On Monday, federal prosecutors unsealed new sex trafficking charges against Jeffrey Epstein. The new charges allege the multimillionaire with political connections abused dozens of underage girls at his Palm Beach, Fla. and Manhattan homes and enlisted the help of his young victims to expand his network of possible future targets.
Epstein was arrested over the weekend and is expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, where we have just learned he entered a plea of not guilty. He previously pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida of soliciting prostitution to resolve charges that he molested a large number of young girls. The deal was criticized across the board as too lenient. He spent a year in jail as part of the deal but was allowed to leave for work and never faced any federal exposure. According to the Washington Post:
The new charges, described in an explosive 14-page indictment brought by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, could lead to a much harsher penalty. Epstein is charged in a two-count indictment with sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, for crimes alleged to have occurred between 2002 and 2005.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said at a news conference that Epstein faces the possibility of 45 years in prison and that prosecutors will seek to have him detained pending trial. The Justice Department is also seeking to seize Epstein’s mansion on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where some of the alleged crimes occurred. Berman said investigators searched Epstein’s home Saturday after he was arrested and found “nude photographs of what appear to be underage girls.”1
“The alleged behavior shocks the conscience,” Berman said, adding that Epstein’s victims were “particularly vulnerable.”1
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The indictment also alleges that Epstein “actively encouraged his victims to recruit additional girls to be similarly sexually abused” and that he “incentivized his victims to become recruiters by paying these victim-recruiters hundreds of dollars for each girl they brought to Epstein.”
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Epstein created “a network and operation enabling him to sexually exploit and abuse dozens of underage girls” and that he gave money to victims to recruit other underage girls. The indictment claims some of his victims were as young as 14 years old, and that he would hire them to perform “massages” that would then become “increasingly sexual in nature.” He would encourage the girls to undress and would grope them and perform other sex acts, paying them hundreds of dollars in cash for each encounter. Berman added:
“This allowed Epstein to create an ever-expanding web of new victims.”1
A handful of Epstein’s alleged victims have sued in civil court and have long claimed the criminal justice system treated him differently because of his wealth and political connections. Epstein’s preferential treatment has come under significant media and legal scrutiny.
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Many were upset when U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who is now Trump’s labor secretary, waived a 53-page federal indictment that most likely would have put Epstein behind bars for life in favor of the deal that allowed him to plead guilty only to state charges. Acosta has defended the arrangement as guaranteeing that Epstein would go to jail.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility said that it was probing whether the attorneys who handled the previous case in Florida committed “professional misconduct.”1 Law officials praised investigative journalists for helping move the new case forward.
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In the new case, Epstein, now 66, who once counted among his friends President Trump and former president Bill Clinton, appears to be facing a much more aggressive Justice Department. He was apprehended over the weekend at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport once his plane landed from Paris. He was placed in jail at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan pending his court appearance Monday. The Washington Post describes the facility:
The federal detention center has a fearsome reputation; one inmate who spent time there and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba said the military detention facility was “more pleasant.”1
William Sweeney, head of the FBI’s office in New York said upon Epstein’s arrest:
“Too often, adults in our society have turned a blind eye to this type of criminal behavior. I have the privilege to represent and stand among many who make it our mission to put predators behind bars where they belong, regardless of the predators’ power, wealth, or perceived connections.”1
The case is being handled by public corruption prosecutors with Berman’s office, including Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James B. Comey. Prosecutors described Epstein’s routine with his victims:
Epstein sometimes scheduled meetings himself, but often he “directed employees and associates . . . to arrange for these victims to return to the New York Residence for additional sexual encounters with Epstein,” according to the indictment, which says three employees, identified only as Employee-1, Employee-2 and Employee-3, helped arrange the encounters.
When Epstein flew from New York to Florida, an employee or associate would “ensure that minor victims were available for encounters upon his arrival,” the indictment alleges.1
It was not immediately clear whether any of Epstein’s employees will face criminal charges over their alleged conduct, because the previous plea deal Epstein made with federal prosecutors in Florida said his co-conspirators would not be charged in that case. The New York indictment mentions Epstein’s conduct in Florida that was the basis of that earlier plea, but the new indictment appears to hinge principally on his alleged victims in New York. Berman declined to comment on possible criminal exposure anyone connected to Epstein might face.
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Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), who confronted Acosta about his role in the plea deal during a congressional hearing, said:
“For too long, Jeffrey Epstein has walked free and avoided the consequences of his crime. There are still many questions to be answered. With that said, this indictment is a positive step toward putting this sexual predator away and giving justice to the survivors.”1
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said Epstein “should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law — power and wealth be damned. This man is a monster and his victims deserve justice.”1
Officials pleaded at the news conference for other victims to come forward, and to call the FBI’s tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). They said that sex trafficking will not be ignored in their jurisdiction, adding:
“Today we are asking everyone to take a good look at this man. If you have been victimized in any way, or if you are someone who has any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, we want to hear from you.”1
We will be watching this story closely and will keep you updated.
