Jeffrey Epstein: Documents related to the late sex offender declassified and the names of Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson emerge -
Documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are declassified and the names of Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson emerge
Britain's Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton are among the high-profile figures named in US court papers detailing the relationships of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The newly released records form part of a case against Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend of Epstein who was jailed for helping him abuse girls.
But the documents have not yet revealed any major new allegations about Epstein nor any information about his associates.
Other names in the documents include singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield, although no allegations of wrongdoing have been made.
The first files from the highly publicized collection — which cover about 900 pages — were released on Wednesday, following an order from New York Judge Loretta Preska, who acknowledged that many of the people named had already been identified by the media or at trial. Maxwell Criminal.
Revealing the names may shed new light on the sex trafficking network that was run by Epstein, who died in 2019, in cooperation with his partner, Ghylene Maxwell.
The notorious millionaire was connected to high-ranking figures from the worlds of politics, business and the British royal family.
A judge has ordered the disclosure of court documents in a lawsuit linked to Maxwell.
There are 187 different individuals known as John or Jane Doe in court papers, and their real names will now be announced.
Why are these names announced?
The identities are being revealed under a lawsuit against Gailene Maxwell, the daughter of British media tycoon Robert Maxwell.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for the crimes she committed with Epstein.
The defamation suit was filed by Virginia Giuffret, one of Maxwell's accusers, and at that time the names were kept secret by court decision.
But last month, a New York judge ruled that the names should now be released.
What did the judge say about the names?
Judge Loretta Preska noted that many of the individuals named in the lawsuit had their identities revealed by the media or in Maxwell's criminal trial.
She added that many others "did not raise any objection" to the release of the documents.
The judge said in her ruling that some of the names on the list will remain confidential, including the names of the victims
children.
Some individuals may have appeared more than once under different "Do" numbers, so the exact number of names that will be revealed is unknown.
Who might be on Epstein's list?
They will be a mix of people accused of committing illegal acts, people making those accusations, and others who were potential witnesses to the crimes.
They could include employees employed by Epstein or people who visited his home or went on his private plane.
Prince Andrew is expected to be on the list. The court files include 40 documents of evidence from a woman who brought accusations against the prince.
Joanna Sjoberg alleged that Prince Andrew touched her breasts while sitting on a sofa inside Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001.
Buckingham Palace had previously said that the allegations were "categorically untrue."
The prince paid millions last year to Virginia Giuffret to settle a lawsuit she filed alleging that he sexually assaulted her when she was 17 years old.
The prince said he had never met Ms Giuffret and denied her allegations.
Why does Bill Clinton's name appear on Epstein's list?
The former US president was mentioned more than 50 times in court documents, according to ABC News. But there is no indication that he committed illegal acts.
Clinton traveled on Epstein's plane on humanitarian trips to Africa in early 2000 and at the time praised Epstein as someone committed to charitable work.
Clinton's team had previously said that it had severed ties with Epstein before he was subject to investigation. They have said in the past that he knew nothing about Epstein's crimes.
Many of the references to Clinton in the court filings relate to Giuffre's failed attempts to get the former president to testify about his relationship with Epstein, according to ABC.
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
Jeffrey Epstein, the millionaire known for his relationships with high-profile figures such as Prince Andrew, died in prison in 2019.
His death occurred while he was awaiting sex trafficking charges, and a New York medical examiner ruled that Epstein's death was a suicide.
Epstein was accused of running a "vast network" of underage girls for sex, but he never pleaded guilty.
He was convicted a decade ago of soliciting sex from a minor.
