Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are outraged after FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly told senators there was “no credible information” that the disgraced financier trafficked women and girls to other powerful men. Patel made the claim during testimony before the U.S. Senate Oversight Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 16. He said that even after reviewing “a good amount” of the FBI’s Epstein files, he saw no evidence Epstein had trafficked women to anyone but himself.
Just two days later, on Sept. 18, ten Epstein survivors, along with the brother and sister of the late Virginia Giuffre, issued a statement blasting Patel’s remarks. “Director Patel’s testimony raises more questions than answers,” they wrote. The statement noted that Patel himself has long criticized past investigations of Epstein as incomplete. The survivors asked what his plan is now to ensure a full and impartial probe that doesn’t stop at Epstein alone.
Survivors of the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell respond to FBI director Patel’s testimony: pic.twitter.com/LkBGo8u1EA
— Jake Tapper(@jaketapper) September 18, 2025
The survivors pointed to Giuffre’s deposition in her civil case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime partner who was later convicted of sex trafficking. In that deposition, Giuffre named wealthy and well-known men she alleged Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to. They also highlighted a claim by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who said during a separate hearing that the FBI had compiled a list of at least 20 men Epstein allegedly trafficked victims to. According to Massie, that list included a Hollywood producer, a rock star, a prince, a high-profile former politician, and at least six billionaires, all named in witness interviews with the FBI.
- Survivors of Epstein’s crimes shocked by FBI Director Kash Patel’s testimony of “no credible information” on trafficking to powerful men
- Kaitlan Collins fact checks Trump after he claims bad press is “no longer free speech”
- Max George shows fighting spirit as he bounces back from heart surgery
- Martin Lewis warns State Pension could face changes and why some pensioners may soon pay tax
- EU tells Britain no food import deal without freedom of movement for young Europeans
The survivors argued that Patel could take a step toward accountability by releasing the witness interviews, known as FD302s, that were collected before Epstein’s 2019 indictment. These records are not covered by Epstein’s notorious 2008 non-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department. When pressed by Massie on whether the bureau would release the files or pursue the men identified in them, Patel dodged the question. He later said that it was not his opinion that the witnesses lacked credibility but that of past U.S. Attorneys who handled earlier cases.
The survivors called out the inconsistency, noting that Patel has often accused those same prosecutors of participating in a cover-up. “Now he will pass the buck to them to decide that information about other men in the Epstein-Maxwell trafficking ring is not even worth following up on?” the statement read. They warned that some victims and witnesses have still never been interviewed and questioned if they will continue to be ignored.
The statement was signed by survivors Jess Michaels, Rachel Benavidez, Danielle Bensky, Marijke Chartouni, Annie Farmer, Marina Lacerda, Lara Blume McGee, Sharlene Rochard, Ashley Rubright, and Liz Stein, along with Giuffre’s siblings Sky and Amanda. “As head of the FBI, Director Patel can work now to remedy that, in a way that finally centers survivor voices and finally pursues the whole truth,” they wrote. “The public demands it; the victims deserve it; and our system of justice without fear or favor requires it.”
The Justice Department declined to comment. The uproar comes as the Trump administration faces mounting scrutiny for shifting explanations about Epstein’s files. Attorney General Pam Bondi initially claimed Epstein’s “client list” was on her desk before later saying it did not exist. The controversy has also reignited questions about Trump’s relationship with Epstein, which included a birthday letter allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein in the shape of a naked woman. Trump has denied writing it and filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal for reporting on it.
Epstein was first charged with sex crimes in the mid-2000s but avoided serious prison time through a lenient plea deal. He was indicted again in 2019 on sex trafficking charges when he died in a Manhattan jail cell, with his death ruled a suicide by hanging.
