Freshly disclosed investigative files from the US Department of Justice have cast a stark new light on the industrial-scale, systematic sexual abuse carried out by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The documents, released under political pressure, detail a chillingly routine operation where underage girls were procured, exploited, and passed around like commodities.
The 'Assembly Line' for Victims
Prosecutors stated that from 2002 to 2005, Epstein victimised "dozens" of minors, some as young as 14. He relied on a network of associates, most notably the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, to maintain what was described as a "steady supply of minor victims". The papers reveal an almost factory-like process, where victims were themselves enlisted to recruit other girls under the false pretence of providing massage work.
One police report from 2001 describes Maxwell approaching three female students on a college campus in Palm Beach, Florida. She reportedly told them she needed "young, beautiful unmarried women" for office work. At least one student visited the house and described men calling "to say when they were going to drop off particular girls". The report notes that at least two of the students complained about Epstein touching them inappropriately, and that Maxwell requested lists of other girls she could call at short notice.
'You Know What I Like': Treating Girls as Commodities
The files expose the predatory mindset where girls were mere bodies to serve Epstein's desires. FBI interview notes from 2019 recount a witness remembering Epstein's comments: "you know what I like" and "you know what I'm into", which was understood to mean "young petite underage". The notes also reveal what seemed to be a crisis for Epstein: his supply was running low.
Scrawled phrases like "Friends of [redacted] friends. Big Brazilian group. Desperate time" and "running out of girls" appear in the investigator's notes. At one point, someone witnessed Epstein "asking for ID to girl wanted to make sure under 18". This was because an associate had "messed up by bringing more older girls".
Grand jury testimony from Maxwell's federal case details how victims were pressured to source others. One victim recalled Maxwell asking: "Do you know anyone who could give him a blowjob today, I don't feel like it?" adding that any girls brought had to "look young at least". Another victim told law enforcement she brought other girls because "she was told she could earn more money", a directive she said came from both Epstein and Maxwell.
Wider Network and Child Abuse Images
The documents provide further insight into a potential wider circle of conspirators. An email from July 2019 asks for an update on "the 10 CO conspirators", with one named individual being "Brunel". This is a reference to French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, a friend of Epstein's who was arrested in Paris in December 2020 on suspicion of rape, sexual assault of minors, and human trafficking. Brunel was found dead in his prison cell about two years later, with authorities ruling it a suicide.
Furthermore, the files suggest the possible exchange of child sexual abuse imagery. A 2023 letter from an attorney for Epstein's estate to the FBI mentioned discovering a video, shared with Epstein by a convicted individual, depicting "one or two topless women". This echoes a much earlier report from artist Maria Farmer, who told the FBI in 1996 that Epstein had stolen nude photos of her 12- and 16-year-old siblings and was "believed to have sold the pictures". Her complaint, listed as a "child pornography" case, was not followed up by federal authorities at the time.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in aiding Epstein's crimes. These latest document dumps continue to unravel the horrifying scale of abuse that was enabled by a network of powerful individuals, treating vulnerable young girls as disposable objects for sexual exploitation.
