Jeffrey Epstein accuser speaks out, urges judge to reject bail
Courtney Wild claims Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused her when she was 14 years old in his Palm Beach mansion; Bryan Llenas reports.
An attorney for several accusers of Jeffrey Epstein said Tuesday that the wealthy financier had “improper sexual contact” with “female visitors” while he was on work release during his earlier jail time.
“It was sexual in nature,” attorney Brad Edwards said. “The female visitors were not there for business.”
He added, as the New York Post reported, “He was having office visitors — some of whom were flown to him from New York — and continuing to engage in similar conduct literally while he was in quote-unquote jail.’’
Eleven years ago, Miami U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta — President Trump’s former labor secretary — approved an extraordinary secret agreement in which Epstein pleaded guilty to lesser state charges rather than face much tougher federal prosecution on charges he sexually abused underage girls at his homes in Florida and New York from 2002 through 2005.
His sentence allowed Epstein to spend 12 hours a day on work release.
Edwards alleges that a Florida woman said Epstein abused her during his work release while he served 13 months in a private wing of a Palm Beach jail.
“All I can say is more than one person that visited him, they believed they were going there for something other than a sexual purpose,” Edwards said, according to the Daily Beast.
“Once there, he used his perfect master manipulation to turn the situation into something sexual,” Edwards said. “Not one of the individuals was a prostitute. These were all people who at the time that wanted something. They came over under false pretenses and he manipulated them and now his attorneys have labeled them prostitutes.”
Brad Edwards, an attorney for several accusers of Jeffrey Epstein, said Tuesday that the wealthy financier was engaging in “improper sexual contact” with female visitors during his earlier jail time. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
He said he was surprised by Epstein’s recent arrest.
One of Epstein’s most vocal accusers also urged other women Tuesday to come forward if they have allegations to make against the registered sex offender and financier as federal authorities prosecute him on sex charges.
“If you were a victim of Epstein then you know what I know, he’ll never stop sexually abusing children until he is in jail,” Courtney Wild told reporters at a news conference in New York.
“We will not get justice until you speak out,” Wild added, addressing anyone who believes they have been abused by Epstein. “You are not alone, and this was not your fault.”
JEFFREY EPSTEIN HAD HELP OPERATING SEX TRAFFICKING RING FROM WOMEN HE ALLEGEDLY COERCED
Wild was an unnamed accuser in the 2008 lawsuit against the Department of Justice over a plea deal.
Courtney Wild, an unnamed accuser in the 2008 lawsuit against the Department of Justice for the secret plea deal that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to avoid charges. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
She said Epstein started sexually abusing her when she was 14 in Palm Beach, Fla.
Wild’s remarks came a day after she appeared in Manhattan federal court and urged a judge to deny Epstein bail.
Epstein has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and sex trafficking charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. Wild’s accusations are not part of that indictment.
Epstein was arrested July 6 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey as he arrived on a flight from Paris.
An email from Fox News was sent to Epstein’s attorney seeking comment.
Epstein's attorneys have said the new charges will not stick because Epstein is protected by the terms of the 2008 plea agreement. Under the terms of that deal, Epstein served 13 months in jail, was required to reach financial settlements with dozens of his alleged victims, and registered as a sex offender.
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In their argument for bail, Epstein's lawyers argued in favor of house arrest with electronic monitoring at his $77 million Manhattan mansion, where prosecutors say some of the sexual activity took place.
The defense also argued their client had long lived with the fear that federal prosecutors might pursue sexual abuse charges against him again, but had never sought to flee the country.
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