Newly unsealed court documents in the case brought by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell have brought to light connections between Jeffrey Epstein and several notable individuals. These documents, which form part of a 950-page release, were made public on Wednesday and are tied to Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner and convicted accomplice in sex trafficking.
The lawsuit by Giuffre, a victim of Epstein, accused Maxwell of defamation and involvement in sexual coercion. Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 for recruiting underage girls for Epstein, a wealthy financier and known sex offender.
Included in the court documents are depositions and motions from Giuffre’s case against Maxwell, settled in 2017. Giuffre had alleged that Maxwell and Epstein forced her into having sex with Prince Andrew of Britain at the age of 17. The documents mention prominent figures like former US President Bill Clinton, pop star Michael Jackson, Prince Andrew, and illusionist David Copperfield, whose names were previously redacted.
In a deposition, Maxwell confirmed Prince Andrew’s visit to Epstein’s private island, a site of alleged abuse. She stated she remembered him visiting once, denying the presence of any girls or women there except staff.
Johanna Sjoberg, another of Epstein’s victims, provided a deposition detailing her interactions with Epstein and his associates. She recalled Epstein commenting on Clinton’s preference for young girls and mentioned meeting Michael Jackson and David Copperfield at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion. Sjoberg denied having massaged Jackson but confirmed Copperfield’s presence at Epstein’s home, revealing he questioned her about Epstein’s involvement with young girls but did not elaborate further.
In 2021, Giuffre sued Prince Andrew over alleged sexual abuse. The suit was settled in early 2022, with Andrew always denying the allegations and agreeing to a donation to Giuffre’s victims’ rights charity as part of the settlement.
The document release, pursued by the Miami Herald, is part of a series of unsealed filings in Giuffre’s civil case, shedding light on Epstein’s network and the involvement of high-profile figures.
