What is in the Epstein documents?

Almost five years after his death, there are still many myths and theories surrounding the crimes of US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Now a US court is publishing previously confidential court papers. Do they really contain the expected sensations? What is known so far.

Why are these documents now accessible?

The documents were released after US District Judge Loretta A. Preska ordered two weeks ago that the identities of around 170 people connected to US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein be disclosed. Until now, these names had been blacked out. Many of the Epstein associates had already been identified in the media or in court, the judge said about the order, which was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by the Miami Herald. The identities of several minors who are alleged victims of sexual abuse will remain secret.

What documents are involved?

It concerns statements and court documents from a defamation lawsuit against Epstein's former partner Ghislaine Maxwell. In a civil lawsuit in 2015, the US American Virginia Giuffre accused Maxwell of forcing her to have sex with the British Prince Andrew and other prominent men when she was 17 years old. Prince Andrew has denied the allegations and claims he has no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre. Giuffre and Maxwell settled the lawsuit out of court, but the "Miami Herald" and other media companies nevertheless requested that the relevant documents be published. Most of the documents are statements made by women who were victims of Epstein in the 1990s until his conviction in Florida in 2008. At that time, Epstein was convicted of soliciting the prostitution of a teenage girl. However, after serving his sentence and having to register as a sex offender, he allegedly continued to commit acts of abuse.

What can be said about the content so far?

In recent weeks, there has been much speculation on social media that the documents would contain a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein's "clients" or "co-conspirators". However, no such list exists. The first 40 or so documents released to the public largely contain material that has been previously published or covered in detail in newspaper reports, television documentaries, interviews and books about the Epstein scandal.

Which names are mentioned now?

Giuffre's statement names several prominent figures who have already denied allegations in previous statements. These include hedge fund owner Glenn Dubin, billionaire US businessman Tom Pritzker and the late Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson. Former US presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are also mentioned, as well as Britain's Prince Andrew, pop star Michael Jackson, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and magician David Copperfield.

What do these mentions say about the possible involvement of these people in Epstein's deeds?

The names are by no means to be equated with suspected perpetrators. In the case of Jackson and Hawking, for example, it appears that the celebrities were merely present at one of Epstein's events. Copperfield is said to have performed some magic tricks at a dinner attended by the witness Johanna Sjoberg. She described him as a friend of Epstein's. According to the documents, Copperfield asked Sjoberg if she was aware that "girls were paid to find other girls". Clinton is mentioned in the detailed May 2016 deposition of Sjoberg, who says she dated Epstein between 2001 and 2006. When asked if Epstein ever talked to her about Clinton, Sjoberg said, according to the Washington Post, "He once said that Clinton liked her young, referring to girls." Clinton already issued a statement in 2019 that he knew nothing about Epstein's "terrible crimes". He has never been accused of any misconduct in this context, nor did he object to the current publication of the documents. As for Trump, Sjobgerg's statement includes an account of an unplanned stop in Atlantic City, in the US state of New Jersey. "Jeffrey (Epstein) said, 'Great, we'll call Trump,'" Sjoberg testified, adding that Epstein suggested a visit to Trump's casino. However, the witness also stated that she had never had sexual contact with Trump. Trump testified that he had fallen out with Epstein years ago and was "not a fan" of him. Sjoberg also reported that Prince Andrew put his hand on her breast to pose for a photo with Epstein, Giuffre and Maxwell.

What do the papers reveal about the actual acts?

Several legal motions and excerpts from statements by accusers describe in detail how Epstein sexually abused his victims, many of whom were minors. Among other things, he forced them to sexually satisfy him during massages. The names of some of these people remain confidential, for example "Doe 16". This alleged underage victim of sexual abuse has not yet made any public statements. "Therefore, the public interest does not outweigh the interests of privacy," said Judge Preska.

What legal consequences has the Epstein case had so far?

Epstein's former girlfriend Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for helping to recruit Epstein's victims. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Epstein took his own life in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial. The indictment accused him of running a ring for the sexual exploitation of minors. For decades, Epstein's properties in New York, Florida, Santa Fe and the Virgin Islands were alleged to have been used to abuse numerous minors.

Are further revelations conceivable?

The papers that have now been published mostly relate to acts that took place further in the past. It is conceivable that other US courts will release documents that were part of the charges against Epstein immediately before his suicide, for example. In this respect, it cannot be ruled out that accomplices will be named or acts described that were not previously publicly known.