Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein arrested and accused of sex trafficking minors
By Shimon Prokupecz and Sonia Moghe
CNN
July 7, 2019
Florida-based billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been indicted on new charges related to alleged sex crimes involving minors, law enforcement sources told CNN on Saturday.
Epstein was arrested Saturday and is expected to appear in federal court in New York on Monday.
Epstein faces charges brought by US prosecutors in Manhattan, after previously evading similar charges when he secured a non-prosecution deal with federal prosecutors in Miami.
The charges, contained in a sealed indictment, involve alleged sex trafficking crimes committed between 2002 and 2005, according to law enforcement sources. The indictment alleged that the crimes occurred in both New York and Palm Beach, Florida.
A team of federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, along with some in the public corruption unit, have been assigned to the case.
Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, is one of the prosecutors, according to a source with knowledge of the case.
CNN has reached out to Epstein's lawyer.
The arrest was first reported by the Daily Beast.
In November, the Miami Herald reported that when Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta was a US attorney in Florida, he gave Epstein the "deal of a lifetime." In a sweeping review of the politically connected billionaire's case, the Herald explained how Acosta had made an agreement with Epstein to avoid major repercussions for the hedge fund manager, even though a federal investigation had identified 36 underage victims.
The report said Acosta had brokered a deal with one of Epstein's attorneys, where he pleaded in 2008 to two state prostitution charges, ultimately serving only 13 months and avoiding a federal trial. He also registered as a sex offender and paid restitution to the victims identified by the FBI.
The agreement, the Herald said, "essentially shut down an ongoing FBI probe" and further granted immunity to "any potential co-conspirators" in the case.
Acosta told CNN in February that he welcomed an investigation by Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility into his handling of Epstein's plea agreement.
Acosta also denied any wrongdoing.
Two months earlier, Epstein settled a separate lawsuit that could have allowed for several of his accusers to tell their stories in open court.
EDITOR’S NOTES: Epstein’s private Boeing 727 was dubbed the “Lolita Express” because there were lots of young women aboard who had sex inflight with the billionaire’s guests. Bill Clinton took at least 26 trips aboard the “Lolita Express.” According to records obtained by Fox News, he ditched his Secret Service detail for at least five of the flights.
And Donald Trump was a close buddy of Epstein’s too. In 2002 he told New York Magazine: “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Wink, wink. “It is even said.” Yeah, as if he didn’t know firsthand.
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I WONDER IF BILL CLINTON IS SWEATING THIS ONE
by Bob Walsh
Jeffrey Epstein, gazillionaire financier and now registered sex offender was arrested Saturday in New York on sex trafficking charges that go back into the 2000s.
If I recall correctly Epstein was the owner of the notorious "Lolita Express" a private aircraft with very young, very attractive, very friendly pseudo-stewardesses that flew "friends" of Epstein hither and yon, including to a private island. Bill Clinton was at least an occasional passenger, and at least on occasion he did NOT take his secret service people with him on the flight. He had to actually sign a release with the feds to accomplish this detail so there are records.
Donald Trump and Prince Andrew were also "friends" of Epstein.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Friends? ‘Clients’ would be more accurate.
I do not believe Clinton has anything to sweat about. The Feds were after his former pimp, not after the former president. Besides that, who can blame old philandering Bill for getting stray pussy when he’s married to that Hildebeast.
But Epstein, who owns homes in Palm Beach, New York City, and the Virgin Islands, as well as his secluded Zorro Ranch in Stanley, New Mexico, must be sweating it out because, if convicted, his new digs will be at a secluded Club Fed until he'll be too old for Viagra to work on him ... that is unless Trump pardons him.
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