Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, an apparently perfect tropical haven, was actually a chamber of horrors hiding sinister secrets, his accusers claim.

The 75-acre estate is officially called Little Saint James, but locals disturbingly nicknamed the child sex offender’s Caribbean retreat “Paedophile Island”.

Prior to his death in 2019, the billionaire stood accused of grooming and sexually exploiting underage girls at the sprawling property in the US Virgin Islands, transporting them via a private aircraft notoriously referred to as the “Lolita Express”.

The now abandoned island was bought by the well-connected financier in 1998 for $7.95million (approximately £5million at the time).

Accessible only by private plane or boat, the island features a stone mansion, two guest houses, a swimming pool, a temple, a helipad, a sundial, and sweeping vistas of the unspoilt ocean.

During Epstein’s tenure as principal resident, the island maintained a substantial workforce, and he reportedly hosted numerous wealthy and powerful visitors.

Yet according to locals, it developed a reputation for depravity, amid allegations of child sexual abuse, human trafficking and orgies.

Epstein allegedly continued transporting underage girls and young women to the island right up until the months preceding his arrest in July 2019.

At this stage, he was a registered sex offender, having entered a guilty plea in 2008 to a felony charge of solicitation of prostitution involving a minor in Florida, reports the Mirror.

He completed 13 months of an 18-month term and returned to his lavish way of life alongside prominent figures following his release.

The island property, now thought to be valued at over £45million, was raided by the FBI after Epstein’s death in August 2019.

Sarah Ransome, a British woman who alleged she fell victim to Epstein, stated she endured rape up to three times daily during her months of captivity on the island. She disclosed that she was a 22-year-old aspiring fashion student in Manhattan when she first met Epstein in 2006.

Ms Ransome reached a settlement in her legal case against Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2018.

Chauntae Davies, 41, accused Epstein of repeatedly raping her and branded him a “monster” in private. She also alleged he bragged about his association with Prince Andrew.

Ms Davies claimed she was a 21-year-old apprentice massage therapist in Los Angeles when she treated Maxwell, the socialite daughter of the late discredited media tycoon Robert Maxwell, at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills.

She maintained she was recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell and transported to Epstein’s home in Palm Beach, Florida, where he engaged in a sexual act upon himself in her presence.

Personnel at an airport in the US Virgin Islands informed Vanity Fair in 2019 that they regularly observed Epstein accompanied by girls who appeared to be minors.

One worker mentioned he would spot Epstein twice monthly on average, saying: “There’d be girls that look like they could be in high school.

“They looked very young. They were always wearing college sweatshirts. It seemed like camouflage, that’s the best way to put it.

“Every time he landed or took off, it was always brought up. We’d always be joking, ‘How many kids are on board this time?'”.

Maxwell was relocated to the Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas following three and a half years in a federal facility after her conviction for assisting Epstein in his exploitation of underage girls. She is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.