NY - Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein arrested on sex trafficking charges, 6 July 2019

[human]

Maxwell and the other female pimps were given immunity. Hopefully that won’t hold now.

Ghislaine Maxwell is the former girlfriend and partner of Jeffrey Epstein, the multi-millionaire financier and registered sex offender who has been arrested on new federal child sex trafficking charges. Maxwell has been accused of procuring and recruiting young girls for Epstein. She was named as a co-conspirator in the first case against Epstein but was granted immunity.

———-
The women who were granted immunity include:

• 
  
  
  • A former Epstein assistant, Sarah Kellen, who allegedly kept a Rolodex of young women to recruit for trysts with Epstein. She has since married NASCAR racecar driver Brian Vickers and started her own interior design firm called SLK designs. A recent article by The Daily Beast refers to public records showing that Kellen once operated SLK from a midtown Manhattan building owned by Epstein’s brother.
  • Adriana Ross, a former model from Poland who was hired by Epstein in 2002 to work at his Florida mansion and allegedly help set up sex sessions for the billionaire. She was questioned in 2010 regarding any participation by Prince Andrew in the trafficking ring set up by Epstein.
  • Lesley Groff, another former assistant who allegedly coordinated travel arrangements with young girls and scheduled massage sessions for her boss.
  • Nadia Marcinkova, one of Epstein’s alleged “sex slaves,” who allegedly participated in his trysts with underage girls. She is now a commercial pilot certified by the FAA and is a social media influencer who goes by the name “Global Girl.”

Jeffrey Epstein had help operating sex trafficking ring from women he allegedly coerced

Ugh. I hope they get busted. They contributed nothing for his prosecution.

Their names need to be known far and wide,

Interior design business? Influencer? How many people would be ok with that if they knew?

 

[sds71]

Years later, victims recount impact of Jeffrey Epstein abuse
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article232636792.html

 

[Lilibet]

Some interesting points from this GQ article. LE has photos and is actively encouraging survivors to come forward. Here’s hoping they can match some of these survivors to the photos. To answer human’s question, I doubt they will try to find the girls in the photos (a daunting task), but rather use them as evidence.

I hadn’t heard that the case was assigned to the “public corruption unit” rather than sex crimes. That broadens the scope and this net may catch more fish.

Over the weekend, agents executing search warrants at Epstein’s home found “thousands” of images of nude and partially nude girls, many of whom, according to court documents, appear to be underage. And during a press conference on Monday, prosecutors hinted that they aren’t done. “We want to hear from you,” said William Sweeney Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, urging survivors to contact the FBI as soon as possible.

Epstein is the only person actually named in Monday’s indictment. But in an unusual step, the U.S. attorney’s office has assigned the case to its public corruption unit, not to its sex crimes team, which suggests that the subject matter of this indictment might directly implicate people who occupy positions of power. Last time, they found a way to keep their names out of it. This time, without Acosta in charge, they might not be as fortunate.
BBM

Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking Arrest Means His Victims Might Finally Get Justice

 

[sds71]

I just grabbed the v*** and threw it at his head,” she said.

Tai said she was greeted by a woman with “short black hair” who showed her into Epstein’s office.

https://nypost.com/2019/07/14/insid...medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons

 

[Inthedetails]

But the only people who view sexual predation as a partisan problem are those who treat victims as nothing more than rhetorical cudgels.
—————-
But if it’s not surprising to see a sprawling case like this recast as one more arena for Republicans and Democrats to take potshots at one another, it’s a depressing confirmation of how easily horrific crimes against vulnerable young women are weaponized for political score-settling.

Snipped.

Perfect.

The quote above might come in handy when a reminder. Let's keep it handy.

These girls have been victimized
when they were first targeted,
when forced to perform acts on much older men when they were too young to give consent,
when others knew what was happening and participated or looked the other way,
when they didn't know how to leave or make it all stop,
when they were drawn into recruiting others and thus implicating themselves into conspiracy,
when threatened into silence,
when they thought it was their fault,
when photographed for purposes to be used against themselves and others,
when deliberately left out of the justice process by a state prosecutor and others.....

We WSers really don't need to participate in victimizing them yet again by using what happened to the teenage girls to make a statement about one political party or another.

jmo

 

[mickey2942]

Ugh. I forgot the plot that movie until your post. I recall seeing the film years ago and thinking it was weird. I might have to re-watch with new eyes.

jmo

Woody Allen (ugh), he is another one who should have been arrested years ago. Won't de-rail this thread on him...or Mia Farrow, who I believe was fully aware and ignoring his grooming behavior...

 

[helpfulcharlie]

We WSers really don't need to participate in victimizing them yet again by using what happened to the teenage girls to make a statement about one political party or another.

jmo

100%. I have strong political opinions, but this rises above all of them. EVERYONE involved in this atrocity needs to face justice. And EVERYONE involved in covering it up needs to face it twofold.

 

[mickey2942]

100%. I have strong political opinions, but this rises above all of them. EVERYONE involved in this atrocity needs to face justice. And EVERYONE involved in covering it up needs to face it twofold.

The political climate is particularly interesting in this case, as many people are subject to "mudslinging" here. I don't think that we will see much more politicizing of this situation, because both sides have too much involvement here. We had a "token" pawn sacrificed on the chess board. The Kings are too well protected.

 

[Inthedetails]

The political climate is particularly interesting in this case, as many people are subject to "mudslinging" here. I don't think that we will see much more politicizing of this situation, because both sides have too much involvement here. We had a "token" pawn sacrificed on the chess board. The Kings are too well protected.

Points to you for using chess analogy!!

 

[HotDog]

I couldn't care less about the political affiliations of these people as I believe it's really about money, influence, and power. I understand politics is in the mix but I see it as just a co-ocurring factor and it's more about tracking the circles of the elite. JMO of course!

 

[HotDog]

Someone (sorry, I need to scroll back to get username to give a shoutout - will edit to do -) posted this link to an article in the Palm Beach Post.
ETA: thanks sds71 !!

Here's something that jumped out at me:

****
"Private investigators would follow his young accusers and their friends and families, attorneys said. They would examine their social media accounts for damning information and probe their pasts, including their medical records, said attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represented three of the young women."
*****

BBM

How in the world would a private investigator be able to probe their medical records?

Jeffrey Epstein: Model prisoner who swept, mopped floors, official says

 

[nanwv]

Years later, victims recount impact of Jeffrey Epstein abuse
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article232636792.html

Nice to be informed of Epstein's band of flying monkeys: Alan Dershowitz, Ken Starr, Jay Lefkowitz, Barry Krischer and Ric Bradshaw.

Thank You to Michael Reiter and Joseph Recary for doing the right thing, under I'm sure horrific pressure from named and unamed flying monkeys.

 

[Lilibet]

Nice to be informed of Epstein's band of flying monkeys: Alan Dershowitz, Ken Starr, Jay Lefkowitz, Barry Krischer and Ric Bradshaw.

Thank You to Michael Reiter and Joseph Recary for doing the right thing, under I'm sure horrific pressure from named and unamed flying monkeys.

BBM

This is a perfect use of the term “flying monkeys”!!

To make the reference clear:

Flying monkeys (popular psychology) - Wikipedia

 

[MimosaMornings]

What We Know About Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Pedophile’ Island

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I simply have no words. So many people helped Epstein. Why?

From link:

Alfredo Rodriguez, who worked as a butler and chauffeur and managed the Palm Beach residence, told detectives he was like a "human ATM machine" and had been told to maintain a minimum balance of $2,000 cash at all times to pay the girls.

Rodriguez routinely wiped down Epstein's sex toys following the visits, according to a Palm Beach police report. He said he provided iPods, jewelry and other gifts to the girls, a detective stated in the report, and once delivered a dozen roses to an Epstein victim at Royal Palm Beach High School.

Rodriguez, who has since died, told Palm Beach police that Epstein's visitors appeared "too young to be masseuses," adding they even ate like high schoolers: "Rodriguez stated they would eat tons of cereal and drink milk all the time."

Inside Epstein network, layer upon layer to protect the boss

 

[ZoriahNZ]

Alan Dershowitz is named. That explains a lot.

I'm with everyone else, it doesn't matter what political affiliation these people have. If they participated in criminal activities targeting children, then they should be held accountable by the law. I am tired of the rich and powerful having a different set of rules and consequences for their repugnant actions. Justice needs to be blind and not discriminate. If they broke laws and harmed the innocent, and tried to cover it up and further harassed those victims, they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. No ifs, no buts. In fact, I wish there was a law that could increase the punishment on the guilty equivalent to the amount of influence and power used to escape being held accountable.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

This is behind a paywall, but way to bury the lede, NY Times. Literally the last sentences of the article.

Sorry to yell but YOU DON'T "HAVE SEX" WITH TWEENS AND TEENS. IT'S CALLED RAPE.

Just three months ago, as federal prosecutors were closing in with new charges, Mr. Epstein had a conversation with R. Couri Hay, a publicist, about continuing to improve his reputation. Mr. Epstein asserted that what he was convicted of did not constitute pedophilia, said Mr. Hay, who declined to represent him.

The girls he had sex with were “tweens and teens,” Mr. Epstein told him.

Jeffrey Epstein Was a Sex Offender. The Powerful Welcomed Him Anyway.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I've been reading online for hours about Epstein. And I'm convinced his $ came from blackmailing rich and powerful men who shared his depraved proclivities.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

So, after further reading, I can answer my own earlier question about why so many people helped Epstein.

Threats. And generous payoffs. But, I suspect, the threats were much more motivating.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Someone (sorry, I need to scroll back to get username to give a shoutout - will edit to do -) posted this link to an article in the Palm Beach Post.
ETA: thanks sds71 !!

Here's something that jumped out at me:

****
"Private investigators would follow his young accusers and their friends and families, attorneys said. They would examine their social media accounts for damning information and probe their pasts, including their medical records, said attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represented three of the young women."
*****

BBM

How in the world would a private investigator be able to probe their medical records?

Jeffrey Epstein: Model prisoner who swept, mopped floors, official says

As I said, payoffs and intimidation. Payoffs large enough to coerce people to violate HIPAA, and threats to silence anyone who would complain if they did.

It's no accident that Epstein chose primarily as his victims troubled young girls whose families presumably had little financial resources.

Lawyers aren't cheap.