In the abuse scandal surrounding the late US millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, the allegations also pile up against the judiciary. At least eight high-ranking officials are said to have known that the apparently suicidal suspect may not be left alone.
In addition, it was revealed that Epstein in his recent will denied his enormous fortune from the access of his alleged victims.
Also around two weeks after the suicide of the real estate company in prison, the scandal still sends regular shock waves. Almost daily, victims or relatives report, many new allegations come to light.
Other members of the high society and their possible entanglements in the swamp of money and abuse also hit the headlines.
On Thursday, the Washington Post reported severe punishment in prison, which would have made it possible for Epstein to commit suicide.
The 66-year-old had, as the newspaper reported, apparently hanged with a sheet on his bunk bed. As early as July, Epstein had unsuccessfully tried to take his life in the same way after refusing his application for bailment release. At that time, his inmate had sounded the alarm, the guards had responded immediately.
Intention or incompetence?
On his death night, the two guards, who should supervise Epstein in his prison cell, slept on duty, according to US media. Instead of checking every 30 minutes as prescribed, they would have left Epstein unattended for around three hours. Now the Washington Post reported that at least eight high-ranking Bureau of Prison officials had been instructed that Epstein should not be left alone.
This agency, which is under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Justice, manages US federal prisons. She is being investigated by the FBI and Ministry after Epstein’s death. The newspaper pointed out that these were people at the executive level of the Bureau, not lower ranking officials.
According to the newspaper, the investigators now suspect some of these officials have known that Epstein is left alone in the cell. Nevertheless, this is not necessarily criminal behavior, but may be „simple and simple bureaucratic incompetence that spans several people and levels of organization“.
Prince Andrew charged again
The mishaps in the prison administration also prompted justice minister William Barr to transfer the director of the detention center and to change the direction of the Bureau of Prison. At the time of his death, Epstein sat in the Manhattan Correctional Center in New York, where he was to stay until the trial began. The court preliminarily set the trial preliminarily at the beginning of June 2020.
The businessman was accused of sexually abusing dozens of minors. According to the indictment Epstein built between 2002 and 2005 in New York and Florida on an illegal sex trade ring. In 2008, Epstein already pleaded guilty to providing clients with underage prostitutes. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for this. In return, he was spared a second procedure. More than 20 women accused him of abuse.
One of the alleged victims had also stated, as then 17-year-old has been forced several times to sex with British Prince Andrew. However, the allegations were not pursued. Against Prince Andrew, there were also reproaches in the recent scandal again. The then 17-year-old and the prince had traveled in Epstein’s private jet in 2001 together on the Virgin Islands. This was the current pilot’s report.
Video of Andrew on Epstein’s estate
The Duke of York (59) knew Epstein for decades. Even after Epstein’s release, Andrew maintained contact with the multimillionaire. Recently, the British tabloid Daily Mail published a video showing Andrew at Epstein’s New York estate in 2010. You can see a figure standing in the door waving goodbye to a young woman. It should be Andrew. The palace did not want to confirm the authenticity of the video.
Finally, on Friday, the publicist Evgeni Mozorov published in the US magazine „The New Republic“ an e-mail traffic that Mozorov had with the literary agent John Brockman a few years ago. Brockman, a friend of Epstein’s, wrote to him at the time that he saw Prince Andrew in 2010, also on Epstein’s estate. The nobleman has just received a foot massage from two young Russian women. That Andrew met Epstein in New York in 2010 is also evidenced by a photo of the two men in Central Park.
Buckingham Palace has always dismissed all allegations as „categorically wrong,“ then as now. „His Royal Highness condemns the exploitation of every human being, and the suggestion that he would tolerate, participate in or incite such behavior is disgusting,“ said the palace on Sunday night.
NGO wants to have found ten witnesses
In France too Epstein should have pursued his machinations. He regularly received guests in his luxury Paris apartment on Avenue Foch near the Champs Elysees. One of Epstein’s close associates was the once influential French model agent Jean-Luc Brunel. In court documents he is also accused of rape. In addition, he is said to have procured Epstein young girls. A French victim protection organization claims to have received several testimonies. The statements were forwarded to the judicial authorities in France and the US, the non-governmental organization Innocence en Danger said on Thursday. The statements were reported by both victims of abuse and witnesses.
Assets parked in funds
For the alleged victims, Epstein’s death was particularly disturbing. Now he could no longer be held responsible, it was said. The applicants among them could also go to court empty-handed with the claim for damages. Epstein wrote a will only two days before his suicide. The document put Epstein’s fortune at about 578 million US dollars (about 521 million euros), wrote the „New York Post“. In the will, Epstein transferred his entire fortune to a trust fund called „The 1953 Trust,“ referring to his year of birth. Thus, it would be difficult to access the assets, according to the Guardian.
Through the fund, Epstein had been able to disguise his heirs, whether that be business or people. Media reports have speculated that the most likely heir was Epstein’s younger brother Mark. Now, however, the plaintiffs would first have to get hold of the details of the fund and then first claim the status of claimants. Some of the women who accuse Epstein have already announced that they will continue to fight in court.
