Documents released by the House Oversight Committee reveal that Navy Secretary John Phelan was listed on a passenger manifest for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein‘s private plane. The manifest indicates that Phelan traveled from London to New York City on March 3, 2006, while Epstein was awaiting trial on serious charges.
Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 10, 2019, had been facing allegations of child sex trafficking. His death was ruled a suicide by medical examiners. Phelan’s connection to Epstein has raised questions due to the latter’s notorious past.
A friend of Phelan confirmed to CNN that the Navy Secretary was on the flight but stated it was an isolated incident. The friend, who requested anonymity, explained that Phelan, then working in the financial sector, was invited to fly by Jimmy Cayne, the late CEO of Bear Stearns. The friend emphasized that Phelan had no prior knowledge that they would be on Epstein’s plane and had no further interactions with Epstein afterward.
Reports indicate there is no evidence suggesting Phelan was aware of any illicit activities involving Epstein or his associates at the time of the flight. The flight manifest also included the name of Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent associated with Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell in 2022 after being charged with sexual assault and rape of a minor. Notably, Brunel’s name was misspelled on the manifest as “Jean Luke Brunnel.”
The manifest lists a total of 13 passengers, six of whose names were redacted. The documents released last week by the Department of Justice included approximately 3.5 million files related to Epstein.
Phelan, who founded Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida, has also been recognized as a significant donor to Donald Trump‘s second reelection campaign. Trump announced Phelan’s appointment as Navy Secretary on November 26, 2024, and he was sworn in four months later.
Military Times has reached out to Phelan’s office for further comment on this matter. The revelations surrounding his flight with Epstein could have implications for his role and public perception as a senior military official.
