A group of eight women who were sexually abused and trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the federal government over the FBI’s failure to act on reports regarding Epstein’s crimes as early as 1996, Courthouse News reports. The women, six of whom used the pseudonym Jane Doe to protect their identities, detail how they were abused by Epstein and his wealthy associates between 2002 and 2017, with some abused as minors. The suit filed in Washington, D.C., federal court mirrors a suit filed in the Southern District of New York in February. The women say the purpose of the suit is to address the agency’s “continued failures” and to “finally hold the FBI accountable.” According to the women, the FBI’s negligence allowed Epstein to continue abusing them for over 20 years, all of which could have been prevented had the agents conducted a proper investigation and taken action.
In 1996, FBI agents began receiving credible tips that Epstein was trafficking young women and underage girls, but failed to interview victims, respond to tips or arrest the “pedophile billionaire,” the women said. Between 1996 and 2005, the FBI continued to receive reports of sexual abuse, trafficking, and human rights violations, yet failed to act, the women say. It wasn’t until July 2006 that the FBI opened its investigation after Florida’s Palm Beach Police Department received a report that a 14-year-old girl was recruited to Epstein’s mansion for a sexual massage in exchange for money. The FBI then closed the investigation on Sept. 18, 2008, after reaching a plea deal with Epstein in June 2008, where he pleaded guilty to two state solicitation of prostitution charges and received immunity from federal charges. The eight women are represented by the New York firm Merson Law, which represents 33 women victimized by Epstein and his affiliates. The women are requesting a jury trial and $100 million in damages caused by the agency’s negligence.
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