Miami Herald, NYT file court papers on the Epstein files

The records — written by a court-designated special master overseeing probate of his estate — could reveal how his co-executors are distributing the sex trafficker’s fortune and, more significantly, provide insight into how Epstein acquired his money, which has long been a mystery. Epstein’s primary residence was Little St. James, his private island off St. Thomas and where for years he operated a group of shell companies that enabled him to obtain over $300 million in tax breaks in the USVI.

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Lawyers for the media companies argue that the reports should not be sealed and are a matter of public record under the First Amendment. Case law has established that there is a “presumption of openness” to judicial documents under the First Amendment unless parties to the case are able to convince a judge the documents should be sealed.

The New York Times filed its letter July 30, urging the judge overseeing the estate to unseal the reports, saying they were designated as confidential without any justification for the sealing. The Herald filed a letter to the judge on Thursday.

  Miami Herald

Was the judge on Epstein's list?

“The continued and timely release or unsealing of documents related to Mr. Epstein’s history of widespread abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking of minors (across government institutions) is necessary for the press and the public to become fully informed as to how law enforcement, the legal system, and other institutions allowed crimes of this type and magnitude to proceed unchecked for years,” the Miami Herald’s lawyer, Christine N. Walz, wrote.

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Epstein was accused of running a criminal network that recruited vulnerable high school girls under the guise of asking them to give “massages” to Epstein, a wealthy benefactor who would help them financially, get them into college or give them job connections. The girls, however, were pressured to perform sex acts — and were often threatened if they tried to cut ties with him. In some cases, they were trafficked to other powerful men.

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Some victims reported that upon arriving at Epstein’s homes, their passports were taken from them.

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There are still a staggering number of records that have not been made public in the case. Among them:

• Epstein’s draft 2008 indictment on sex-trafficking charges
• Search-warrant records for Epstein’s various properties in 2005 and 2019
• Evidence and statements gathered as part of the criminal cases against Epstein and Maxwell
• Lists of possible suspects involved in Epstein’s sex-trafficking network
• Witness statements
• Unredacted FBI vault case files
• CIA files
• Autopsy and underlying investigative interviews involving Epstein’s death
• Files kept by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Homeland Security and the Treasury Department

For most federal criminal and civil cases, these kinds of records are rarely made public. But the demand for transparency in the Epstein case has taken on a life of its own, driven by the voices of survivors, social-media influencers, federal lawmakers from both parties — and the public.

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“As the Court is aware, Mr. Epstein’s conduct and the circumstances surrounding his death are currently topics of intense public interest. Professional reporters and self-styled ‘internet sleuths’ alike scrutinize even routine administrative actions by the Estate,” [Christopher Allen Kroblin, the lawyer representing Epstein’s executors, said in a letter opposing unsealing the reports]. “As a result, individuals and third-party vendors who may have never met Mr. Epstein but who have been identified as transacting with the Estate are subject to harassment and threats.”

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Epstein’s 2019 arrest came after the Miami Herald published an investigation, “Perversion of Justice,” which detailed how Epstein got away with his crimes through a secret plea bargain that was struck between a U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Florida and Epstein’s lawyers. That deal, in 2008, allowed Epstein to escape serious federal sex-trafficking charges and gave immunity to others involved in his crimes.

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Epstein had close ties to billionaires and powerful people in politics, science and academia. He was friends with former President Bill Clinton and Trump; Prince Andrew; Bill Gates and former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner.

Some suspect that he exploited those connections to continue to abuse girls and young women. Others theorize that he blackmailed people as part of his criminal operation. But in July, the FBI and DOJ released a joint memo stating there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.

Still, some lawmakers said they believe that Epstein’s bank records could provide a road map of Epstein’s connections to powerful people. His financial records are at the heart of uncovering who funded and enabled Epstein, they say.