Hundreds of pages of unsealed documents from a lawsuit connected to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were publicly released on Wednesday. This is the first set of documents to be unsealed under a December 18 court order, with more expected in the coming weeks.
The documents in total, including material yet to be unsealed, are expected to include nearly 200 names, including some of Epstein’s accusers, prominent businesspeople, politicians and potentially more.
The first batch of documents didn’t appear to contain any bombshell revelations. Much of the information in them has already been released through media reports and other court proceedings. But this is the first time these documents, filed with a court, have been released through the legal system.
Attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell said in a statement on Wednesday: “She has consistently and vehemently maintained her innocence.”
The documents contain excerpts of depositions taken of Maxwell and Virginia Roberts Giuffre. There is also a deposition from Johanna Sjoberg, who in the document described Prince Andrew touching her breast in a joking manner while taking photos.
Sjoberg’s story has been public, but this is the first time her deposition has been unsealed. She worked sometimes for Epstein, and she has said that he pressured her to go beyond her comfort level at times in giving sexualized massages.
Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre previously reached an out-of-court settlement in her sexual abuse lawsuit against him, according to a court document filed by her attorneys Tuesday. Andrew has denied the allegations against him.
The deposition transcripts include references to several prominent names, as has been previously reported, including Andrew as well as Bill Clinton, the former US president.
Sjoberg recalled in her 2016 deposition that Epstein spoke to her about Bill Clinton.
“He said one time that Clinton likes them young, referring to girls,” she said.
When asked if Clinton was a friend of Epstein’s, she said she understood Epstein had “dealings” with Clinton.
A spokesman for Clinton confirmed in 2019 that the former president had flown on Epstein’s private plane but said Clinton knew nothing of the financier’s “terrible crimes.”
A Clinton spokesman on Wednesday reiterated that 2019 denial and told CNN that it has now “been nearly 20 years since President Clinton last had contact with Epstein.” Clinton has not been accused of any crimes or wrongdoing related to Epstein.
In her deposition, Johanna Sjoberg also recalled a time she was with Epstein on one of his planes and pilots informed them they needed to land in Atlantic City. Epstein then suggested they contact Donald Trump.
“Jeffrey said, Great, we’ll call up Trump and we’ll go to – I don’t recall the name of the casino, but – we’ll go to the casino,” Sjoberg said.
Sjoberg later said in her deposition she never gave a massage to Trump. Trump is not accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein in the documents.
CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Giuffre alleged in her deposition that Maxwell directed her to have sexual contact with people including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Prince Andrew, tech guru Marvin Minsky, well-known French modeling scout Jean-Luc Brunel and American investor Glenn Dubin.
A Dubin spokesperson said in a statement in 2019, when Giuffre’s allegations were previously made public, that “”Glenn and Eva Dubin are outraged by the allegations against them in the unsealed court records and categorically reject them.” The statement was widely reported at the time, including in the Washington Post, the Hill and Vanity Fair.
The same portion of that deposition still has three unnamed people that were not revealed Wednesday. Giuffre alleges Maxwell directed her to have sexual relations with an “unnamed prince,” the “owner of a large hotel chain” and a completely redacted out name.
It is not clear from the document whether Giuffre subsequently had sexual contact with any of the people named.
Other records unsealed are legal motions filed by the attorneys.
The documents are filings from a settled case brought by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American woman who claimed Epstein sexually abused her as a minor and that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, aided in the abuse.
Many of the alleged victims and associates have given public interviews and have already been identified in the media. Inclusion in the newly unredacted documents is not an indication of wrongdoing or lawbreaking.
Some victims’ names remain redacted due to the sensitive nature of the crimes, according to court filings.
Epstein was indicted in 2019 on federal charges of operating a sex trafficking ring in which he allegedly sexually abused dozens of underage girls.
Epstein died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial. Prosecutors in New York indicted Maxwell on sex trafficking charges involving multiple victims. She was convicted in 2021.
Source: CNN
BDST: 0954 HRS, JAN 04, 2024
SMS
