The much-awaited secret court documents related to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was unsealed on Wednesday, with more expected to be released in the coming days.
Despite the speculations that the documents, covering about 900 pages, would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein's clients or co-conspirators, there weren't any bombshell revelations and mostly contained material that had been released previously and covered in media before.
New York Judge Loretta Preska, while unsealing the documents, said many of those named had already been identified by the media or in Maxwell's criminal trial. She added that many others did not raise an objection to the release of the documents. Judge Preska also ordered that some names remain redacted because they would identify victims of sexual abuse.
Besides the deposition of accused Ghislaine Maxwell and complainant Virginia Roberts Giuffre, there is also a deposition from accuser Johanna Sjoberg.
The revelations include how Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, mentions of Epstein's past friendship with former US President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew.
Clinton is not accused of any wrongdoing but Sjoberg recalled in her 2016 deposition that Epstein spoke to her about Bill Clinton. "He said one time that Clinton likes them young, referring to girls," she said. When asked if Clinton was a friend of Epstein’s, she said she understood Epstein had “dealings” with Clinton.
In 2019, a Clinton spokesman had denied the accusations but said the former president had flown on Epstein’s private plane but knew nothing of the financier’s "terrible crimes." He reiterated that 2019 denial to CNN on Wednesday.
As for Prince Andrew, he previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who travelled with Epstein. Sjoberg has claimed that Prince Andrew groped her breast while sitting on a couch inside Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001.
Sjoberg's deposition also includes her meeting Michael Jackson at Epstein's Palm Beach, Florida, home, but nothing untoward happened.
In her testimony, Sjoberg said that Epstein told her he would contact Donald Trump on their way to one of his New Jersey casinos. However, the documents have nothing incriminating against Trump, and to a question whether she ever gave Mr Trump a massage, Sjoberg replied no.
Giuffre alleged in her deposition that Maxwell directed her to have sexual contact with people, including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Prince Andrew, tech guru Marvin Minsky, well-known French modeling scout Jean-Luc Brunel and American investor Glenn Dubin.
The documents also mentions three unnamed people who Giuffre alleges Maxwell urged her to have sexual relations with. These include "unnamed prince," the "owner of a large hotel chain" and a completely redacted out name. It is not clear from the document whether Giuffre subsequently had sexual contact with any of the people named.
