Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who was long dogged by accusations of sexual abuse of girls, hanged himself on August 10 in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, where he was awaiting trial, officials said.

Manhattan federal prosecutors last month charged Mr. Epstein, 66, with sex trafficking of girls as young as 14. Mr. Epstein’s death brought an abrupt end to a prosecution that his accusers had hoped would finally shed light on how he had been allowed to commit what they said was a string of depraved crimes for so many years — and what role his wealth, privilege and connections played.

He was arrested on July 6 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey after his private plane landed on a flight from Paris. Federal prosecutors charged him with sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he would have faced up to 45 years in prison.