New Mexico lawmakers have approved the first full investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch, also known locally as Playboy Ranch. The legislation was passed on Monday, and officials are urging local residents to come forward with any information.
The 7,600-acre property is extremely isolated, about 30 miles from Santa Fe. It has its own airstrip and helipad, making it easy for Epstein to bring in visitors without public scrutiny. The ranch has been mentioned over 4,000 times in documents linked to Epstein.
Epstein owned the property until at least 2021, when it was valued at $27.5 million. Investigators believe the ranch may have been a site where Epstein carried out trafficking and abuse of young women.
Documents reveal that a ranch manager told the FBI in 2007 that Epstein frequently flew in guests and masseuses. Emails from former staff describe disturbing incidents and potential evidence taken from the ranch as “insurance” in future legal cases.
One email claims that two foreign girls were buried near the ranch on orders from Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Authorities have not confirmed this, and it remains unclear whether any investigation will attempt to excavate the land.
The ranch has also been linked to scientific experiments. Some documents suggest Epstein invited high-level scientists to the property, and one email references “trumpet plants,” possibly the poisonous angel’s trumpet, known for causing memory loss and disorientation.
The latest files show that even Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson visited Epstein’s home. The documents raise questions about the nature of Epstein’s connections to top researchers and universities, though no wrongdoing has been proven.
Meanwhile, a United Nations panel recently said Epstein’s global operations may qualify as crimes against humanity. They described the atrocities as widespread, systematic, and targeting women and girls around the world.
The $2.5 million investigation into Zorro Ranch has just begun, and officials say the public may play a key role in uncovering the truth about what happened on the isolated property.