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Epstein files row: Who is Roberto Grijalva? New claim on prison staff behind ‘4Chan swap’ theory emerges
A debunked theory that Epstein was swapped before his 2019 jail death resurfaced after new files, with social media naming Roberto Grijalva.
The debunked conspiracy theory claiming that Jeffrey Epstein was swapped with another prisoner before his death by suicide on August 10, 2019, received fresh fuel with the newly released Epstein files.
Social media claimed that a staffer at the New York Metropolitan Prison, named Roberto Grijalva, has been identified as the individual who made the 4Chan post on the morning of Epstein's death.
The newly released documents show the details of the subpoena that the grand jury convened by U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman of the Southern District of New York, the day after Epstein's death, to probe the 4Chan post. 4chan, Apple, AT&T, and Citibank were called on to identify the author of an anonymous 4chan post.
In the newly released documents, Roberto Grijalva's name appears in the response to the subpoena that Citibank issued. Bank records included in the SDNY subpoena reportedly showed that the officer in question behind the 4Chan post is Roberto Grijalva.
Social media claims that it is the same Roberto Grijalva whose statements were released as part of the prison’s investigation into Epstein’s death.
Epstein Prison Swap Theory: What To Know
Epstein prison swap theory posits that Jeffrey Epstein was secretly replaced by another inmate before his supposed suicide. irregularities like defunct cameras, guards falsifying logs (later charged for negligence), and Epstein's broken hyoid bone have given credence to the theory. Epstein's 2008 lenient plea deal and prior jail stint also amplified suspicions.
However, officially, the claim has long been debunked. Official investigations, including DOJ reviews, confirmed suicide by hanging due to guard failures and protocol lapses, with no evidence of substitution despite conspiracy persistence. Plus, metadata from prison videos and autopsies also contradict swap claims.
