The Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, has been identified on a passenger manifest for a flight aboard the private jet of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Documents indicate that Phelan traveled from London to New York City on March 3, 2006, during a time when Epstein was facing serious legal challenges related to child sex trafficking.
Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on August 10, 2019, had been awaiting trial for multiple charges. His death was ruled a suicide by medical examiners.
A close friend of Phelan confirmed to CNN that the Navy Secretary did indeed take the flight but emphasized that this was the only occasion on which Phelan interacted with Epstein. At the time of the flight, Phelan was working in the financial sector and was invited to join by Jimmy Cayne, the late CEO of Bear Stearns. The friend, who remained unnamed, stated that Phelan was not aware that he would be flying on Epstein’s aircraft until they arrived at the airport.
The friend further clarified that Phelan had no subsequent interactions with Epstein and was unaware of any illegal activities associated with Epstein or his associates during that period. CNN also reported that Phelan’s name appeared alongside 12 others on the flight manifest, which included individuals such as Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent connected to Epstein who was charged with sexual assault and found dead in his cell in 2022. Notably, Brunel’s name was misspelled as “Jean Luke Brunnel” on the manifest.
The flight manifest is part of a larger document release by the House Oversight Committee, which occurred last year. Recently, the Department of Justice disclosed approximately 3.5 million documents related to Epstein’s activities.
Phelan was appointed Secretary of the Navy by former President Donald Trump on November 26, 2024, and he was sworn in four months later. In addition to his government role, Phelan is the founder of Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm located in Palm Beach, Florida. He has also been noted as a significant contributor to Trump’s reelection campaign.
Military Times has reached out to Phelan’s office for further comment regarding his inclusion in the flight manifest. The implications of this connection continue to unfold as the public seeks clarification on the extent of Phelan’s relationship with Epstein.
