision. Additionally, eight in 10 Britons had an unfavorable opinion of the prince at that time.

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"I don't think (Charles) is going to give him a pardon," Andrew Lownie, author of 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,' told USA TODAY.

"I think there would be a sort of riot in the streets if that happened, and that really would kill the monarchy."

Cases of previous royal pardons

Royal pardons are rarely used and typically only issued when a person is innocent of the offense and when a request has been made by someone with a vested interest, such as a family member, according to the United Kingdom'sgovernment website. Pardons can be issued without either requirement being met, as was the case with Alan Turing.

Turing, considered the father of computer science, was given a posthumous royal pardon by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2013. He was convicted in 1952 for "gross indecency" after being arrested following an affair with a 19-year-old man, which is no longer a crime in the United Kingdom.

After his conviction, Turing was chemically castrated.

The most recent high-profile recipient of a royal pardon was Steve Gallant, 47. The convicted murderer was on a day release from prison to attend a conference for rehabilitated prisoners when he confronted a terrorist attacker with a narwhal tusk on London Bridge. Two people died in the tragedy. Gallant's sentence began in 2005. He was released from prison in 2021. The queen reduced his sentence by 10 months.

Allegations against Prince Andrew, Epstein ties

Since last autumn, Mountbatten-Windsor has appeared in several pages and images released by the U.S. government in relation to Epstein. The latest cache of documents included a photo of the former prince kneeling on all fours over an unidentified woman lying on the ground.

The former prince came under intense scrutiny over his ties with the disgraced financier following a BBC interview in 2019. In the interview, he said he met Epstein in 1991 through his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, but denied ever coming into contact with the late Virginia Giuffre.

One of the Epstein victims, Giuffre, said she was 17 years old when she was allegedly trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sexual relations with the then-prince. The encounters took place between 2001 and 2002, she said.

The former prince gave the remarks despite the existence of a photograph with him and Giuffre in Maxwell's London home in 2001.

Mountbatten-Windsor raised issues with the photograph's authenticity, saying it might not be him in the picture because he was wearing his "traveling clothes" and suggested his left hand may have been photoshopped onto Giuffre's waist.

Giuffre filed a sex abuse lawsuit against Mountbatten-Windsor in 2021. The former prince settled the suit the following year but continued to deny the allegations against him.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, Wendy Naugle

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Could King Charles III pardon his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?

NEED TO KNOW

• In the 50-minute interview, Dane directly addressed his daughters Billie and Georgia

• The late actor shared four final thoughts to his daughters before his death on Thursday, Feb. 19

Months before his death,Eric Danerecorded one last interview – and it included his final words for his teenage daughters.

On Thursday, Feb. 19, theEuphoriastar died at 53, only 10 months after hewent public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Ahead of his death, Dane recorded his final interview with Netflix as part of their new seriesFamous Last Words. The interview was conducted in secret and only released after Dane's death.

At the end of the interview, Dane directly addressed his teenage daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, after he was left alone with the camera.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you," the star began. "I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn't we?"

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

JB Lacroix/WireImage

Dane, who shares his daughters with ex Rebecca Gayheart, went on to remember all the times they'd spent at the beach, saying that he will forever see them playing in the water. "Those days, pun intended, pun intended were heaven," he said.

The actor said he wanted to impart four final things he'd learned from his disease on his daughters, and asked them to listen to him.

"First, live now, right now in the present. It's hard, but I learned to do that," Dane said. "For years, I would wander off mentally, lost in my head for long chunks of time, wallowing in worry and self-pity, shame and doubt. I replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. 'I shouldn't have done this. I never should've done that.' No more."

Dane said that "out of pure survival," he was forced to stay in the present. He added that the past contains regrets and the future remains unknown, so he said that the only way to move forward is to live in the present and treasure it.

"Second, fall in love. Not necessarily with a person, although I do recommend that as well. But fall in love with something," Dane said. "Find your passion, your joy. Find the thing that makes you wanna get up in the morning."

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

The star told his daughters that he'd fallen in love with acting when he was his girls' age, and added that he still loved and looked forward to his work at the time. He told them to find their purpose and "really go for it."

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"Third, choose your friends wisely. Find your people and allow them to find you, and then give yourselves to them," the dad of two said. "The best of them will give back to you. No judgement. No conditions. No questions asked."

Dane said he was so thankful to his friends who had all "stepped up" for him in his illness. While he explained that he couldn't do any of the things he used to anymore — like going to the gym, driving around town and getting coffee — he was grateful to his friends for just showing up.

"Just show up. And love your friends with everything you have. Hang on to them. They will entertain you, guide you support you and some will save you," he said.

Lastly, Dane told his daughters to fight with all they had and never give up.

Rebecca Gayheart/Instagram

"Finally, fight with every ounce of your being and with dignity. When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight," Dane said. "Never give up. Fight until your last breath. This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit."

Dane then told his girls that although they are different people, they'd both inherited his strength and resiliency.

"That's my superpower," Dane said of being resilient. "I bounce right up, and I keep coming back. I get up again and again and again. Mark says I'm like a cat. Except a cat has nine lives, and I'm on number 15, easily. So when something unexpected hits you, and it will, because that's life, fight and face it with honesty, integrity and grace, even if it feels or seems insurmountable."

"I hope I've demonstrated that you can face anything. You can face the end of your days. You can face hell with dignity. Fight girls, and hold your heads high," he continued, beginning to tear up. "Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words."

When he announced his ALS diagnosis with PEOPLE, Dane shared in a statement that he was "grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter."

While announcing his death, Dane's family said he died "following a courageous battle with ALS" and "spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world."

"Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight," they continued. "He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he's received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time."

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LONDON/WASHINGTON/TORONTO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Charles Schwab wired about $27.7 million on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein to a realtor in Morocco as the disgraced financier tried to purchase a palace in the 10 days before his 2019 arrest, including one transfer from an account which lacked sufficient funds, files released by the U.S. Department of Justice show.

Details of the transactions, reported by Reuters for the first time, show how the U.S. brokerage handled funds for Epstein over the course of several months at a time when he was under ‌intense public scrutiny after reports in the Miami Herald in 2018.

Schwab flagged the payments in a suspicious activity report (SAR) to the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on July 13, seven days after Epstein's arrest, the documents show.

An examination of more than a hundred documents shows Schwab opened three accounts ‌for Epstein's companies in April 2019, including one for Southern Trust, a business that was attempting to buy the opulent Bin Ennakhil palace in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The Schwab corporate account listed Richard Kahn, Epstein's accountant, as authorised individual and Epstein as Southern Trust's president and sole beneficial owner.

Between June 26 and July 9, 2019, Southern Trust instructed Schwab to wire about $12.7 million in euros for the purchase but then reversed the order. Schwab ​then received another wire request, which was signed by Epstein, and sent $14.95 million to buy the same property, even though there were insufficient funds in the account pending the return of the original payment.

Schwab declined to comment on details of the accounts, saying federal regulation, privacy laws and its policies and procedures require it to maintain confidentiality.

"An associate of Epstein opened accounts in April 2019. Shortly after, our Risk team began investigating the accounts and within 60 days of starting the review, we notified the client of our decision to close and terminate the relationship. We also referred the matter to federal law enforcement," it said in an emailed response to Reuters.

Schwab declined to provide details on exactly when its risk team began investigating.

Under the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, financial firms must file a suspicious activity report no later than 30 days after the initial detection of facts, in addition to filing reports of cash transactions that exceed $10,000 daily to assist in detecting and preventing money laundering.

Per federal law, FinCEN cannot confirm or deny the existence of an alleged suspicious activity report, a FinCEN spokesperson told ‌Reuters by email.

A lawyer for Kahn did not respond to Reuters' questions.

Marc Leon, the realtor in Marrakesh, told Reuters ⁠by email that Epstein first tried to buy Bin Ennakhil in 2011 and negotiations on the terms and price continued over the years.

With gold-draped walls, a hammam steam spa, 60 marble fountains and an outdoor pool and jacuzzi, Bin Ennakhil spreads across a total plot of 4.6 hectares, a property listing included in the DOJ's file cache said. It boasts multiple gardens with hundreds of olive trees and more than 2,000 palms, the listing said, in an area bigger than New York's Washington Square Park or around six standard soccer ⁠pitches.

Leon also defended his role in facilitating Epstein's bid for the property.

"Epstein had been convicted of sex crimes (in 2008) and had served his sentence. There was therefore nothing to prevent him from attempting to purchase property in Morocco. We had no way of knowing that he had continued his terrible crimes," he said.

Epstein died in jail in August 2019 while facing U.S. federal sex trafficking charges.

Epstein instructed funds to be moved

Epstein turned to Schwab in 2019 as Deutsche Bank was winding down accounts held by the convicted sex offender, who had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl and went to prison.

Schwab was among at least seven financial firms subpoenaed by the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2020 requesting documents in relation to the co-executors of ​Epstein's estate. ​The subpoena did not name Schwab as a defendant and contained no accusations of wrongdoing against the brokerage.

Emails and wire transfer requests contained in the DOJ documents, which may not be comprehensive, show ​that Epstein discussed purchasing the luxury property in Marrakesh with his associates in the spring of 2019.

Southern Trust, the company owned by ‌Epstein, agreed to buy the property through Leon in March of that year.

After considering various financial arrangements, the files show, Epstein instructed associates to move funds to Leon.

Schwab then received an order from Southern Trust to wire 11.15 million euros, roughly equivalent to $12.7 million at the time, to Leon on June 26, 2019, Schwab said in the SAR, which was seen by Reuters.

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The SAR was contained in the batch the DOJ had released publicly, but has since been withdrawn for reasons Reuters could not ascertain. The DOJ declined to comment on the file.

The funds were sent to a Julius Baer account in Switzerland held by Leon, who was based in Marrakesh at the time, the SAR shows.

A file on the DOJ website also shows the request.

The next day, Schwab received a call from a person whose identity is redacted from the SAR requesting the termination of the transfer. Asked why, they told Schwab that terms on the real-estate deal had not been "agreeable".

The person also said another payment would be made for a larger sum to a different account, the SAR shows.

Schwab was successful in reversing the order, which would be credited back on July 10, the SAR shows.

Two days before Epstein's arrest, in a July 4 wire transfer request signed by Epstein and his co-signatory, Southern Trust instructed Schwab to send Leon $14.95 million, the SAR shows.

Schwab said the funds were sent to an account of Leon's ‌at Julius Baer, the SAR shows.

Yet Epstein's Southern Trust account did not have sufficient funds because Schwab had not yet returned money from the earlier transfer, the SAR says.

While Schwab could have had ​a reasonable expectation that the payment would be transferred back to Epstein's account, the bank would have been exposed to risk until the funds were returned.

Reuters could not establish when the $12.7 million ultimately landed ​back in Epstein's account but the funds were due to arrive on July 10, the SAR dated July 13 shows.

Asked by Reuters about its policy at ​that time for processing international wire transfers when accounts had insufficient funds, Schwab declined to comment.

Reuters was not able to establish whether Julius Baer accepted the transfers. A spokesperson for Julius Baer declined to comment.

Leon said: "The anti-money laundering checks in force were carried out by the ‌banking institutions involved in the future transaction, which ultimately never took place."

It was not until July 9, three days after ​Epstein's arrest, that Schwab cancelled the second transfer at the request of an individual acting ​on Epstein's behalf whose name is redacted, the SAR shows.

An email included in the other DOJ documents shows Epstein's accountant Kahn asked to cancel the transfer on July 9.

Kahn has been ordered to testify before Congress next week to answer questions about whether he helped to facilitate Epstein's crimes through his management of the late sex offender's financial affairs, House Oversight Committee member Robert Garcia said in a media statement in January.

Reuters has no evidence that Kahn is guilty of wrongdoing.

In a follow-up exchange with Schwab after Epstein's arrest, an unidentified Epstein associate asked if future transfers for Southern Trust's account would still require two ​signatures as more money would be sent soon, the SAR shows.

Epstein had been charged with sex trafficking of minors and remained in ‌jail, the DOJ said on July 8.

Schwab told FinCEN in the July 13 SAR it had "concerns with attempted wires for the purpose of real estate, in light of negative media surrounding Jeffrey Epstein" and worries about him being a possible flight risk ahead of a bail hearing.

"This investigation is ​the result of an internal referral," the document shows Schwab saying.

While Epstein's deal fell through, the palace of Bin Ennakhil - which means "amidst the palms" - in Marrakesh is no longer vacant.

"The property has since been sold to another buyer," Leon told Reuters.

(Reporting by Naomi Rovnick in London, Brad Heath ​in Washington and Nivedita Balu in Toronto. Additional reporting by Ariane Luthi in Zurich and Tommy Reggiori Wilkes in London. Editing by Elisa Martinuzzi, Catherine Evans and Alexander Smith)