Court releases Epstein papers with names

Abuse - Court releases Epstein papers with names

In the abuse scandal surrounding US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein, a court has published the real names of more than 150 people who were allegedly previously treated anonymously. They were named in a civil dispute between the injured US-American Virginia Giuffre and Epstein's long-time partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Being named 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 proceedings.

The more than 900 pages of court documents include the names of former US President Bill Clinton and the British Prince Andrew, who were once considered confidants of Epstein. Some of the people on the list are also relatives of Epstein's abuse victims, for example. Clinton, previously referred to in the trial as "John Doe 36" (roughly "Max Mustermann 36"), had not objected to his name being mentioned, according to the media. Epstein has been dead for almost four and a half years.

Clinton's name appears dozens of times

The documents that have now been published contain Clinton's name dozens of times, including in witness statements that place him close to Epstein's actions. However, as the US media outlet Axios describes, these passages do not contain any evidence of illegal behavior by the former president.

Prince Andrew is mentioned by name just as frequently and in a similar context. The aristocratic scion was able to avert civil proceedings in connection with Epstein's abuse ring in 2022. Despite the accusations made against him by US plaintiff Virginia Giuffre, he never publicly admitted to having sex with the then minor. It is unclear how much he paid for the settlement with the American woman.

Serious allegations against Prince Andrew not new

The serious allegations against Andrew described in the documents are for the most part not new, but have already been previously reported by the media from their own investigations. Nevertheless, they are likely to reignite the issue in the UK in particular. An inquiry to the palace initially went unanswered. According to the British news agency PA, Andrew had denied any allegations.

Epstein was arrested in July 2019. The businessman is alleged to have sexually abused numerous girls, including minors, and introduced them to other men. Around a month after his arrest, Epstein was found dead in his cell at the age of 66. According to official reports, 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 on Epstein's estates in New York, Florida, Santa Fe and the Virgin Islands. An earlier indictment against Epstein resulted in a very favorable deal for the entrepreneur, which made him a symbol of a social elite that gets away with crimes.

The case also caused a worldwide stir because the entrepreneur was networked in the highest circles. His relationships with celebrities and his death led to numerous rumors and conspiracy theories.

Lots of speculation about celebrities

The publication of the documents that have now been released also led to much speculation about celebrities. Former President Donald Trump is also named in the documents - but only in the context of the questioning of a witness who stated that she had never had sexual contact with Trump.

In contrast, the names of the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and magician David Copperfield appear to be new. They seem to indicate that the celebrities were present at one of Epstein's events on at least one occasion. As at least two people have appealed to the US court against the publication of their names, it is possible that further documents will be published in the coming weeks.