The Prince, the Presidents and the King of Pop: Who is named in the Epstein files?
4 January 2024, 14:16 | Updated: 4 January 2024, 14:23
Prince Andrew, former US President Bill Clinton, and 'King of Pop' Michael Jackson are among a spate of high-profile figures named in court documents detailing associates of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
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The forty newly-released records are part of a 2015 case brought by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex offender's girlfriend.
Maxwell branded Ms Giuffre a liar for claiming that she was sexually abused as a child. The case was settled in 2017, but until now the names have been redacted. Maxwell was jailed in 2021 after being found guilty of child sex trafficking.
Prince Andrew is accused in the files of groping a woman. He denies the allegation.
The Duke of York settled a civil sexual assault case brought against him by Ms Giuffre in the US.
Bill Clinton, US president between 1993 and 2001, appears in several of the forty documents. He has previously denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity but acknowledged being a former associate of the paedophile.
Donald Trump, the former president and leading Republican nominee for the 2024 election, has also been named in the files. Other political figures named include former Vice President under Clinton, Al Gore.
Read More: What does the release of the Epstein documents mean for Prince Andrew?
Read More: Prince Andrew accused of having 'underage orgy' in newly released Jeffrey Epstein court files
Despite the naming of dozens of well-known individuals, the documents do not yet unveil any new allegations against Epstein himself or any of the named associates.
Michael Jackson, magician David Copperfield, late physicist Stephen Hawking, model Naomi Campbell, and Star Wars creator Geroge Lucas are also named.
Many well-known actors are also included: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Cameron Diaz, and Bruce Willis. Epstein has been labelled a 'name-dropper', however, by alleged victim Johanna Sjoberg in the released evidence.
The inclusion of the names in the forty court documents does not suggest that any of the individuals have been accused of wrongdoing. Some of the names include those cited as associates, friends of victims of the convicted paedophile - while others have been named in passing at legal proceedings.
Some 170 names will be publically released to the public following a judicial order last month, the first coming last night. The next spate of names is expected to be made public tonight and throughout the rest of this week.
Read More: What do we know about the release of court records related to Jeffrey Epstein?
It comes as the newly released documents also accused Prince Andrew of taking part in an 'underage orgy' on Epstein's private island.
The accuser, referred to in the documents as Jane Doe 3, said she was "forced to have sexual relations with this Prince when she was a minor in three separate geographical locations".
This included Ghislaine Maxwell's flat in London, New York, and Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands during an orgy with other underage girls.
They say she was ordered to "give the Prince whatever he demanded" and that Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year jail term, "facilitated Prince Andrew's acts of sexual abuse by acting as a 'madame' for Epstein".
The documents do not say when the alleged orgy is said to have taken place.
