Two decades after Jeffrey Epstein was first reported to police, the Justice Department has started to publicly release investigative files on the late sex offender and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell.
apnews.com
"For much of two decades, police, FBI agents and prosecutors investigated allegations that
Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused underage girls."
So the FBI were on Epstein's case. But took them a long time.
In 1996 Epstein was accused. It was ignored. In 2007 he was accused again, it was ignored again.
In 2005 there was a case which got the attention of the local police
en.wikipedia.org
"According to
The Washington Post, in November 2004, Palm Beach police were tipped about young women coming and going from Epstein's home. In March 2005, a woman contacted Florida's
Palm Beach Police Department and alleged that her 14-year-old stepdaughter had been taken to Epstein's mansion by an older girl. While there, she was allegedly paid $300 (equivalent to $480 in 2024) to strip and massage Epstein. She had allegedly undressed, but left the encounter wearing her underwear. Palm Beach Police began a 13-month undercover investigation of Epstein, including a search of
his Palm Beach home. During the investigation, Palm Beach police chief
Michael Reiter publicly accused the Palm Beach County state prosecutor, Barry Krischer, of being too lenient and called for help from the FBI."
This is when Trump "banned" Epstein from Mar al Lago. Trump knew about this.
The FBI got involved.
"Interviews with five alleged victims and seventeen witnesses under oath, a high-school transcript and other items found in Epstein's trash and home allegedly showed that some of the girls involved were under 18, the youngest being 14, with many under 16."
"The police search of Epstein's home found two hidden cameras and large numbers of photos of girls throughout the house, some of whom the police had interviewed in the course of their investigation."
"Eventually the FBI compiled reports on "34 confirmed minors" eligible for restitution (increased to 40 in the
non-prosecution agreement) whose allegations of sexual abuse by Epstein included corroborating details."
"
Julie Brown's 2018 exposés in the
Miami Herald identified 80 victims and located about 60 of them"
But Epstein didn't go to prison for a long time. He did a deal. Why? Why a deal? He was so guilty.
"In July 2006, the
FBI began its own investigation of Epstein, nicknamed "Operation Leap Year""
"Acosta agreed to a plea deal, which
Alan Dershowitz helped to negotiate, to grant immunity from all federal criminal charges to Epstein, along with four named co-conspirators and any unnamed "potential co-conspirators""
Why? Why? Why? Why?
"According to the
Miami Herald, the non-prosecution agreement "essentially shut down an ongoing FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful people who took part in Epstein's sex crimes."
Oh, that's why.
"So on June 30, 2008 in the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Epstein pled guilty to one count of “Felony Solicitation of Prostitution” and one count of “Procuring Person under 18 for Prostitution.” "
Even when in "prison" he didn't stay there.
"Epstein was instead housed in a private wing of the Palm Beach County Stockade and, according to the sheriff's office, was, after 3+1⁄2 months, allowed to leave the jail on "work release" for up to twelve hours a day, six days a week. "
"Epstein's cell door was left unlocked, and he had access to the attorney room where a television was installed for him, before he was moved to the Stockade's previously unstaffed infirmary."
It took until 2019 for him to get in court for sex trafficking.
Then it only took a month for him to be found dead.
The thing with his death is that he probably knew he'd get away with a lenient sentence somewhere nice. So why would he kill himself?
Here's some interesting info.
Howard Lutnick, secretary of commerce right now.
en.wikipedia.org
"Lutnick said in October 2025 interview that he was neighbors with Epstein"
"In January 2026, newly released
Epstein files showed extensive contact between Lutnick and
Jeffrey Epstein over several years."
"On December 2012, Lutnick, his wife and their children visited
Little Saint James where they had lunch with Epstein." (Not saying he did anything)
The video says he said he had no more contact with Epstein, but the files show otherwise.
Then there's Musk's email to Epstein where he said he wanted a fun party. Musk was working with Trump last year.
Maybe these people are another reason why Trump doesn't want the files released. But wouldn't Trump just throw these people under the bus? Of course he would.
