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Ghislaine Maxwell- Case Archive
personpersonDavid RodgersDavid RodgersProfessional pilot who served as Jeffrey Epstein's chief pilot, captain, first officer, and flight engineer.← All People
Witness

David Rodgers

Professional pilot who served as Jeffrey Epstein's chief pilot, captain, first officer, and flight engineer.

AppearedFederal Criminal Trial
1,090 lines·8 proceedings·3 mentions

About

David Rodgers testified on Day 8 about his employment as a pilot for Jeffrey Epstein, flight-related communications involving Ghislaine Maxwell, and his personal flight logbook. He said Maxwell sometimes notified pilots of flights and had responsibilities involving properties and aircraft.

On direct examination, Rodgers authenticated Government Exhibit 662 and its public redacted version. He explained that the logbook covered flights he personally crewed, listed passenger names when known, and sometimes used gender markers or other placeholders for unidentified passengers. He also reviewed selected entries from 1996 through 2001 involving Epstein, Maxwell, Jane, and Virginia Roberts.

Defense counsel questioned the logbook's limits as a complete passenger record and Rodgers's recollection of individual historical flights. Rodgers said his identification of certain 1996 entries associated with Jane depended on a first-name entry and his later review of the logbook. He also testified that he had not observed sexual activity on flights he piloted and that his view of the passenger cabin could be limited. On redirect, he explained that the logbook dates helped him distinguish Jane, whom he met in November 1996, from another person with the same first name whom he met in September 2003.

Trial Record (8)

FederalFederal Criminal TrialNov 29, 2021 – Dec 29, 2021Called by prosecution

David Rodgers authenticated and explained his personal flight logbook on Day 8, including selected passenger entries and the record's limits.

Day 2

Day 8

DirectDavid Rodgers — DirectDavid RodgersMaurene Comey2highlights136lines spoken

Summary

Pilot David Rodgers described Maxwell's work for Epstein and authenticated his contemporaneous flight logbook, which the court admitted in sealed and redacted forms.

Highlights (2)

evidence eventRodgers authenticated his logbook as a contemporaneous record of flights he crewed; the court admitted Exhibit 662 under seal and admitted redacted Exhibit 662-R.Open in transcript →
Quote“Yes, it would have been made at the time that flight was over, probably within 30 minutes of the passengers leaving.”— David RodgersRodgers described when he made entries in the logbook later admitted into evidence.Open in transcript →
CrossDavid Rodgers — CrossDavid RodgersChristian R. Everdell2highlights661lines spoken

Summary

David Rodgers acknowledged that key flight-date testimony rested on his logbook, whose earlier entries listed only Jane's true first name, while describing his observations and Maxwell's work role.

Highlights (2)

impeachmentThe defense tested Rodgers's identification of Jane on earlier flights, eliciting that the relevant entries used only her true first name and that he had initially placed their first meeting around 2000 before reviewing his logbook.Open in transcript →
Quote“Just have the first name. That's it.”— David RodgersRodgers summarized the identifying information recorded for the disputed passenger entry.Open in transcript →
RedirectDavid Rodgers — RedirectDavid RodgersMaurene Comey2highlights24lines spoken

Summary

David Rodgers tied his recollection of meeting Jane to his logbook; the court then addressed defense-case timing, a charge conference, and briefing on 52.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightRodgers distinguished Jane from another person with the same first name, placing their meetings in November 1996 and September 2003 respectively and grounding his confidence in the logbook.Open in transcript →
Quote“Based upon my logbook.”— David RodgersRodgers identified the basis for his confidence in when he met Jane.Open in transcript →

Day 17