The death of Jeffrey Epstein did not represent the death knell of the investigation into allegations of sex trafficking. The criminal case is expanding and focusing on new suspects connected to Epstein, including high-profile entrepreneurs and powerful politicians.
No one linked to the multi-millionaire should breathe a sigh of relief.
Both U.S. Attorney general William Barr and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S Berman are determined to secure justice for victims by pursuing any possible co-conspirators.
Epstein’s suicide in prison occurred after he was taken off suicide watch and days after an apparent attempt to take his life. It also allowed him to escape justice for the purported sexual abuse and exploitation of underage girls. The sheer breadth of his alleged criminal acts shows that he did not work alone. Hence the additional charge of conspiracy.
Epstein already avoided similar charges ten years ago through a controversial plea bargain following allegations of paying girls for sex – some as young as 14 – and recruited others. While he pled guilty, the crime he admitted to was prostitution that saw him serve 13 months in a Florida jail and register as a sex offender in 2008.
The agreement more than a decade old also shielded any possible co-conspirators.
The focus of the current investigation will likely turn to Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime Epstein friend, and alleged defacto madame. Her purported role as a co-conspirator involved recruiting young females for her Epstein.
While criminal investigators continue their work, legal action against the late billionaire will continue, this time in the form of civil suits.