Interviews with alleged victims and witnesses showed that some of the girls involved were under 18.Ī large tranche of documents released on Friday from a lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell – who allegedly procured girls for the financier – contained both lurid claims and denials of world leaders’ involvement in his alleged sex trafficking. That triggered an 11-month investigation that drew in the FBI. The girl was allegedly paid $300 to strip and massage Epstein. The first allegations of sexual abuse came in 2005 when a woman contacted the Palm Beach police, alleging her 14-year-old stepdaughter had been taken to Epstein’s mansion by an older girl. Epstein positioned himself as a party figure in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, and courted the rich, famous and powerful across America and the world.Įpstein’s circle of friends and acquaintances has included Donald Trump Bill Clinton Prince Andrew Leslie Wexner, founder of the company that owns the Victoria’s Secret lingerie brand and many other prominent names in law, entertainment and politics. The business came with an intensive social schedule.
The Brooklyn-born financier made his name at the investment bank Bear Stearns before opening his own firm in 1982, managing money for clients with wealth in excess of $1bn. Two anonymous sources told New York’s local NBC News 4 that Epstein’s injuries may have been self-inflicted, while another said an assault by another inmate had not been ruled out.Īfter the incident, Epstein had been placed on suicide watch. It was not clear how he suffered those injuries. His death comes just days after he was found unconscious in a Manhattan jail cell with injuries to his neck, US media had reported, citing unidentified sources. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.Īn earlier attempt to prosecute him on similar charges collapsed when authorities granted him an unusually generous deal to plead guilty to state prostitution charges in Florida. Lots of them.”Įpstein’s death comes a day after unsealed documents in New York revealed the extent of his abuse of young women at his home in Palm Beach, New York and the Virgin Islands.Įpstein had been held since he was arrested on charges relating to alleged sexual misconduct from at least 2002 to 2005.
The New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted shortly after Epstein’s death was reported: “We need answers. “We are hopeful that the government will continue to investigate and will focus on those who participated and facilitated Epstein’s horrifying sex trafficking scheme that damaged so many,” Sigrid McCawley said. Lawyers for several of Epstein’s alleged victims, including Virginia Giuffre, whose depositions detailing her experience as one of the financiers’ “slaves” when she was just 14 years old were released yesterday, called for the investigations into his crimes to continue, despite his death. “Epstein’s death raises serious questions that must be answered,” Barr said. The FBI is investigating the incident, and the attorney general, William Barr, said he had also opened an investigation by the Department of Justice’s inspector general and was “appalled” by the death. Multiple media reports said Epstein had died by suicide.
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