(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Twelve anonymous victims of Jeffrey Epstein sued the FBI this week for allowing Epstein’s sex-trafficking network to operate with impunity for years.
The lawsuit comes nearly a year after victims filed a complaint with the Justice Department over the matter. The lawsuit suggested that the victims were particularly insulted by FBI Director Chris Wray’s statements at a December congressional hearing, where he told Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., that he hasn’t looked at the Epstein case in years.
“While Senator Blackburn told Director Wray that he would ‘need to right that wrong,’ Director Wray and the FBI have done nothing to ‘right that wrong.’ The FBI has again turned its back on survivor-victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring,” said the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit further recounted the FBI’s long, sorry track record on the Epstein case, starting when the bureau ignored a complaint from Epstein victim Maria Farmer in 1996.
“Between 1996 and 2006, the FBI continued to receive reports, complaints and tips concerning the illegal sex trafficking of women and underage minors, sex abuse and human rights violations committed by Jeffrey Epstein and associates. In March of 2005, the FBI was alerted by the Palm Beach Police Department of child prostitution. In fact, there was a 14-year-old girl who was solicited to Epstein’s mansion for sex,” the lawsuit said.
Even when the FBI opened an investigation into Epstein in 2006, the result was a sweetheart deal, where he pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor in exchange for non-prosecution. Epstein served 13 months in jail, during which time he was allowed to leave for work release during the day. The FBI then closed its investigation in 2008, allowing Epstein to again run amok for another decade.
After Epstein’s 2008 unusual plea deal, more reports, tips and complaints were received by the FBI concerning sex with teenagers, minors, sex trafficking and abuse, the lawsuit continued.
“The FBI was aware of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring between New York, Palm Beach, New Mexico, Paris and the U.S. Virgin Islands which continued after Epstein was a registered sex offender,” the lawsuit said.
“It was not until 11 years later, Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy. Epstein died in jail before the case could be prosecuted for these heinous crimes.”
The victims are asking the court to award them damages for the FBI’s negligence.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
