In the abuse scandal involving US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein, a court has published the real names of presumably more than 150 people who were previously mostly treated anonymously. They were named in a civil dispute between the aggrieved American Virginia Giuffre and Epstein’s long-time partner Ghislaine Maxwell. A mention does not mean that the person was an active part of the abuse network around Epstein, but initially only that the name was mentioned in the civil lawsuit.
The more than 900 pages of court documents contain, among other things, the previously known names of former US President Bill Clinton and the British Prince Andrew, who were once considered Epstein’s confidants. For example, some people on the list are also relatives of Epstein’s abuse victims. Clinton, previously referred to in the trial as “John Doe 36” (roughly “John Doe 36”), according to the media did not object to his name being used. Epstein has been dead for almost four and a half years.
Clinton’s name appears dozens of times
The documents now published contain Clinton’s name dozens of times, including in witness statements that place him close to Epstein’s crimes. As the US media “Axios” describes, among others, these passages contain no evidence of illegal behavior by the former president.
Prince Andrew’s name appears just as often and in sometimes similar contexts. The noble scion was able to avert a civil lawsuit in connection with Epstein’s abuse ring in 2022. He never publicly admitted to having sex with the then-minor, despite US plaintiff Virginia Giuffre’s allegations against him. It is unclear how much he paid for the settlement with the American.
Serious allegations against Prince Andrew are not new
The serious allegations against Andrew described in the documents are largely not new, but have already been reported by the media from their own research. Nevertheless, they are likely to heat up the issue again, especially in Great Britain. An inquiry to the palace initially went unanswered. According to the British news agency PA, Andrew denied any allegations.
Epstein was arrested in July 2019. The businessman is said to have sexually abused numerous girls, including underage girls, and introduced them to other men. About a month after the arrest, Epstein was found dead in his cell at the age of 66. According to official information, he took his own life.
Decades of abuse on Epstein’s estate
For decades, the abuse of numerous minors is said to have taken place at Epstein’s properties in New York, Florida, Santa Fe and the Virgin Islands. An earlier indictment against Epstein resulted in a very advantageous deal for the entrepreneur, which made him a symbol of a social elite that can get away with crime.
The case also caused a stir worldwide because the entrepreneur was networked in the highest circles. His celebrity relationships and death gave rise to numerous rumors and conspiracy theories.
Lots of speculation surrounding celebrities
The publication of the documents that have now been released had also led to a lot of speculation about celebrities in advance. Former President Donald Trump is also mentioned in the present writings – but only in the context of the questioning of a witness who stated that she had never had sexual contact with Trump.
However, the names of the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, the astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and the magician David Copperfield seem to be new. From them it seems that at least the one-time presence of the celebrities at one of Epstein’s events can be deduced. Since at least two people have appealed to the US court against the publication of their names, it is possible that more documents will be published in the coming weeks.
