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Epstein, a financier who owns homes around the world, including a waterfront estate in Palm Beach, was
arrested July 6, nearly eight months after the Miami Herald published Perversion of Justice, a two-year
investigation of a much-reviled secret plea deal in 2007-2008 that spared Epstein a sweeping federal indictment
despite allegations of sexual abuse by nearly three dozen underage girls.
He had just arrived from France at New Jersey's Teterboro airport on his private jet when authorities met him
and took him into custody.
During the early- and mid-2000s, Epstein allegedly ran what amounted to a sexual pyramid scheme, using
recruiters to lure girls as young as 14 to his lavish Palm Beach and Manhattan mansions with the promise that
they would receive $200 to give a man a massage. The girls have alleged that they were coerced into sex.
The girls were paid additional money if they would recruit others girls, police and court records allege. Epstein
had assistants schedule as many as three visits a day.
Rather than face federal charges that could have put him away for life, Epstein pleaded guilty in state court to
minor prostitution charges and served just a year in the county stockade — which permitted him to leave the
lockup for his luxurious downtown West Palm Beach office for 12 hours a day, six days a week. This "work
release" arrangement, highly unusual for a sex offender, is now under criminal investigation by order of the Palm
Beach sheriff, Ric Bradshaw, who oversees the stockade and approved the work release.
Although Assistant U.S. Attorney said it is important to move swiftly ahead with Epstein's court
case, his defense attorney said he needs time in light of the approximately one million pages of documents that
that comprise the evidence collected against his client.
Labor Secretary Alex Acosta held a press conference to defend his role in handling the Jeffrey Epstein sexual
abuse case. Acosta was a U.S. Attorney who approved the Epstein plea deal in 2008. By CSPAN
In the meantime, Epstein will be given a chance to argue that the non-prosecution agreement, executed in 2008,
gave him, his schedulers, his alleged madam and others immunity from federal charges and that the new charges
constitute impermissible double jeopardy.
In its series of articles, the Herald highlighted the role of Alexander Acosta, then-U.S. attorney for the Southern
District of Florida, in approving the immunity agreement, including a controversial stipulation that Epstein's
accusers not be told of the arrangement. Facing searing criticism after Epstein's arrest, Acosta resigned his post
as President Trump's labor secretary.
Jeffrey Epstein could face sex trafficking trial next June
Reuters
7/31/19
Financier Jeffrey Epstein could go to trial on charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls as
early as next June, though his lawyers told a court on Wednesday they may need more time.
At a hearing in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors sought a June 2020 trial date, while a lawyer for Epstein
asked that it wait another three months.
The lawyer, Martin Weinberg, said Epstein and his legal team needed more time to review evidence, expected to
total more than 1 million pages.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said he would tentatively set aside time for a trial beginning June 8, but
revisit the issue later. He said he normally allowed defendants more time to prepare if they wished.
Assistant U.S. Attorney said a trial is expected to last four to six weeks.
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