Breaking: Jeffrey Epstein names, documents just released
A New York federal judge has begun releasing the names of more than 150 of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, associates, opponents and alleged co-conspirators. The names appear in a trove of once-sealed documents that detail the breadth of a sex trafficking ring Epstein operated from his Palm Beach mansion and beyond.
No master list of names was posted in the court file so reporters are combing through, document by document.
Prominent figures such as former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew were expected to appear among the documents, which make up a defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell.
The lawsuit stems from Maxwell's attempt to discredit one of several teens she recruited and groomed for abuse. Virginia Giuffre, who in 2001 worked as a 16-year-old spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago, said Epstein forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew and other prominent men after Maxwell lured her into the Palm Beach financier's circle.
Maxwell said Giuffre lied about the abuse, prompting Giuffre to sue her in 2015. Though the case was settled and sealed two years later, the Miami Herald successfully fought to have the names and documents associated with it made public.
Documents have been released since day before Jeffrey Epstein died
Judges released hundreds of documents contained in the court filings on Aug. 9, 2019 — one day before Epstein died in prison — and have steadily released more since then. This latest batch, unveiled on a rolling basis beginning Wednesday, is expected to be the last.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls at a Tallahassee prison, where she teaches etiquette to fellow inmates. E/pstein pleaded guilty to two state prostitution-related charges in 2008 and served 13 months in a jail work-release program.
Reporting by the Miami Herald renewed interest in the scandal in 2019, and federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein with sex trafficking. He was found hanged in his jail cell less than a month after his arrest.
Palm Beach Post reporters have begun reviewing the newly released documents. Check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Breaking: Jeffrey Epstein names, documents just released
