(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The 12 Jeffrey Epstein victims suing the FBI for allowing Epstein’s sex-trafficking network to operate with impunity may not be able to proceed with their lawsuit anonymously.
U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said in an April 30 order that the Epstein victims must file a new lawsuit under their real names by May 20. Some of the victims have never told their story publicly, and thus would be revealed in this lawsuit for the first time.
The victims sought to sue the FBI anonymously for two primary reasons: They didn’t want to relive their trauma in public, and because they still fear retaliation from Epstein’s cronies. In her order, Judge Vyskocil said these concerns were too speculative for her to allow the lawsuit to proceed anonymously.
Update in the FBI case filed by 12 anonymous Jane Does who filed the complaint against the agency for failing to properly investigate Jeffrey Epstein.
A judge has ordered that the Jane Doe’s may NOT proceed anonymously and must disclose their names. pic.twitter.com/jbOMcYdtPU
— TheFallOutCases (@FallOutCases) May 7, 2024
“They assert that their experiences are ‘deeply traumatic’ and ‘playing out those experiences in a public forum would retraumatize them,’” the judge said.
“However, Plaintiffs’ allegations of potential harm are too speculative and insufficient to outweigh the presumption in favor of openness in judicial proceedings.”
The judge had similar remarks about the risk of the victims facing retaliation.
“Plaintiffs’ unsupported theory that unspecified and unknown alleged ‘co-conspirators’ may cause them ‘serious harm’ is too speculative to support their motion. Moreover, this action is not brought against Epstein’s estate or any other alleged co-conspirator. This action is brought against the United States of America,” she said.
“While the Court hardly thinks such a warning is necessary, the Court admonishes counsel for the United States, to refrain from any action that would substantiate this allegation,” she added.
The Epstein victims will try once more to proceed with their lawsuit anonymously. One of their lawyers sent a letter to the judge Tuesday, asking for a time extension to June 20 to refile their lawsuit, and to draft another motion to proceed anonymously.
The survivors initially filed their lawsuit in February, nearly a year after they filed a complaint with the Justice Department over the matter.
The lawsuit recounts 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.
