Thousands of new documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case were made public on Friday, revealing chilling new details about the convicted paedophile's predatory methods. The release, mandated by a new US law passed in November, includes a trove of evidence showing how Epstein deliberately sought out underage girls for his vast sex trafficking ring.
FBI Notes Detail Deliberate Targeting of Minors
Among the newly disclosed files is a set of investigative notes, believed to be from the FBI, dated 2 May 2019. These notes, identified by the code EFTA00004179, contain an interview with an unnamed witness who described Epstein's calculated recruitment process. The witness stated they had "witnessed him asking for ID" from potential victims.
The source explained that Epstein demanded to see identification because he wanted to "make sure" the girls were underage, as he often did not believe their stated ages. The notes further record a second, also anonymous, individual stating that an associate had once "messed up by bringing more older girls", much to Epstein's displeasure.
Racist Preferences and Explicit Demands
The documents expose not only Epstein's predilection for minors but also his specific and racist preferences. The interviewee claimed Epstein was annoyed when an associate brought him a "Dominican, darker-skinned" girl, with the financier stating: "JE didn’t want Spanish or dark girl."
When instructed to bring a "young girl", Epstein reportedly clarified: "Yea, but not dark." The notes also indicate a reported preference for Brazilian girls. The interview reveals that Epstein later confronted the associate, stating "You know what I like", which was understood to mean "young, petite, underage".
Victims' Relief and FBI Failures
The document dump has brought a sense of vindication to some of Epstein's earliest accusers. Maria Farmer, whose 1996 FBI complaint is included in the files, described the release day as "one of the best days of my life". She had accused Epstein of stealing personal photos of her 12 and 16-year-old sisters to show to potential buyers, and claimed he threatened to burn her house down if she spoke out.
Speaking to the BBC, Farmer expressed mixed emotions, stating she was "devastated about all the other little girls... who were harmed because the FBI didn't do their job." She added she was shedding "tears of joy for myself, but also tears of sorrow for all the other victims that the FBI failed."
The latest tranche of evidence, forced into the public domain by Congress, also includes new photographs and correspondence. Among the images are pictures depicting celebrities and high-profile figures, including the former Prince Andrew, though inclusion in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. A large number of heavily redacted nude photographs of unidentified women were also part of the release.
