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Jeffrey Epstein charged with federal sex trafficking crimes Jeffrey Epstein charged with federal sex trafficking crimes
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The billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been charged with sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking in a newly unsealed 13-page Manhattan federal court indictment. Some victims of Epstein’s abuse were just 14 years old, prosecutors alleged in the shocking document.The billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been charged with sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking in a newly unsealed 13-page Manhattan federal court indictment. Some victims of Epstein’s abuse were just 14 years old, prosecutors alleged in the shocking document.
The politically-connected financier, who was arrested on Saturday night in New Jersey, allegedly “sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls” from 2002 to 2005. The abuse is alleged to have taken place at Epstein’s homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, the indictment states.
Jeffrey Epstein: inside the decade of scandal entangling Prince AndrewJeffrey Epstein: inside the decade of scandal entangling Prince Andrew
Epstein was due to appear in court on Monday afternoon. The politically connected financier, who was arrested on Saturday night in New Jersey, allegedly “sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls” from 2002 to 2005. The abuse is alleged to have taken place at Epstein’s homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, the indictment states.
The indictment alleges that he “enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, minor girls” to visit his New York home and Palm Beach estate, “to engage in sex acts with him, after which he would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash”. Epstein was due to appear in court on Monday afternoon. In a statement, Manhattan US attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “While the charged conduct is from a number of years ago, the victims – then children and now young women – are no less entitled to their day in court.
“In order to maintain and increase his supply of victims,” prosecutors allege, Epstein also paid some victims to lure additional girls. My office is proud to stand up for these victims by bringing this indictment
“This way, Epstein created a vast network of underage victims for him to sexually exploit,” prosecutors claim. “My office is proud to stand up for these victims by bringing this indictment.”
Epstein knowingly looked for minors and was well aware that many of his victims were younger than 18 “because, in some instances, minor victims expressly told him their age”, prosecutors said. The indictment alleges that Epstein “enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, minor girls” to visit his New York and Palm Beach homes, “to engage in sex acts with him, after which he would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash”.
Epstein, who reportedly counted Donald Trump, Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton among his friends, is alleged to have conspired with others to form a “network”. Employees and associates contacted victims and scheduled sexual encounters with Epstein, prosecutors say. “In order to maintain and increase his supply of victims,” prosecutors allege, Epstein also paid some victims to lure additional girls. “This way, Epstein created a vast network of underage victims for him to sexually exploit,” prosecutors claim.
Epstein looked for minors and was well aware that many of his victims were younger than 18 “because, in some instances, minor victims expressly told him their age”, prosecutors said.
Epstein, who reportedly counted Donald Trump, Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton among his friends, is alleged to have conspired with others to form a “network”. Employees and associates contacted victims and scheduled sexual encounters with the billionaire, prosecutors say.
Epstein’s accusers were recruited to give him massages, “which would be performed nude or partially nude”, the indictment said, adding that the massages would turn “increasingly sexual in nature, and would typically include one or more sex acts”.Epstein’s accusers were recruited to give him massages, “which would be performed nude or partially nude”, the indictment said, adding that the massages would turn “increasingly sexual in nature, and would typically include one or more sex acts”.
In addition to paying victims hundreds of dollars, Epstein is alleged to have paid some victims hundreds of dollars for each new victim they procured. In addition to paying victims hundreds of dollars, Epstein is alleged to have paid some hundreds of dollars for each new victim procured.
Federal authorities want a forfeiture order to obtain Epstein’s New York mansion. Federal authorities want a forfeiture order to obtain Epstein’s New York mansion. In a “detention memo” laying out the case for holding Epstein before trial, prosecutors cited his wealth and the alleged abundance of evidence against him.
The Manhattan US attorney’s case against Epstein comes more than a decade after allegations that he sexually abused minors spurred local and federal criminal investigations as well as civil suits filed by accusers. Authorities found “an extraordinary volume” of photographs of nude and partially nude young women or girls during a search of Epstein’s Manhattan home.
In 2008, Epstein and the Miami US attorney’s office, which was led by Alexander Acosta, now US labor secretary, reached a non-prosecution deal that ended a federal sexual abuse investigation involving at least 40 teenage girls. “The defendant, a registered sex offender, is not reformed, he is not chastened, he is not repentant,” prosecutors wrote.
Under the agreement, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges instead, served 13 months in jail and registered as a sex offender. Epstein sexual abuse case could push powerful friends into spotlight
Acosta has maintained that the deal was appropriate. Nonetheless, the Department of Justice in February opened an inquiry into the handling of Epstein’s plea agreement. The Manhattan US attorney’s case comes more than a decade after allegations that Epstein sexually abused minors spurred local and federal criminal investigations as well as civil suits filed by accusers.
Acosta defended his role in abandoning a more than 50-page federal indictment, saying in May his office was “too aggressive”. In 2008, Epstein and the Miami US attorney’s office, which was led by Alexander Acosta, now US labor secretary, reached a non-prosecution deal that ended a federal sexual abuse investigation involving at least 40 teenage girls. Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges, served 13 months in jail and registered as a sex offender.
“This matter was appealed all the way up to the deputy attorney general’s office,” Acosta said at a House education and labor committee hearing. “And not because we weren’t doing enough, but because the contention was that we were too aggressive.” In February, the Department of Justice opened an inquiry into the handling of Epstein’s plea agreement. Acosta has defended his role in abandoning a more than 50-page federal indictment, saying at a House education and labor committee hearing in May: “This matter was appealed all the way up to the deputy attorney general’s office. And not because we weren’t doing enough, but because the contention was that we were too aggressive.”
In January 2015, the Guardian and Politico were first to report on a court filing alleging that Epstein forced a teenage victim into sexual encounters with Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace maintained that the claim was “categorically untrue”. Epstein’s relationships with powerful men have long been the subject of speculation. In January 2015, the Guardian and Politico were first to report on a court filing alleging that Epstein forced a teenage victim into sexual encounters with Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace maintained that the claim was “categorically untrue” and “false and without any foundation”.
“The allegations made are false and without any foundation,” the palace told the Guardian. Terrific guy … it is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side
Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of media mogul Robert Maxwell, reportedly introduced Andrew to Epstein the 1990s, when she was Epstein’s girlfriend.Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of media mogul Robert Maxwell, reportedly introduced Andrew to Epstein the 1990s, when she was Epstein’s girlfriend.
Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, née Roberts, has claimed Maxwell invited her to work as a masseuse for the financier when she was just 15. At the time, Giuffre was working as a changing room assistant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago beach club, in Florida. Accuser Virginia Giuffre, née Roberts, has claimed Maxwell invited her to work as a masseuse for the financier when she was just 15 and working as a changing room assistant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago beach club, in Florida. Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation, over her denial of the sex abuse claims. They settled in May 2017.
Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation, over her denial of the sex abuse claims. They settled in May 2017. In the case of Trump, much press attention since Epstein’s latest arrest has centered on a comment Trump made to New York magazine in 2002.
“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years,” he said then. “Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Jeffrey Epstein: sex abuse allegations against billionaire socialite began in 2005
Trump has since sought to distance himself from Epstein.
Before taking questions at a morning press conference on Monday, Berman, the Manhattan US attorney, said justice department guidelines prohibited his office from talking about individuals who might be associated with Epstein.
Asked why the Southern District of New York’s public corruption unit was investigating Epstein, Berman said: “I’m not getting into staffing decisions at the US attorney’s office. I have confidence that the public corruption unit is able to handle [the case]. I will again urge you not to read into the unit assignment anything one way or the other.”
Maurene Comey, fired FBI director James Comey’s daughter, is among prosecutors pursuing the case. She was at the press conference.
Berman also praised reporting on the Epstein case.
“Our investigation was assisted by some excellent investigative journalism,” he said.
In April the Harvard lawyer Alan Dershowitz, another associate of Epstein, wrote an open letter to the Pulitzer Prize committee, saying Miami Herald reporter Julie K Brown should not be rewarded for her work. She was not.
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