A fresh set of newly unsealed records regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s exploitation of underage girls emerged on Thursday, adding about 300 pages to the existing information on how the alleged sex trafficker used his connections to the affluent, influential, and renowned to lure victims and conceal his offenses. This release consisted of 19 documents, half the amount from the previous day.
These documents, part of an ongoing release, contained mentions of celebrities and politicians who interacted with the disgraced financier or collaborated with him before his public accusations almost two decades ago of engaging in illicit activities with underage girls. CBC News is examining the freshly disclosed records. Notably, individuals named in the documents may not be implicated in any misconduct; some are accusers or potential witnesses.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York correctional facility in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking allegations. In 2008, he admitted guilt to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The recently unsealed documents are linked to a 2015 lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s ex-partner, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking offenses. Although settled in 2017, documents from the case continue to be unveiled years later. Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, initiated the lawsuit, joining numerous women in suing Epstein for mistreatment.
The unsealed records unveiled on Thursday featured a testimony excerpt from a victim who was in high school when she was taken to Epstein’s residence, believing she was hired for a massage. The victim, whose identity remains confidential, described her initial encounter with Epstein, where he undressed her without consent.
Additionally, she revealed that girls who referred others to Epstein received payment incentives. She admitted to bringing girls from her high school to Epstein’s home, clarifying they were not her friends. The documents also shed light on legal disputes related to Giuffre’s lawsuit and her ties to a British tabloid journalist accused by Maxwell’s attorneys of influencing fabricated allegations.
Notable figures associated with Epstein before his exposure as a sex offender included former U.S. presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield, according to accounts from victims and witnesses cited in the newly disclosed documents. While these men were mentioned in the documents, they were not implicated in any wrongdoing.
Although the latest documents did not provide substantial new information about Epstein and Maxwell’s social circle, additional releases are anticipated on Friday and Monday.