NEW YORK (AP) — Newly disclosed government files on Jeffrey Epstein offer deeper insights into his interactions with the elite after he served time for sex crimes and reveal what investigators knew about his abuse of underage girls when they opted not to prosecute him federally nearly twenty years ago.
The files, released on Friday, include Epstein's communications with former White House advisors, an NFL team co-owner, and billionaires like Bill Gates and Elon Musk.
The Trump administration's Justice Department announced it would release over 3 million pages of documents, alongside more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, as part of a massive investigation into the influential financier's background over the past two decades.
The new records document Epstein's association with Britain’s Prince Andrew and include his email correspondence with former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, and other prominent figures across political, business, and philanthropic arenas.
Draft Indictment Reveals Epstein’s Abuse
The FBI began investigating Epstein in July 2006, and records show that prosecutors were preparing to indict him in May 2007 after multiple underage girls reported being paid for sexualized massages. However, the ultimate U.S. attorney in Miami, Alexander Acosta, approved a deal allowing Epstein to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor, resulting in just an 18-month jail sentence.
Details from the released records depict Epstein’s employee recounting various illicit activities, including sending flowers to a high school student and cleaning up after underage sexual encounters. These shocking testimonials raise further questions about the justice system's failure to prosecute Epstein adequately.
High-Profile Names in Epstein’s Emails
The records contain an extensive amount of references to Trump, including shared news articles and discussions about politics. Additionally, Mountbatten-Windsor is mentioned multiple times across various documents, including guest lists and private emails directed to him.
In communications with Musk, plans for potential visits to Epstein's Caribbean island were discussed, although the details remain unclear. Tisch and Bannon also had casual exchanges with Epstein about politics and social events.
The documents indicate that Bannon frequently interacted with Epstein, debating political tactics and even inquiring about using Epstein’s plane for personal travel. While these revelations further entangle high-profile individuals with Epstein’s dark past, both Trump and Clinton have stated they had no knowledge of Epstein's abusive activities.
In 2021, Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate, was convicted for her role in sex trafficking and is currently serving a 20-year sentence. With more than 3 million pages of documentation now released, the extent of Epstein’s connections and the systemic failures in addressing his crimes are under intense scrutiny.
Follow the AP’s ongoing coverage of Jeffrey Epstein here.
