Crime

More than 170 Epstein Associates to be Named Next Month

DEC 20 2023·Updated DEC 21 2023

Story

Image credit: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

The Facts

The identities of more than 170 associates of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks after a New York court ordered that documents from a now-settled defamation lawsuit be unsealed.
Yahoo! News
Prince Andrew of the British royal family is expected to be named on the list. Epstein is known to have interacted with high-profile people in politics and business. American congressional Republicans have pushed to subpoena the flight logs from Epstein's private plane.
BBC News
The court ordered the release as part of a civil lawsuit filed against Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell by Australian-American campaigner Virginia Giuffre, who says she was sexually trafficked and abused by Epstein. The lawsuit was settled in 2017, but the terms of the settlement were never disclosed.
KIRO 7 News Seattle
The names set to be released will also reportedly include former employees of Epstein and co-conspirators, besides some victims and associates not accused of any wrongdoing. However, at least 11 names will remain anonymous because they were either deemed peripheral to the case or because they were minor victims.
KIRO 7 News Seattle
The case was under a protective seal and the information in it led to Maxwell being convicted in December 2021 of child sex trafficking. Maxwell is now serving 20 years in prison, while Epstein died by suicide awaiting trial in 2019.
Independent
The court has given the persons set to be named 14 days to appeal the decision. The order will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
Independent

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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The Spin

Narrative A

Jeffery Epstein is dead and Ghislaine Maxwell is serving time. Releasing all the names associated with this lawsuit — most of them likely of innocent people — could very well cause more harm than good. While some victims' names are being withheld, none of the information ought to be released, as doing so would be violation of privacy.

Global News

Narrative B

Although the information set to be released is sensitive, the public deserves to know the full truth. The right to information about Epstein and Maxwell's human trafficking should be prioritized above preventing embarrassment to those named on the list.

Independent