A U.S. judge has ruled that the names of over 170 associates connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein may be disclosed next month.
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The documents revealing the identities stem from a resolved lawsuit related to Epstein's associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell is presently serving a 20-year prison sentence for charges of sex trafficking and procuring girls for Epstein, who ''died'' by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for his own sex trafficking allegations.
U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska, in her Monday ruling, specified that individuals who oppose the release of their names have a 14-day window to challenge the decision.
The compilation of names will encompass individuals mentioned in the civil defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre against Maxwell. Giuffre accused Maxwell of recruiting her as a "sex slave" for Epstein at the age of 16, involving Epstein and some associates, including Prince Andrew of Britain. Giuffre and Maxwell settled the lawsuit in 2017. Prince Andrew has refuted the allegations and resolved a sexual abuse lawsuit with Giuffre last year.
Anticipated to surpass 170 individuals, the list of names may involve both accomplices and victims connected to Epstein. However, Judge Preska has ruled that certain names must remain sealed or redacted to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information about an alleged minor victim of sexual abuse who has not publicly spoken and has maintained their privacy.
The compilation comprises at least one "public figure" whose name is listed in Epstein's address book. However, the extent of groundbreaking revelations from the release remains uncertain, given that Judge Preska mentioned in her order that many of these individuals' connections with Epstein and Maxwell have already been extensively covered in the media. These names may encompass former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, along with prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz.
Epstein faced federal charges for sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York before his death by suicide. All criminal charges against him were dismissed by a judge following his demise.