WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Wealthy and politically connected financier Jeffrey Epstein struck a last-minute deal Tuesday to settle a civil suit that would have exposed details of serious allegations of sexual abuse against him. Some of his accusers were ready to testify.
But after Tuesday’s last minute deal, Epstein’s victims may never be heard in court. Brad Edwards, the attorney representing several of the women, saying he doesn’t think Epstein will face any additional criminal charges.
“That’s just the reality of who he is, versus who the victims are,” Edwards said.
Jeffrey Epstein
Florida Department of Law Enforcement via Reuters
According to the Miami Herald, in 2006 the FBI launched a probe into allegations that Epstein sexually abused dozens of teenage girls. They were allegedly lured by assistants to his home, where they thought they would be paid for giving massages but would instead perform sex acts.
To fight those allegations, Epstein assembled a legal dream team that included Alan Dershowitz and former special prosecutor Kenneth Starr. The multimillionaire faced life in prison but with their help struck a deal. He pleaded guilty to state felony prostitution charges and served a 13-month sentence.
Epstein was allowed to spend up to 12 hours a day, six days a week at his office. The federal prosecutor who agreed to the lenient sentence in that case was Alex Acosta, the current U.S. secretary of labor.
In a statement released Tuesday, Acosta’s spokeswoman said, “This matter has been publicly addressed previously, including during confirmation hearings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida has defended the actions in this case across three administrations.”
Epstein was known to be politically connected. Flight logs obtained by several media organizations indicate former President Bill Clinton was on Epstein’s private jet at least 26 times between 2001 and 2003.
Epstein supposedly knew President Trump, who said in a 2002 interview with New York Magazine that Epstein is a “terrific guy” who “likes beautiful women as much as I do and many of them are on the younger side.” Mr. Trump’s attorney told Fox News, “There was no relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump.”
Epstein was one of the most successful money managers in America, handling billions of dollars of investor’s money.
“If it were someone else that didn’t have that money and power they would be in jail for life, and that’s just what would happen to them,” said Edwards.
Edwards said the settlement he reached with Epstein included an apology and confidential financial agreement. Epstein had no comment.
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