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A US federal court docket on Wednesday unsealed tons of of pages of paperwork from a lawsuit associated to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted pedophile who died in jail earlier than he may face trial on federal sex-trafficking costs.
CNN has reviewed the paperwork, which included names — beforehand redacted to guard the people’ privateness — of Epstein’s associates, accusers and others with hyperlinks to a civil case introduced by one of many victims.
Extra paperwork are anticipated to be unsealed Thursday.
Right here’s what we’ve realized up to now.
A lot of the high-profile names that turned public within the paperwork Wednesday had been already identified to have hyperlinks to Epstein.
The paperwork stem from a 2015 civil swimsuit introduced by Virginia Giuffre, who says she was one of many many younger ladies trafficked by Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. (Maxwell was found guilty of intercourse trafficking in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence in federal jail.)
Giuffre’s defamation swimsuit towards Maxwell was settled in 2017, and many of the paperwork from that case had been unsealed two years later, a day earlier than Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell. Since then, the Miami Herald has led a authorized battle to unseal the remaining paperwork.
Showing within the paperwork doesn’t imply the folks named are accused of wrongdoing. However the depositions and testimony underscore the elite firm Epstein managed to maintain, even after he pleaded responsible in 2008 to soliciting an underage prostitute and registered as a sex offender.
Among the many acquainted faces within the paperwork are former presidents Donald Trump and Invoice Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew, former New Mexico Governor Invoice Richardson, French modeling scout Jean-Luc Brunel, American investor Glenn Dubin, and Leslie Wexner, the CEO of L Manufacturers — all of whom have denied any wrongdoing associated to Epstein.
Clinton and Trump weren’t accused within the paperwork, however had been talked about in a deposition by Johanna Sjoberg, one other Epstein sufferer, who had already gone public along with her story.
A spokesman for Clinton has said that the previous president did fly on Epstein’s personal aircraft however knew nothing of the financier’s “horrible crimes.” A Clinton spokesman on Wednesday reiterated that 2019 denial and informed CNN that it has now “been practically 20 years since President Clinton final had contact with Epstein.”
In response to a CNN query, the Trump marketing campaign went on the defensive, accusing the media of attempting to distract People. Trump has beforehand mentioned that whereas he and Epstein frolicked collectively within the Nineties, Trump later banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago and severed ties, although he has declined to debate particulars publicly.
Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre previously reached an out-of-court settlement in her sexual abuse lawsuit towards him. Prince Andrew has denied sexual abuse allegations towards him.
A Dubin spokesperson mentioned in an announcement in 2019 that he categorically rejected Giuffre’s accusation that she was directed to have intercourse with him.
Wexner, who beforehand employed Epstein as a private cash supervisor, has mentioned he reduce ties with the financier in 2007. Wexner told investors in 2019 that “being taken benefit of by somebody who was so sick, so crafty, so wicked is one thing that I’m embarrassed that I used to be even near.”
Richardson, who died in September, mentioned in 2019 through a spokesperson that he by no means met Giuffre and denied any involvement with Epstein’s crimes. Brunel died in a jail cell in 2022 whereas below investigation by French authorities for his ties to Epstein.
Mysteries stay
Giuffre’s deposition included references to a few individuals who nonetheless haven’t been publicly recognized. She alleged she was ordered to have sexual relations with an “unnamed prince,” the “proprietor of a big resort chain” and one other unidentified individual.
Not less than two “J. Does” have filed appeals with the court docket to maintain their names below seal. Decide Loretta Preska granted one Doe an extension to submit proof supporting their declare, and the opposite’s attraction stays below evaluate.
The tons of of pages of paperwork launched Wednesday are simply the primary spherical. One other batch is anticipated to be launched as early as Thursday, and it’s not clear what number of extra will observe, or what new info they could comprise.
—CNN’s Samantha Delouya, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell contributed reporting.