Reuters reported that a group of twelve anonymous victims of Jeffrey Epstein have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), accusing the agency of covering up and facilitating Epstein’s sex trafficking operations.
The women allege that the FBI failed to investigate allegations against Epstein, allowing him to continue his criminal activities for over twenty years.
Despite receiving tips about Epstein’s illegal activities as early as 1996, the FBI did not interview any alleged victims or inform other law enforcement agencies.
The lawsuit claims that it was only in 2006, after years of inaction, that the bureau finally opened an investigation into Epstein but closed it just two years later when he pleaded guilty to a prostitution charge in Florida.
The complaint further alleges that even after this plea deal, the FBI received additional tips about Epstein’s involvement in sex trafficking which were ignored.
In 2019, Epstein was arrested but died while in custody shortly thereafter.
“As a direct and proximate cause of the FBI’s negligence, plaintiffs would not have been continued to be sex trafficked, abused, raped, tortured and threatened,” the women’s suit stated. “Jane Does 1-12 bring this lawsuit to get to the bottom — once and for all — of the FBI’s role in Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking ring.”
According to the complaint, the agency was accused of possessing concrete evidence such as photographs, videos, and interviews regarding child prostitution.
It further alleged that they failed to promptly investigate and apprehend Epstein, going against FBI protocols.
“The FBI had a non-discretionary obligation, governed by established policies, procedures, rules, and protocols, to handle and investigate tips concerning potential and ongoing underage child erotica, rape, sex with minors, and sex trafficking in a reasonable manner and to act against Epstein and to prevent him from committing repeated crimes,” the lawsuit continued.
“Yet contrary to its own established rules, the FBI failed to take appropriate action and botched and covered up investigations for years.”
The victims are pursuing financial compensation from the federal government. Reuters’ request for comment from the United States Department of Justice went unanswered.
CBS News was informed by the FBI that they do not provide comments on legal disputes.
In November 2022, JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank were sued by Epstein’s victims, alleging that these banks facilitated his sex trafficking operation.
The banking institutions agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying $500 million to the victims, before deducting any legal expenses.
