Introduction:
A new batch of secret court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the businessman who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on human trafficking charges, has recently been unveiled.
Court Documents:
Social media has been abuzz in recent weeks with speculation that the documents contain a list of wealthy and powerful men who were “clients” or “partners” or perhaps “accomplices” of Epstein.
Opened Documents:
There was no such list. The first forty documents in the mandated release consist of already public materials that have been revealed through years of news stories, documentaries, interviews, legal cases, and books about the Epstein scandal.
Famous Personalities:
However, the records – including transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims and old police reports – serve as a reminder that the millionaire surrounded himself with prominent and powerful figures, including some who have also been accused of improper conduct.
Mentioned Names:
Epstein’s former friendship with Bill Clinton – who has not been accused of wrongdoing – and British Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein, is highlighted.
Testimony of Johanna Siebergh:
Johanna Siebergh, one of the victims mentioned in the lawsuit, gave new testimony stating that she met Michael Jackson at Epstein’s home in Palm Beach, Florida, but nothing inappropriate occurred with the late star.
Opened Documents and Lawsuit:
The opened documents relate to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre. She is one of many women who have filed lawsuits against Epstein, accusing him of assaulting them in his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and New Mexico. This lawsuit was against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former friend who is now serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping to recruit and abuse his victims.
Testimonies and Other Documents:
The opened documents included testimonies from several of Epstein’s victims, many of whom have previously shared their stories publicly. In one testimony, Siebergh described going to dinner at one of Epstein’s homes with magician David Copperfield in attendance.
Investigations and Testimonies:
Siebergh noted that Copperfield performed magic tricks before asking her if she knew “that girls are paid to find other girls.” One of the main accusations against Epstein and Maxwell was that some of the girls paid for sexual acts became recruiters looking for other victims for him. Siebergh stated that Copperfield did not elaborate further on what he meant.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
Siebergh also shed light on a trip in April 2001 to New York where she said Prince Andrew touched her breast while taking a photo at Epstein’s home in Manhattan.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
In the testimony, Siebergh mentioned that she and Giuffre had traveled with Epstein to New York on his private plane. Maxwell and Prince Andrew met them there.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
At one point, Maxwell called her into a closet above the floor where she pulled out a doll made for Prince Andrew for a TV show.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
Siebergh said: “It looked like him.” She brought it out and showed it to him; it was quite a joke, as it was a production from a show on the BBC.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
“They decided to take a picture with it, as Virginia and Andrew sat on a couch. They placed the doll on Virginia’s lap, and I sat on Andrew’s lap, and they placed the doll’s hand on Virginia’s breast, and Andrew put his hand on my breast,” and they took a picture.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
On the way to New York, Siebergh said Epstein’s plane diverted to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where they spent a few hours at one of Donald Trump’s casinos due to bad weather.
Investigations
Other Testimonies:
Upon hearing about the change of plans, Sieberg recalled that Epstein said: “Great, we’ll call Trump and we’ll go to” the casino. Sieberg was not asked whether they met Trump that night. Later in her testimony, she stated that she was never asked to give a massage to Trump.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
Sieberg also testified that Epstein told her at some point: “Clinton likes young girls,” a comment she interpreted as a reference to young women or girls.
Investigations and Other Testimonies:
Clinton previously stated through his spokesperson that although he traveled on Epstein’s plane several times, he did not visit his residences, has no knowledge of his crimes, and has not spoken to him since his conviction. Trump also said that at one point he thought Epstein was “a terrific guy,” but they later parted ways.
Lawsuit and Allegations:
In her testimony, Giuffre said that in the summer of her 17th year, she was lured from her job as an assistant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to become Epstein’s “masseuse” – a role that involved performing sexual acts.
Lawsuit and Allegations:
Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew was settled in 2022, where she claimed he sexually assaulted her during a trip to London. In the same year, Giuffre withdrew her accusation against Epstein’s former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, saying she “might have made a mistake” in identifying him as an abuser.
Open Documents and Jean-Luc Brunel:
The open documents included many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges of raping underage girls when he committed suicide in a Paris prison in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who accused him of sexual assault.
Open Documents and Media Reports:
Clinton’s name also came up because Maxwell’s lawyer questioned Giuffre about inaccuracies in media reports regarding her time with Epstein, including a story quoting her as saying she flew on a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Trump. Giuffre stated that none of these things actually happened.
Open Documents and Victim Rights:
The judge stated that some names must remain hidden in the documents because they would reveal individuals who were sexually assaulted. Press agencies typically do not disclose the identities of those who claim to be victims of sexual assault unless they choose to share their stories publicly, as Giuffre and Sieberg did.
Misinformation and Social Media:
Even before the documents were released, misinformation about their content spread. Social media users falsely claimed that late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel’s name might appear in the documents, based on a statement made by American football player Aaron Rodgers on Tuesday’s “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Conclusion:
The unsealed court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein have been revealed, and despite significant speculation, the documents did not contain a list of names of clients or accomplices as circulated on social media. However, the documents do contain information and testimonies reminding us of the prominent figures surrounding Epstein, some of whom have been accused of misconduct.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-court-records-587fa5a6bedf93bc958bdc3a933006bc
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