Great St. James Island, a 165-acre island located adjacent to Little St. James in the US Virgin Islands, was the last major real estate acquisition in Jeffrey Epstein's portfolio. Purchased in 2016 for approximately $18 million, the island was still undergoing active construction and development at the time of Epstein's arrest in July 2019, with heavy equipment and building materials visible from aerial photography.

Unlike Little St. James, which had been developed into a self-contained compound over two decades, Great St. James was in the early stages of transformation when Epstein's operation was shut down. Construction crews had been working on clearing land, building roads, and laying foundations for structures. Environmental concerns were raised by USVI officials, who alleged that the construction work was being conducted without proper permits and was causing damage to the island's coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs and mangrove habitats.

The USVI government's January 2020 civil lawsuit against Epstein's estate included both islands. Attorney General Denise George alleged that Epstein had used a network of shell companies — including entities registered in the Virgin Islands — to obscure his ownership and control of the properties while continuing trafficking activities. The complaint described how Epstein leveraged his economic influence in the territory, employing local residents and making donations to local institutions.

Property records showed that Great St. James had historically been accessible to the public for day trips and beach visits before Epstein's purchase. His acquisition and subsequent private development of the island was met with criticism from USVI residents who lost access to beaches and hiking areas they had used for generations. Environmental advocates also raised concerns about the impact of large-scale construction on the relatively pristine island ecosystem.

The island's proximity to Little St. James — the two are separated by a narrow channel — raised questions about whether Great St. James was intended to expand the capacity of Epstein's existing island compound. Construction plans recovered by investigators suggested ambitious development including multiple residential structures, though the specific intended use of these buildings remains a subject of investigation.

Following the 2023 settlement between Epstein's estate and the USVI government, both Little St. James and Great St. James were included in the asset disposition. The settlement, totaling approximately $105 million, addressed the government's claims of trafficking, forced labor, and environmental damage. The future development and use of Great St. James remains subject to USVI government oversight as part of the settlement terms.

The story of the two islands illustrates the scale of Epstein's operation in the US Virgin Islands and the challenges faced by local authorities in investigating activities on private islands within their jurisdiction. USVI officials have since implemented additional oversight mechanisms for private island development, citing the Epstein case as a catalyst for regulatory reform.