From the United States to Great Britain, everyone trembles at the list of Jeffrey Epstein. Yesterday the first tranche of court documents documenting the world of the former jet-setting financial man accused of was published sexual trafficking of minors, who committed suicide in prison in 2019 shortly before his trial. The files in question are part of the court documents relating to the defamation lawsuit filed in 2015 by Virginia Giuffreone of the main accusers, against his former lover and partner, the British heiress Ghislaine Maxwell. Between confirmations and surprises, the list causes a sensation also because we are only at the beginning.
Many names were already known because they were identified during the 2021 trial against Maxwell, sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping the financier to sexually abuse minors. Before moving on to the most pressing cases, we need to make a clarification that has not always found space: it appears in the documents Donald Trump, but don’t be fooled. Unlike other characters who will have to deal with rather serious charges, the tycoon is cited in the documents as a simple acquaintance of Esptein, but no mention is made of possible minor crimes or criminal behavior. Yet someone had the courage to compare his situation to that of Bill Clinton.
It goes without saying that that of the former US president, already famous for the Lewinsky scandal, is the most high-sounding name. Very close to Epstein, Clinton had traveled on the financier’s planes in the 2000s and his name is mentioned dozens of times in the papers. Let me be clear: even in his case there is no clear evidence of illegal acts. But testimonies emerge that cannot go unnoticed. For example that of Johanna Sjobergone of Epstein’s victims: according to what was stated, the financier who committed suicide told her that the former US president “they liked young people, referring to girls.” Let us remember that Clinton had already been accused by Virginia Giuffre of being present on Epstein’s private island where sex trafficking took place, charges always categorically denied by the former president and never proven by the accuser.
Another statement by Johanna Sjoberg calls into question the Prince Andrew of England: According to the accuser, then 21 years old, he touched her breast at Epstein’s home in Manhattan. Prince Andrew himself had been explicitly denounced by Giuffre in 2021, but then the parties reached a millionaire agreement to close the matter. To reach the agreed sum, without the help of his mother Elizabeth II, Charles’ younger brother was forced to sell a dream chalet in Switzerland. But the list involves stars, politicians and prominent faces and we are only at the first 40 documents: around 250 files will be released in the coming weeks and there are still many mysteries to be clarified.
One of the names that emerged unexpectedly from the documents is that of Stephen Hawking. The astrophysicist who died in 2018 is mentioned in an email to Ghislaine Maxwell in which the latter denies that the scientist participated in an orgy with minors. Hawking was photographed on Epstein’s island in 2006 as he was invited to a conference attended by some luminaries. Among the other names present but without a particular context we find Michael Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Blanchett, Bruce Willis and Kevin Spacey. One thing is certain: Epstein’s contact list risks triggering yet another earthquake between politics and the star system.