Little Saint James, the Caribbean island synonymous with Jeffrey Epstein's scandals, has roots in a century-old geopolitical deal. In 1917, Denmark sold its West Indies colony, including the then-uninhabited cay, to the United States for £18.6 million ($25 million) amid World War I concerns over German influence.
This transfer of the Danish West Indies to American control laid the groundwork for its later private ownership and notoriety as Epstein's Island. The 1917 sale included Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Croix, and smaller islands like Little Saint James. Valued at £18.6 million ($25 million) in gold, it secured US strategic interests near the Panama Canal.
