Jeffrey Epstein news: Lawsuit claims reign of abuse went back decades
A new lawsuit has been brought forward against the estate of pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, alleging sexual abuse that dated back as early as 1978.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court, featuring nine accusers; with one claiming that Epstein “sexually assaulted, abused, battered, and digitally penetrated her on three, separate occasions.”
What is included in the lawsuit?
The Daily Beast reported that five of the women stated they were underage when the abuse began, while the youngest victims were 13 and 11 years old. A Tennessee woman, Plaintiff Jane Doe XIV, who said she was only 13 when the sexual abuse started in 1978, went on to note the sexual abuse and battery continued for a long period of time.
“As a result of the aforementioned sexual abuse, Plaintiff Jane Doe XIV suffered, and continues to suffer from severe and serious injuries including, but not limited to, severe emotional distress and physical manifestations thereof,” the lawsuit alleged.
How does this differ from the other abuse claims?
The 1978 claim appears to be the oldest established sexual abuse allegation against Epstein to date. It took place three years after Epstein taught teenagers at the Dalton School in New York.
Another woman from Florida reported that at only 11 years old, Epstein “sexually assaulted, abused, battered, and digitally penetrated her on three separate occasions, in addition to forcing her “to perform oral sex on him.”
The lawsuit went on to claim that the victims were a part of the “massive sex trafficking network” operated by Epstein for his wealthy clients and confidents.
While Epstein maintained a number of residences where reports of abuse took place, the women listed their sexual abuse took place by Epstein and his associates in the United States Virgin Islands, New Mexico, California, Florida, and New York.
They also listed South Carolina as a location; an anomaly not referenced as a location in previous criminal cases and lawsuits filed against the disgraced financier.
What else can we expect from the suit?
The lawsuit outlined a total of 27 different claims against Epstein, as well as his estate and estate executors. Each plaintiff is suing for one assault claim, one battery claim, and one intentional infliction of emotional distress against the defendant’s claim, in addition to indicating intent to seek notable discovery during the case.
The case was made possible through New York’s Child Victims Act, a law that allows for survivors who were abused while they were children to file lawsuits until the age of 55. The law was passed in 2019 to allow sexual assault survivors to file criminal and civil claims against their alleged abusers.
The filing noted that the “plaintiffs intend to take full discovery of the Estate and all associates, family members, and/or friends associated to the same to determine who knew what and when.”
In 2018, Julie Brown with The Miami Herald reported that a total of 80 women alleged molestation or abuse claims against Epstein. He was registered as a sex offender as early as 2008.
