Jeffrey Epstein is facing sex trafficking and conspiracy charges over accusations he exploited numerous underage women and maintained a network of enablers who allowed the abuse to carry on for years.
Mr Epstein, a politically-connected billionaire financier and onetime associate to the likes of Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, was arrested over the weekend after returning to the US on his private jet from a trip to Paris. Prosecutors suspect him of a list of sex crimes, including the recruitment of underage girls for sexual activity, paying minors for massages and later molesting them, as well as other crimes that allegedly took place in his New York and Florida homes.
He was scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Monday over the allegations dating back to the early 2000s. Mr Epstein previously avoided a major prison sentence after pleading guilty to state prostitution charges nearly 11 years ago. He skirted most of his 13-month sentence with the help of a work-release program that allowed Mr Epstein to leave the jail facilities almost every day.
We’re learning more about what the FBI found after raiding Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion in New York City:
The indictment against Jeffrey Epstein lays out his alleged crimes in detail, including how he managed to create the alleged sex trafficking ring without receiving any retribution from authorities until recently.
“In creating and maintaining this network of minor vi tims in multiple states to sexually abuse and exploit, Jeffrey Epstein, the defendant worked and conspired with others, including employees and associated who facilitated his conduct by, among other things, contacting victims and scheduling their sexual encounters with Epstein at the New York Residence and at the Palm Beach Residence.”
Prosecutors say federal agents investigating wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein found “nude photographs of what appeared to be underage girls” while searching his Manhattan mansion.
US Attorney Geoffrey Berman said at a press conference Monday agents discovered the photos while executing a search warrant following Epstein's arrest Saturday on sex trafficking charges.
The 66-year-old Mr Epstein is accused of creating and maintaining a network that allowed him to sexually exploit and abuse dozens of underage girls from 2002 to 2005. The alleged victims were as young as 14 at the time.
AP
These quotes by both Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein have sparked major controversy after the president’s former associate — a well-connected billionaire financier — was arrested over the weekend on charges he operated an underage sex trafficking ring -
In a press conference held on Monday morning, prosecutors credited journalists with helping uncover newfound accusations against Jeffrey Epstein dating back to the early 2000s -
The indictment also states that Mr Epstein allegedly paid would-be victims to recruit additional to ensure a “steady supply of new victims to exploit”.
“In this way, Epstein created a vast network of underage victims for him to sexually exploit in locations including New York and Palm Beach,” the indictment alleges.
Prosecutors say that between at least 2002 and 2005 Mr Epstein ”sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls”.
According to the indictment Mr Epstein was allegedly aware that many of his victims were younger than 18 “because, in some instances, minor victims expressly told him their age”.
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been charged with sex trafficking of underage girls, with the financier facing allegations that he abused dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida.
The indictment, unsealed in a Manhattan court room, charges Mr Epstein with two counts: sex trafficking and conspiracy.
Mr Epstein is accused of seeking out minors, some as young as 14 years old, and paying them hundreds of dollars to engage in sex acts.
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