Jeffrey Epstein had a 'tunnel' and a 'trapdoor' in a secret lair on his island, files released by the Department of Justice suggest.

Emails show the disgraced financier taking great interest in the tunnel, emailing staff to get updates on renovation works.

The very first mention of the tunnel in the files comes in a 2009 email, in which a Virgin Islands architecture firm refers to work set to be carried out at his island home.

It mentions a "team that added tunnels and office below the main house in the past."

In a reply, Epstein says: "Thanks, i want the floor done in the wood tunnel. all the equptent m=ved out floor done on thurs left till monday. thanks."

Then, a set of emails starting in 2015 states: "Tunnel floor completed."

In November 2017, Epstein sent emails that read: "id like to have a c=ll with you both, today.. i need help thinking about ho= to reorganie the island. move laundry, ? addtiona= staff. . ? tunnel move.

"tunnel with cots ? ballet room? co=t you less. . be generous with those that work."

Images previously released by the Department of Justice also show a 'trapdoor' at the island home.

It is located in a maintenance room. It is not know if it is connected to the tunnel system.

In 2018, Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal esent an email to Epstein that read: "Dearest Jeffrey.: How have you been? What's up with the Caribbean island? Staff still sleeping in the tunnels? Retrieved all the furniture out of the ocean? Did you take photos? Are you presently rebuilding?"

In May 2019 an email between two Epstein aides read: "I saw yesterday work began on tunnels...do we have skin to redo? is our crew doing this work? Are we doing all sides of tunnel and not just roof?"

This email exchange came just two months before he was arrested and charged for trafficking minors.