What to Know Regarding the Jeffrey Epstein Document Release

A rundown of reading on the topic
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2024 12:07 AM CST
943 Pages of Jeffrey Epstein Documents Released
This photo provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry shows Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017.   (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP, File)

Court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's case have begun to be released publicly after a federal judge ordered them unsealed, and details from the first release of 943 pages are trickling out. Some names included in the documents that are getting particular attention include Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and David Copperfield, though none of them are accused of misconduct. A sampling of the coverage around the release:

  • The Guardian explains what's being released: court documents filed as part of Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit against Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, including excerpts of depositions and motions in the case.
  • Deadline sums it up thusly: "Much of it seems to name people and situations that have long ... been out there." Indeed, many of the more than 150 names expected to be made public as part of the release are already well-known.
  • Fox News has a live blog of details, which were coming out slowly at first as the pages were reviewed. See it here.
  • Clinton sometimes flew on Epstein's private plane, and Trump's name comes up when Epstein is quoted as saying he would invite the real estate mogul to a casino, USA Today reports. The newspaper has more on the mentions of their names here.

  • Copperfield was a regular guest of Epstein's, and one Epstein accuser said she met the magician at Epstein's house and he did some magic tricks. She said Copperfield asked whether she knew that "girls were getting paid to find other girls," but that he didn't say anything about the girls being underage. The Daily Beast has more on Copperfield's inclusion, as well as a dozen other men named in the documents, in an extensive piece here.
  • Prince Andrew, of course, is one of the most high-profile men named in the documents. The BBC reports that no new "bombshells" regarding Epstein have so far been revealed (though that could change as more documents are released), but some outlets are reporting allegations about Prince Andrew that, while not new, appear to be more damning than what has previously come out. For example, per the Messenger, allegations involving an underage orgy on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands are included.
(More Jeffrey Epstein stories.)

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