More than 170 redacted names of persons tied to alleged pedophile Jeffrey Epstein will be released in the New Year, including recruiters and victims in his purported system of sexual offenses, a judge has ruled.
On Monday, Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska ordered the release of 177 “Jane Does” or “John Does” connected to a defamation case brought against Epstein’s partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. Those named in these documents have 14 days to appeal the decision. Otherwise, the documents will be “unsealed in full” in the new year, the judge wrote.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre sued Maxwell over claims she lied about the former having been sex-trafficked by Epstein as a teen. The case was settled, but The Miami Herald sued for the release of related documents.
Epstein committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting his trial for sex-abuse charges. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for recruiting and grooming underage girls for him between 1994 and 2004.
Giuffre gained attention in the case against Epstein after a photo was released of her as a minor standing arm-to-arm with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.
Some of the people named in the documents will remain anonymous because they are alleged victims of sexual abuse and minors, and their privacy outweighs the public’s right to know, Judge Preska ruled.
The judge linked media interviews to justify the release of some names, which outlets have since reported on.
This includes Miles and Cathy Alexander, a South African couple who managed Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean, according to The Daily Mail. The couple had previously given an interview to the outlet where they admitted to previous suspicions that younger girls were on the island.
Another person expected to be identified by name is a woman who testified in the Maxwell trial that Epstein raped her repeatedly when she was 14 years old. She died of an overdose earlier this year.
Other documents are expected to be released in regard to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French model scout and friend of Epstein who was alleged to have abused young women. Brunel committed suicide in 2022 while awaiting trial for sex charges.
