WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — On Friday morning, a federal appeals court unsealed thousands of pages of documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite accused of procuring underage girls for the part-time Palm Beach financier.
The records are part of a defamation suit against Maxwell, who called one of Epstein's accusers a liar after she went public with her story.
Special Section: The case against Jeffrey Epstein
The accuser, Virginia Giuffre, claims she was forced to have sex with Epstein and international high-profile figures, including Prince Andrew, while she was underage.
Giuffre also claimed she was forced to have sex with Maxwell, and was recruited by the British socialite after a chance meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
Giuffre says she had been employed as a spa attendant at the club when she was approached by Maxwell, who told her she could make money as a masseuse.
Giuffre claims she was then recruited to be a massage therapist for Epstein at his home, but instead was told to undress and perform sexual acts on both Epstein and Maxwell. In her deposition, Guiffre describes being a "sex slave", having sex with not only Maxwell and Epstein, but other politically connected and financially powerful people, "anyone she was told to."
Guiffre says "my whole life revolved around just pleasing these men and keeping Ghislaine and Jeffrey happy. Their whole entire lives revolved around sex."
Giuffre also corrects the record on President Donald Trump (who was not yet President at the time). "It's true that he didn't partake in any sex with us...Donald Trump never flirted with me." https://t.co/x4WX6m7WQb @WPTV @WPTVContact5 @samsminkWPTV @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/nfqYibjLe3
— Merris Badcock (@MerrisBadcock) August 9, 2019
Powerful men across the country are now on the defense after the newly released records accuse them of partaking in the possible sex-trafficking ring Epstein is accused of running.
Billionaire hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, Stephen Kaufman, Prince Andrew, modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and the late MIT scientist Marvin Minsky were just some of the men Giuffre claims she was forced to have sex with.
Giuffre also claims she was forced to have sex with “another prince” and “the owner of a large hotel chain", according to her deposition records.
In statements to CNBC, both Richardson and Dubin deny the claims, and others have not returned a request for comment.
Under oath, Giuffre also says she met Al Gore, Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum while she was with Epstein.
In the deposition, Giuffre also corrects the record on President Donald Trump (who was not yet the President of the United States at the time). "Donald Trump never flirted with me," said said. "It is true that he did not partake in any sex with us.”
One of the newly-released records includes a deposition of Epstein himself. During the questioning, Epstein is asked about Maxwell's relationship with Guiffre. In each response, Epstein replies, "fifth", invoking his right to the Fifth Amendment, a constitutional right which protects people from incriminating themselves.
Maxwell settled the defamation case for an undisclosed sum, however, many of the records surrounding the allegations have remained sealed until now.
Numerous depositions were released, including one with Epstein's housekeeper, John Alessi. He told attorneys that "Ms. Maxwell was the one that recruit."
Attorneys asked Alessi if he was the one who went out looking for "the girls to bring back as massage therapists," but Alessi maintain it was Maxwell, Epstein, and their friends who did so, adding it was all about "referrals."
We now know, according to law enforcement and victims, those girls were brought to Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion for sex acts.
Alessi also told attorneys that Maxwell received massages from the girls herself.
The housekeeper claimed he oftend had to clean up sex toys when cleaning up after Epstein and Maxwell's massage. He would put the sex toys back in Maxwell's closet.
According to Giuffre's deposition, massages were a code name for sex.
Maxwell has always denied the allegations, and claims in documents, that lead Palm Beach Police Detective Joseph Recarey failed to uncover any evidence that she was involved in sexual abuse or sex trafficking.
In the records, Guiffre's attorneys argue that claim, citing depositions taken with Recarey, who said on record he believed Maxwell procured girls for Epstein, but "never" got an interview with her after interference from Epstein’s lawyers.
Detective Recarey concluded that Maxwell's role was to procure girls for Epstein, according to his deposition.
Attorneys say "a key piece of evidence in the investigation were message pads uncovered in trash pulls, and from inside the residence during the search warrant." The stationary had Maxwell's name on them.
"Those message pads revealed numerous calls left at the house for Maxwell, indicating she was staying in the house during the days when Epstein was engaging in illegal sex acts with minors."
Included in those messages were ones from underage girls, who were calling to schedule a time to come over to see Epstein, according to the documents. In one case, the message says a girl could not come over until after 2:30, because she had to be in school.
Our Contact 5 investigators are currently pouring over the thousands of pages of documents. This is a developing story. This page will be updated as we learn more. Follow Merris Badcock and Sam Smink on Twitter for updates as we learn more.