United States Justice published a first batch of declassified court documents relating to tycoon Jeffrey Epsteinaccused of trafficking and sexual abuse of minors, found dead in prison in August 2019.
The documents released this Wednesday by a New York court are part of a defamation lawsuit filed in 2015 by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s main whistleblowers, against his former lover and partner, British heiress Ghislaine Maxwell.
The publication has caused great anticipation and sensation since the appearance of important figures in politics and entertainment which had not been officially mentioned in the case so far.
Other well-known names had already appeared in the case, as they were identified during the 2021 trial against Maxwell – sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping the financier sexually abuse minors -, gave interviews or were the subject of complaints.
Judge Loretta Preska, of the federal court for the Southern District of New York, had ordered that starting from January 1st the documents, previously sealed, and which include the identity of around 150 people.
Be mentioned in documents does not imply any kind of guilt, as the material includes everything from emails to statements from victims or witnesses. The identities of those who were minors or did not make public statements will remain hidden.
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. AP photoThe deadline was set to give anyone who objects to their name being published time to object. At least two people have done so and have until January 22 to explain their reasons.
The first batch of documents, released on Wednesday, has around 1,000 pages in total.
Two personalities who will appear in the documents of the Jeffrey Epstein case
It is known that the final list will include the name of the prince andrew, who Giuffré sued for sexual abuse and with whom he reached an out-of-court settlement. Also former President Bill Clinton (1993-2001), identified by ABC News as “John Doe 36”, whom Giuffre unsuccessfully attempted to subpoena to testify.
Clinton, against whom no charges are pending, appears on the passenger lists of Epstein’s flights to several countries, but his possible presence on one of the financier’s islands is unclear, something Giuffre supports but denies.
Epstein committed suicide on August 10, 2019 in a federal prison in New York, where he was awaiting trial for allegedly create a child sex trafficking network at their homes in the Big Apple and Florida. The youngest girls were 14 years old, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.