Court documents were released Wednesday listing the names of people connected in some way to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of orchestrating a sex trafficking ring involving young girls. The list includes some very high-profile names and most are not accused of any crime. The information was highly anticipated, but it will take time to determine its importance.
Some of the names have been linked to Epstein in the past. Among those featured in Wednesday’s filings are former Presidents Trump and Clinton, celebrity attorney Alan Dershowitz, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and AI pioneer Marvin Minsky. Entertainment figures David Copperfield and Michael Jackson are also mentioned.
Clinton’s name was expected to appear. The former president reportedly flew on Epstein’s private jet several times earlier this year, but has not been charged with any crimes. Trump’s name appears in a document in which Epstein is quoted as saying that he would invite him to a casino; In another reference, an anonymous witness says she was not asked to have sex with Trump.
The massive release, which also includes the names of some of Epstein’s sex trafficking victims, comes after a years-long legal battle and piecemeal revelations. The identities, previously referred to as Jane or John Does in court documents, may provide a more complete picture of Epstein and his associates.
Anticipation has been building over the revelation, particularly among conservatives and some online conspiracy theorists, although many of those whose names will soon be made public were previously known or did not question its disclosure. The Miami Herald reported that those expected to be named include Prince Andrew, financier Glenn Dubin and modeling agent Jean Luc Brunel, along with Epstein employees and recruiters.
Judge Loretta Preska of the Southern District of New York in December ordered the public disclosure of the identities of about 150 John and Jane Does named in court documents. Those documents are part of a defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime girlfriend who was convicted of child sex trafficking in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. prison.
Giuffre and Maxwell settled out of court in 2017. But the documents, which include the names of celebrities, high-profile officials and others with alleged ties to Epstein of some kind, along with witnesses to the litigation, offer potentially significant information about Epstein. and those in its orbit.
The Miami Herald, which published an award-winning investigative series on Epstein, sued in 2018 to reveal records produced in the defamation case. Dershowitz also pushed for disclosure of the documents as part of her own legal battle against Guiffre, who for years alleged that Dershowitz sexually abused her when she was a teenager. The two reached a settlement in 2022 and Guiffre acknowledged that she may have “made a mistake” with her accusation.
Some of the records stemming from the case have been gradually released over the years, although many documents remained redacted or sealed. People whose names will be revealed in the latest wave of revelations had until Monday to appeal the judge’s order.
According to an order released Wednesday by Preska, two Does attempted to remain under seal: Doe 107, who cited physical danger in his home country. The Herald agreed to keep that wording. The court granted Doe an extension until January 22 to support his request to remain under seal.
The second is Doe 110 and is being reviewed by the court, according to Preska’s order.
However, many Does did not oppose the release, according to the judge’s order. Clinton’s name appears on dozens of documents. According to ABC News, many of those documents relate to a battle between the parties over whether Clinton should be called to testify.
clinton’s office issued a statement in 2019 saying that the former president knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes. His spokeswoman reiterated that statement on Wednesday.
Giuffre claims that former Governor Richardson was among those with whom Maxwell ordered her to have sexual relations. Richardson, who died in September, reportedly denied ever knowing Giuffre.
Giuffre also claims in the documents that she was ordered to have sexual relations with Minsky, an MIT scientist. She died in 2016 before Giuffre’s allegations became public.
The documents allude to pop legend Jackson, previously accused of child sexual abuse, for having been at a house owned by Epstein in Palm Beach. He asks the anonymous witness: “Did you massage him?” The individual responds: “I didn’t do it.” Magician Copperfield is said to have attended a dinner at Epstein’s home, where he performed magic tricks, according to testimony in the documents.
The Herald’s lawyer may continue to push for the disclosure of the identity of three Does who are not victims and whose identities will remain hidden for various reasons cited by the judge, the newspaper reported.
Preska said many of the names were already public as a result of media interviews, news and police reports, lawsuits and revelations in Maxwell’s trial in New York two years ago, among other media.
For example, J. Doe 005 is Carolyn Andriano, a sex trafficking victim who testified against Maxwell in Maxwell’s criminal trial using only her first name and later gave her full name in an interview with the Daily Mail in 2022. Andriano died. last year.
Courtney Wild was another of Epstein’s alleged victims who appeared in the documents. According to the judge’s order, Wild, who has not objected to being identified, has gave interviews to the media and was a plaintiff in other Epstein-related lawsuits.
But many fought to keep their names secret. Business Insider reported that Doe 183 is connected to Les Wexner, the Midwest billionaire behind Victoria’s Secret with ties to Epstein, whose legal team has waged a battle over redactions. Wexner said he cut ties with Epstein in 2007.
Some of the identifying details were ordered to remain redacted because these individuals were minors at the time of the alleged sexual abuse and have not come forward publicly.
Prior to the disclosure, conservative and right-wing circles have seized on the disclosure of the documents as evidence of wrongdoing by Democratic figures, particularly Clinton.
During a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hinted that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s name could come up. That prompted a swift response from Kimmel, who said he never knew Epstein and threatened possible legal action.
Epstein, 66, committed suicide in a New York jail in August 2019, weeks after being arrested and federally charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. A watchdog report released in June found that neglect, misconduct and other failures at the jail contributed to his death.
“Numerous and serious” instances of misconduct and dereliction of duty contributed to an environment that allowed “arguably one of the most notorious inmates” in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons the opportunity to take his own life, the report said.
More than a decade earlier, Epstein evaded federal criminal charges when he reached a plea deal with the then-U.S. attorney for South Florida. Alexander Acosta in a case involving allegations that she sexually abused dozens of girls. (Acosta was a prominent Republican and served in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations.) As part of the deal, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges, including soliciting prostitution. She registered as a sex offender and served 13 months in jail, but was allowed to leave six days a week to work in her office.
That agreement became the subject of a series of Herald investigations that brought renewed attention to his case. Titled “Perversion of Justice: Jeffrey Epstein,” the series details accounts from more than 60 women who said they were victims of abuse as part of a sex ring run by Epstein.
