Maria Farmers Validation
That 1996 FBI Complaint document that was released bothered me enough to do a deep dive into the Maria Farmer story. Of course a deep dive for me is like jumping into a bathtub. I don’t manage to come up with any interesting theories here, just laying out the information thats out there
Lets start with a timeline from a 2019 Ny Times interview with Maria/Annie Farmer published on August 26,2019 after Epstein’s death
Spring 1995
- Maria Farmer, an emerging artist in New York, showcases her work at a graduation gallery event.
- Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend the event, are introduced to Maria by art institute leaders, and purchase one of her paintings (inspired by Edgar Degas’s “The Rape”).
Mid-1995
- Epstein offers Maria a job initially acquiring art on his behalf.
- The role evolves into working as a receptionist/doorman at Epstein’s New York City townhouse.
1995 (while Maria works at the townhouse)
- Maria observes constant visitors, including business/finance leaders, young girls (aged ~13–15) in school uniforms arriving (allegedly for Victoria’s Secret modeling tryouts), Donald Trump visiting the office once, and preparations for a possible Bill Clinton visit.
- Maria witnesses Ghislaine Maxwell actively recruiting young girls for Epstein (e.g., stopping the car to approach girls on the street).
- Maria sees hundreds of young girls coming through the townhouse.
December 1995 – early January 1996
- Epstein flies 16-year-old Annie Farmer (Maria’s younger sister) from Arizona to New York for a visit over New Year’s.
- Epstein treats Maria and Annie to Phantom of the Opera, they stay at his residence.
- During a movie outing (12 Monkeys), Epstein inappropriately touches Annie’s hand, foot, and leg while sitting next to her. Annie does not tell Maria at the time.
Late January 1996
- Annie journals about the New York trip, initially describing it positively but later expressing discomfort about Epstein’s touching, while trying to rationalize it.
Spring 1996
- Epstein invites Annie to his New Mexico ranch, presented to their mother as a group educational trip with other students and chaperoned by Ghislaine Maxwell.
- Annie arrives alone; no other students are present.
- Key incidents at the ranch:
- Ghislaine teaches Annie how to give Epstein a foot massage (both massage his feet together).
- Epstein inappropriately touches Annie during a movie (Primal Fear).
- Epstein climbs into bed with Annie one morning to “cuddle” and spoons/touches her (she escapes by saying she needs the bathroom).
- Ghislaine gives Annie a topless massage, exposing and massaging her breasts (Epstein believed to be nearby/aware).
Summer 1996
- Annie goes on an international trip to Thailand, funded by Epstein.
- Maria accepts an artist-in-residency offer at Epstein’s Ohio estate to work on an art project.
Summer 1996 (while Maria is in Ohio)
- Epstein and Maxwell visit the Ohio estate.
- One night, Maxwell asks Maria to give Epstein a foot massage. Maria reluctantly agrees.
- In the bedroom, Epstein and Maxwell both grope Maria (touching breasts, twisting nipples); Maria fears rape and worries about what may have happened to Annie.
- Maria barricades herself in her room, calls friends in New York for help, and fears for her life.
Next morning (Summer 1996)
- Epstein and Maxwell leave the Ohio property.
- Maria’s father drives from Kentucky to rescue her.
Shortly after (1996)
- Maxwell calls Maria, threatens to burn/destroy all her art and end her career.
- Maria reports the assault and broader concerns to the New York City Police Department (6th Precinct) and is referred to the FBI.
- Reports go nowhere; no action is taken.
Late 1990s/early 2000s
- Maria and Annie share their story with Vanity Fair for a profile on Epstein; the allegations are omitted from the published article.
Early 2000s onward
- Maria leaves New York and the art world, fearing for her safety; she stops painting.
2006
- FBI agents contact Maria, renewing hope that Epstein might face accountability.
2019 (prior to August)
- Epstein is arrested on federal sex trafficking charges.
- Additional victims, including Jennifer Araoz (early 2000s), come forward publicly.
August 10, 2019
- Jeffrey Epstein dies by suicide in jail.
August 26, 2019
- Maria and Annie Farmer publicly share their full story for the first time in detail.
End Timeline
It occurs to me it would be nice to have the 2006 FBI report on their interview with Marie Farmer because the 1996 complaint makes no mention of Trump, nor does it allege any impropriety of Epstein with girls such as herself or her sister. However, as you will see Maria and her attorney claims she did.
The 1996 complaint we were provided with related to stolen property, nude photos of her underage sisters that she herself took, a request for her to film girls wearing swimming attire at swimming pools and a threat to burn her house down if she told anyone about the photos. Serious charges to be sure but not anything suggesting a large trafficking operations. It does not seem likely that was all Maria told the FBI in 1996 so I wonder why she is not angry about that?
Whatever she told told to Vicky Ward of Vanity Fair for the 2003 Epstein article was not included in the article and I don’t know if anything was published between then and Epstein’s death , beyond this from Vicky Ward herself in 2015
What I had “on the girls” were some remarkably brave first-person accounts. Three on-the-record stories from a family: a mother and her daughters who came from Phoenix. The oldest daughter, an artist whose character was vouchsafed to me by several sources, including the artist Eric Fischl, had told me, weeping as she sat in my living room, of how Epstein had attempted to seduce both her and, separately, her younger sister, then only 16.
He’d gotten to them because of his money. He’d promised the older sister patronage of her art work; he’d promised the younger funding for a trip abroad that would give her the work experience she needed on her résumé for a place at an Ivy League university, which she desperately wanted—and would win.
The girls’ mother told me by phone that she had thought her daughters would be safe under Epstein’s roof, not least because he phoned her to reassure her, and she also knew he had Ghislaine Maxwell with him at all times.
When the girls’ mother learned that Epstein had, regardless, allegedly molested her 16-year-old daughter, she’d wanted to fight back. “At the time I wanted to go after him. I mean, physically, mentally, you know, in every way, shape, and form. And the advice I was given was, you know, he is so wealthy, he can fight you, he can make you look ridiculous, he can make your daughters look ridiculous, plus he can hurt them. And that was the thing that frightened me was that he would know where they lived and could possibly just send somebody when they walk the dog at night or something around the corner, and we’d never hear from them again,” she told me.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-tried-to-warn-you-about-sleazy-billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-in-2003/
Remarkably lacking in detail.
After Epstein was first arrested in 2005 and the DOJ took up the case the FBI interviewed Maria and Annie in late 2006. During the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, the trial transcripts show Maxwells lawyer referring to the FBI interview pointing to discrepancies in her testimony. This indicates she either had transcripts or detailed notes of the 2006 interview. Presumably the same exists for Marias interview where she would have mentioned Trump.
Transcripts (179 pages) are in the below link (page 103 is the first mention of the 2006 FBI meeting)
https://therundownlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Annie-Farmer-Testimony.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Of course, in 2006 the Farmer sisters would have been aware of Epstein’s arrest and the accusations against him. Its not known if any lawyers seeking victims had contacted them. In any event those transcripts/notes should have been released but were probably withheld due to her mentioning Trump.
So I have already mentioned Vicky Wards 2015 article and the 2019 NY Times interview describing the Farmers story. In 2020 Maria Farmer gave a rather lengthy interview with Whitney Webb that was released on The Last American Vagabond in April 2020 in 2 parts. It was subsequently removed in May 2022 at Maria Farmers request, as she claimed she had not authorized its release. Fortunately it was saved on the way back machine archives and there are some You Tubes of it.
After listening to all 3 hours I understand why Maria and her lawyers might have wanted it disappeared.
If you remember Whitney Webb had published a 4 part series on Epstein in 2019 alleging Epstein was running a large international sex trafficking and blackmail operation , which was read by Maria Farmer before the interview. Whitney asked few direct questions and largely let Farmer speak freely about her experiences and what she believes about Epstein, Maxwell, Leslie Wexner, and others and must have been pleased Maria validated her previous reporting
In the interview, Farmer discussed her abusive experiences at properties connected to Epstein and Maxwell. Interactions she reported seeing involving Ghislaine Maxwell and Ivana Trump recruiting girls; these claims appear in the interview she shared. Her belief that Les Wexner was centrally involved in the broader network and that mention of Wexner was filtered out by mainstream media. She did not mention her interaction with Donald Trump at Epstein’s residence but mentioned preparation for Bill Clinton visits , although she never actually saw him. Hard to imagine the Secret Service to allow a sitting President to visit his residence without extensive background checks Epstein would have been sure to fail.
I found the allegations about Ivana Trump interesting. Hard to believe. Ivana was divorced from Trump in 1990. Interestingly Ivana would be killed in July, 2022, falling down her stairs at home only 2 months after the interview was taken down.
Maria provided Whitney with a copy of her drivers license with Wexner’s address, which she discusses in the phone call, and this will also be released in the coming days. Its rather surprising she had gone to the trouble of obtaining an Ohio drivers license so quickly given the short amount of time she was there (only 3 months) , but this may have been for tax purposes to avoid NY taxes, and she likely expected to be staying for a longer period.
Maria talks about a man whom she calls the “holy grail” of the Epstein case, Epstein and Maxwell’s longtime chef, Andy Stewart. Maria refers to him as “Chef Andy” in the phone call. Andy Stewart died suddenly on April 7 , 2020 as Maria’s lawyers were seeking to subpoena him for information on the case, and Maria was unaware of his untimely death until after her phone call with Whitney.
Despite promising to include much of why Maria told her in her book, Whitney Webbs book One Nation Under Blackmail, which was released on September 2022 , contains remarkably little about what Maria Farmer told her that was not already publicly known.
Epstein and Maxwell also sought out “gallerinas” at art schools in New York, specifically the New York Academy of Art. The most well-known Epstein victim recruited from the art world, Maria Farmer, first encountered Epstein while a student at the Academy.
Epstein served on the academy’s board from 1987 to 1994. Epstein reportedly bought a painting from Maria Farmer at a gallery show tied to her graduation and she was then employed by Epstein beginning in 1995 after he had promised to help her with her career. Epstein had originally promised her work in acquiring art on his behalf, but she also spent time working in other capacities, such as managing the entrance to one of his New York properties. She and her then underage sister, Annie Farmer, were subsequently abused and targeted by Epstein as well as Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maria Farmer has accused Eileen Guggenheim, then-dean of the academy and the current chairman of its board, of facilitating and enabling Epstein’s predatory behavior towards her. Epstein also had a close friendship with Stuart Pivar, the co-founder of the academy, and the two had reportedly first met at the New York home of the corporate raider James Goldsmith in the early 1970s
Thats it.
Moving on. One interesting note as reported by Johnny Vedemore
Brad Edwards wrote of how impressed he was with the way Stan Pottinger communicated with the former-Epstein employee, Maria Farmer, when they first went to meet her together, with Edwards stating:
“That trip was really the beginning of my relationship with Stan. The way he asked questions of Maria and evaluated the evidence was impressive. It was very conversational. Before that trip, Stan and I had not spent much time talking beyond discussing the facts and strategy behind the various cases that had sprouted. I left Paducah impressed that David had sent someone as savvy as Stan to Kentucky, within hours, and even more impressed by Stan’s quick study of the situation.”
Stanley Pottinger still had a way with the ladies and Maria Farmer soon caught his eye. Farmer began a romantic relationship with Stan Pottinger which, according to multiple sources, lasted many years and was extremely complex. In fact, Maria Farmer was to play various roles in both the Epstein case and the life of J. Stanley Pottinger.
Regardless of when or how they first met, the available evidence suggests that, once recruited by Pottinger, Maria Farmer played a much more complex role than has previously been revealed. Between their initial meeting in 2016 and the takedown of Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, Maria Farmer was even employed by J. Stanley Pottinger and David Boies. In 2017, two profit making enterprises were created by Stan Pottinger, the Federal Anti-Fraud Enforcement LLC and Qui Tam Consultants LLC, both of which were registered at his Twin Lakes home in South Salem, New York. The Federal Anti-Fraud Enforcement LLC (FAE) even lists Maria Farmer on their website as their “Chief Administrator of Website Services”.
Registered to the FAE alongside Stanley Pottinger and Maria Farmer were David Boies, Brittany Henderson, Shanna Praga, Margaret Cassidy and John LaTemple. Farmer is noted on the FAE website as having “over 30 years of experience with research and intellectual property design” and she is also noted as the CEO of Matisse & Degas Atelier LLC. Farmer’s FAE profile page describes her as their “chief researcher and editor for online news and information” and the site states that her experience includes a previous role focused on “web research, design, editing and postings”.
It was in a court docket dated 16 April 2019, when Maria Farmer first began to be known as a witness and victim in the case against Jeffrey Epstein. Virginia L. Guiffre is listed as the plaintiff on Maria Farmer’s affidavit for Case 1:19-cv-03377-LAP’s, where long-time Epstein lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, is listed as the defendant.
Farmer‘s affidavit isn’t very long and contains only 9 carefully worded statements, but the story she tells is very important for two reasons. Firstly, the evidence she gave directly implicated Alan Dershowitz, who was one of the star lawyers for Jeffrey Epstein’s legal counsel, in sexual activity involving school girls. Secondly, Farmer’s tale of being sexually assaulted by Epstein completely shatters an otherwise concrete criminal profile.
Epstein had been a notorious pedophile, targetting girls mainly within the age range of 13 and 18-years-old, whereas Maria Farmer was approaching her mid-20s during the alleged encounter. Farmer’s characterisation of the abuse she claims to have encountered is also not fitting with the wider criminal profile of both Epstein and Maxwell. In fact, with such a large array of evidence and testimony available, we are able to build up a very accurate criminal profile for Epstein, whose offending was very systematic.
https://www.truthforhealth.org/2023/07/the-pottinger-ultimatum/
Pottinger, Boies and Edwards of course were many of the victims lawyers. Not a journalist so I cant vouch for all of that but if true its interesting that most of what has been alleged publicly has only come to light after Maria hooked up with the lawyers, which is why the 2006 FBI report on their interview with Maria would be very informative and provide validation for Maria and her sister.
Maria and her lawyers filed a lawsuit against the government in May 2025 claiming federal negligence in handling her 1996 and later reports about Epstein. As of now, the lawsuit is active and awaiting further judicial proceedings — there’s no public record yet of a court decision, settlement, or dismissal
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
1. For nearly a quarter of a century, Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous sex trafficker and abuser of minors and young women, along with his co-conspirators, was able to engage in a wide-ranging sex trafficking venture because the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], United
States Department of Justice [DOJ], and United States Attorneys’ Offices [USAO] failed to listen to or protect his sex-trafficked, sexually abused, and sexually exploited victims.
2. In 1996, Plaintiff Maria Farmer reported to the FBI that she had been sexually assaulted by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his long-time partner and leading co-conspirator.
In 2021, Maxwell was convicted by a jury in the Southern District of New York of multiplecounts, including conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and
3. What’s more, Maria warned the FBI that Epstein and others had committed multiple serious sex crimes, including hands-on sexual abuse and trafficking, against girls and vulnerable young women, including against one of her minor sisters.
4. Maria also alerted the FBI that Epstein had stolen nude and partially nude images of her two minor sisters and had transported those images across state lines.
[I initially questioned how Epstein could possibly have stolen the nude photos and negatives, but as you will see below she says she gave Epstein the keys to her apartment in NYC while she stayed in his Ohio Mansion that summer. Thats plausible.]
5. Maria also notified the FBI that Epstein and others were engaging in the possession, production, and distribution of sexually lascivious or exploitative images of children that could well constitute child pornography, another sex crime against children.
6. Despite the seriousness of Maria’s allegations, the likelihood that criminal conduct was continuing, the requirements of federal regulation and mandatory express policy to investigate or conduct a serious preliminary inquiry regarding such allegations and, if indicated, refer such allegations to local investigators and prosecutors, the statutory designation of the FBI as a mandatory reporter of child sex abuse and exploitation, and the federal prioritization of investigation of child pornography and child sex abuse crimes, the FBI, in violation of its mandatory obligations under regulations and DOJ policies, chose to do absolutely nothing.
7. In fact, an FBI agent taking Maria’s call hung up on her, and no one at the FBI attempted to follow up with her or pursue her valid and serious allegations, most of which continued for many years, if not decades, with wide-ranging tragic consequences. transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-guilty-what-next-
5082bd54ec442632c53319e6c43c2dd4..
Child pornography, a legal term in the United States Code, implies consent which a child cannot provide for this kind of activity.
8. As a result, Epstein and others working with him were able to threaten bodily harm to Maria and her family for decades, forcing her to relocate many times and even change her name.
9. In the meantime, Epstein exponentially multiplied his sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking of girls and young women.
10. The United States government failed to pursue Epstein for decades. From 2005 to mid-2008, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida [USAO- SDFL], faced with mounting evidence of Epstein’s child sex abuse, sex trafficking, and child pornography crimes, failed to comply with federal regulations and the USAO Manual’s explicit mandate to promptly notify the DOJ Civil Rights Division of all sex trafficking investigations, to coordinate such investigations with the Civil Rights Division, to defer staffing decisions on such investigations to the Civil Rights Division, and to keep the Civil Rights Division informed. The USAO-SDFL also failed to promptly notify the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, violating another specific USAO Manual’s requirement.
11. Federal authorities also ignored reports that Epstein paid victims to keep them quiet and threatened to break their legs or kill them if they notified or cooperated with law enforcement.
12. In addition, in violation of various federal laws, federal law enforcement denigrated victims, calling them “child prostitutes,” and failed to provide notices of criminal processes or offer them victim services or protection.
13. Instead, the USAO-SDFL gave Epstein a sweetheart “deal-of-a-lifetime” non- prosecution agreement [NPA], even though the USAO Manual only authorized such agreements for cooperating witnesses, which Epstein was not.
14. The USAO-SDFL also granted blanket immunity to Epstein and all his known and unknown co-conspirators from all federal crimes, contrary to federal statute and the USAO Manual requirement of cooperation and prohibition against transactional immunity.
15. Then, after allowing Epstein to enter into a sweeping NPA—which violated numerous established policies, practices, and procedures—federal authorities failed to enforce even the agreement’s minimal terms, allowing Epstein (i) to plead guilty to soliciting one minor when the agreement required him to plead guilty to soliciting multiple minors; (ii) to flout the sex offender registration requirement; (iii) to obtain work release for 12 hours each day when the agreement required, or was supposed to require, Epstein to be imprisoned for 24 hours each day; and (iv) to serve his prison term in the “cushy” minimum-security Palm Beach County Jail when Epstein was supposed to be incarcerated in Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Main Detention Center along with most other inmates.
16. Moreover, federal law enforcement kept the NPA secret.
17. It misled victims, sending them letters falsely claiming that the FBI was continuing to investigate Epstein’s crimes in violation of the Crime Victims Rights Act of 2004.
18. This allowed Epstein to continue to sex traffic and sexually exploit girls and young women for years.
[Epstein was required to register as a sex offender under the NPA
A registered sex offender like Epstein was required to:
Report within days if he stayed at another residence
Register in every state where he regularly stayed
Disclose temporary lodging beyond short stays
Notify authorities before international travel
Keep records accurate and current at all times
Plus his case was widely publicized]
19. Had the USAO-SDFL followed applicable non-discretionary mandates requiring coordination if not deference to specifically designated and experienced personnel experienced with child sex trafficking and child pornography and sought uniform application of federal law and policy, the USAO-SDFL and FBI would not have been able to minimize, disregard, and cover up Epstein’s crimes as they repeatedly did for decades.
20. Initially, in an effort to get to the bottom of what happened without engaging in litigation, Maria filed a FOIA request with the FBI, seeking, at a minimum, documents reflecting any communications between the FBI and Maria in 1996 and 2006. When this request was rejected, Maria tried again. On or about January 2, 2025, the FBI advised that her FOIA request was on the “complex request small processing track” with an “estimated date of completion” of “November, 2027.”
21 Meanwhile, by letter dated May 2, 2023, Maria through counsel urged the United States to investigate its conduct regarding Maria’s report to the FBI and law enforcement’s handling of Epstein. By letter dated May 11, 2023, the Inspector General acknowledged that Maria’s allegations were “concerning,” “thank[ed] [counsel] for giving us the opportunity to review your client’s concerns,” but said that they were busy at that time with other matters. Then, some eighteen months after her May 2, 2023 letter, DOJ, by letter dated December 2, 2024, stated, “[A]though an internal affairs investigation was not initiated, IAS mandated action be [sic] taken to address the concerns raised in your complaint.” DOJ then unilaterally decreed that “IAS/IPU [Internal Affairs Section/Initial Processing Unit] considers your complaint addressed.”
22. The DOJ, FBI, and USAO failed to treat Maria’s and other victims’ allegations with the seriousness and urgency that the victim complaints and government policies required, failing to curtail or even mitigate Epstein’s long-running ongoing threat. To date, federal authorities have refused or ignored Maria’s request(s) to commence an investigation of these serious unresolved allegations. They have also flatly denied Maria’s efforts to address the issues outside of litigation. In so doing, Defendant left Maria with no choice but to commence this lawsuit.
23. Had the United States paid attention to Maria in 1996 and 2006 and to innumerable other victims over the years and complied with their mandatory duties rather than succumb to the dictates of a well-connected billionaire sex trafficker and his high-powered legal team, Epstein’s sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and child pornography crimes could have been stopped soon after they began, and countless young women and girls would have been spared more than a quarter of a century of unchecked sexual abuse and exploitation.
https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Farmer-v.-FBI-25-cv-01709-Complaint.pdf
It then goes on to make its case. Here are some excerpts
The Federal Government’s Early Awareness of Epstein
76. Epstein was known by or tied to federal authorities for decades, often in connection with suspicious and illegal activities.
77. In 1981, Epstein reportedly abruptly left Bear Stearns after committing a possible Regulation D violation with rumors that he had engaged in other illegal activities. !6
78. Epstein subsequently was a business partner with Steven Hoffenberg at Towers Financial, who was prosecuted and imprisoned for bilking investors out of over $450 million in a Ponzi scheme that was then the largest financial fraud in American history. Even though Epstein was not charged, other parties have alleged that Epstein received illicit funds and was one of Hoffenberg s co-conspirators.
79. In 1991, James W. Schacht, acting Director of Insurance of the State of Illinois, acting as Conservator/Liquidator of United Diversified Corporation (”UDC”) and related companies, sued Hoffenberg, alleging an insurance Ponzi fraud. Although Epstein and his company were recipients of improper fund disbursements, Epstein was not charged.
80. In 1992, instead of assisting in the investigation or prosecution of Epstein, the United States Department of State rented a luxurious New York City townhouse to him. When, in 1996, Epstein, in violation of the lease, marketed the property to real estate brokers and sublet the townhouse at a profit, the United States Department of State sued Epstein and others. In defending the suit, Epstein relied on communications with Richard Massy of the Office of Foreign Missions in Washington, D.C. Certain documents were sealed in the case, and the only consequences to Epstein appear to be a termination of the lease.!7
Maria’s Introduction to Epstein and Maxwell and Increasing Exposure to Their Activities
81. In the mid-1990s, Maria, then in her mid-twenties, was a burgeoning artist, having recently graduated from the New York Academy of Art with a Master of Fine Art degree.
82. With the encouragement and insistence of Peggy Guggenheim, then head of the New York Academy of Art, Maria met Epstein and sold him one of her paintings for half the amount she had already been offered for the piece.
83. At the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner and procurement “lieutenant,” evidence was presented that Epstein repeatedly promoted himself to young artists and actresses as a philanthropist interested in helping them achieve their educational and professional dreams.
Epstein used the same modus operandi with Maria, promising her assistance with her budding career in visual arts.
84. Epstein and Maxwell bragged to Maria that they were connected to important, wealthy, influential people who assisted, supported, and protected them in their endeavors.
85. Epstein hired Maria initially as an “art scout” for his collection. The position expanded to receptionist, clerk, and other duties in Epstein’s New York City mansion, an apartment building on East 66th Street where Epstein housed many young girls, along with his office.
86. Over several months in 1996, Maria witnessed many young women going in and out of Epstein’s New York mansion, including children in school uniforms. She also witnessed Maxwell actively “scouting” for new teenage girls whom Epstein was purportedly also “helping.”
87. Maria occasionally ran errands with Maxwell using Epstein’s car. During these “errands,” Maxwell repeatedly directed the driver to stop the car so that she could “go get girls” for Epstein.
88. Maria also helped with interior design at the 66th Street apartment building, where she observed many young women coming and going, many of whom appeared to be teenagers.
89.
Epstein informed Maria about the video cameras recording activities at the New York City mansion. He showed her a media room filled with such recording devices and monitoring systems. Epstein noted his sophisticated computer equipment, which was in continuous use.
90. Epstein and Maxwell also bragged about a “modeling book” that was so valuable, important, and private that they kept it locked in Epstein’s safe. This “modeling book,” which they shared with others occasionally, contained images of what appeared to be children explicitly posed in various stages of undress.
91. Maxwell claimed that the “modeling book” was used in connection with Victoria’s Secret, one of retail magnate Les Wexner’s businesses, and another wealthy and influential Epstein friend.
92. Maria also saw binders with images of nude teens and young women at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
93. Epstein’s homes were filled with photographs and other sexualized artwork featuring nude females, some of whom appeared to be minors, including partially naked images.
94. At first, Maria accepted Epstein and Maxwell’s innocuous business interests or“eccentric” justifications for these activities.
Epstein and Maxwell Sexually Assault Maria, Steal Her Sisters’ Nude Photographs, and Threaten Her with Violence
95. In the summer of 1996, Epstein encouraged Maria to leave New York City, where she lived, and become a summer “artist-in-residence at his home in New Albany, Ohio. That residence was part of or adjacent to Les Wexner’s estate.
96. Epstein and Maxwell directed Maria to give them keys to her New York City apartment while she was out of town.
97. In or about late July or early August 1996, during a visit to the Ohio property, Epstein and Maxwell sexually assaulted Maria. Maria was stunned and devastated.
98. Maria also discovered that, during their visit, Epstein and Maxwell had stolen images that Maria maintained and cataloged by number in her personal, private collection for her personal use in her artwork, including nude images of two minor siblings.
99. Epstein and Maxwell, for their and perhaps others’ sexual gratification, transported these images via airplane from Ohio to New York.
Maria increasingly realized that Epstein and perhaps others produced, compiled, and collected sexualized images of minors, whether in their “modeling book,” Epstein’s safe, or through images stolen from Maria and likely others.
In transporting the images back to New York with him, Epstein trafficked sexually explicit images of at least two children across state lines from Ohio to New York.
Maria also became frightened that Epstein, who had falsely presented himself to Maria’s sister and their mother as a well-intentioned “benefactor,” assaulted one of her minor sisters as well as other children.
103. Increasingly anxious and distressed, Maria attempted to leave Epstein’s New Albany residence to return to her home in New York, retrieve the images, protect her sisters, and report Epstein’s and Maxwell’s wrongdoing. However, for many days, Maria was physically threatened by a local Sheriff and other persons connected with Wexner and prevented from leaving the New Albany property.
To silence her, Epstein repeatedly called Maria in Ohio, attempting to trivialize the sexual assault, the images he admitted to taking, and other misdeeds.
105. Epstein told Maria that he would “make it up to her,” offered to provide her with “compensation,” and asked her what she “wanted.”
When Maria did not cooperate with Epstein’s attempts to pay her off, she continued to be held in Ohio against her will and threatened.
Only after Maria contacted family members and took other actions was she “permitted” to leave the property.
When Maria returned to New York, she discovered that her apartment had been painted black and most of her furniture removed. Since Epstein and Maxwell were the only persons with access to her apartment, it was clear that they had trashed and burgled her home.
Maria confronted Epstein and Maxwell, demanding, among other things, that they return the stolen photographs of her sisters. They refused, ridiculed her, and retaliated against her, threatening to physically harm her and her family and to burn all her artwork.
Epstein and Maxwell reminded Maria that they were connected to important and influential people. They warned her that “bad things would happen to her” if she did or said anything. Maxwell directed Maria to keep quiet and threatened to torch her artwork, the building where she was living, and all the people in it. Maxwell told Maria that she and Epstein could and would destroy her career. Maria believed that they had the power to do so and much more.
111. Increasingly, Maria realized that Epstein’s and Maxwell’s sexual abuse and threats to her, the parade of girls and young women in his home, their destruction and theft of her property, the grooming of one of her minor sisters, and their purloining, interstate transportation, and retention of her minor siblings’ sexually explicit images were part of a far-ranging criminal enterprise.
Maria’s August 1996 FBI Report about Epstein’s Child Sex Abuse, Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography Crimes
112. Maria did what she thought every American should do when they become crime victims, suspect children are sex crime victims and believe there is ongoing serious criminal activity. On August 29, 1996, she reported Epstein and Maxwell to law enforcement.
Initially, Maria reported Epstein’s crimes to the New York Police Department’s
Sixth Precinct (”NYPD”).
Maria disclosed to the NYPD that Epstein and Maxwell had sexually abused her and that Epstein and Maxwell, together with others, were committing multiple ongoing illegal sex abuse crimes, including crimes against minors and vulnerable young women, child pornography crimes, and possible crimes against her minor siblings.
According to NYPD Police Report Complaint #1996-0067241, dated 8/29/96,
“Marial states...[Epstein) did call her and stated he was going to burn victim’s painting and send her polaroids of the burnt paintings. [Epstein] has keys to victim’s apartment.”
116. The NYPD explained that they could only address the local fire threats and that she needed to report her additional allegations to the FBI. They gave her the FBI’s telephone contact information which she believes had an area code as part of the phone number.
117. Following the NYPD’s instructions and believing that federal law enforcement would help her, Maria promptly contacted the FBI, making at least two calls to two different offices. 18
118. Maria told the FBI what happened, including Epstein’s and Maxwell’s sexual abuse of her and her concern that they likely had also abused one of her minor sisters, who she often took care of and assumed care-taking responsibilities for, and other young women; their possession, production, distribution, and transportation of child pornography—including the stolen images of Maria’s young sisters their operation of a child trafficking ring; and her belief that they were continuing to hurt children.
Maria specifically told the FBI about the explicit images of children she observed at Epstein’s home and that Epstein and Maxwell kept a binder of what appeared to be child pornography in a safe.
Maria also notified the FBI that Epstein had recording devices and sophisticated computer monitoring equipment throughout his New York City mansion which presumably recorded sexual and other activities there.
Without notice or explanation, while Maria was in mid-sentence, the FBI abruptly hung up on her.
The FBI made no effort to meet with Maria or otherwise follow up.
Upon information and belief, the FBI failed to comply with 28 C.F.R. § 0.85 and the MIOG regarding Maria’s report. In particular, the FBI failed to conduct a thoroughinvestigation of federal law violations concerning the interstate transportation of obscene matters and the sexual exploitation of children, failed to carry those matters to a logical conclusion, and failed to exhaust all logical leads to ensure that no legitimate law enforcement interest justified their involvement. The FBI also failed to conduct a proper preliminary inquiry to prevent, detect, and prosecute multiple federal law violations.
124. Maria’s allegations of Epstein’s child sex abuse, sexual exploitation, and child pornography could have been corroborated with minimal investigatory effort. As established at Maxwell’s federal trial, Epstein maintained a bevy of minors and young women in New York, Florida, and wherever else he went in his private jet. Given Epstein’s strongly suspected widespread deployment of recording devices and the well-established use of child pornography by sexual abusers to normalize sexual conduct and groom victims, there was a significant likelihood of multiple serious ongoing child pornography crimes centered on Epstein and his cohorts.l Indeed, recently, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the FBI’s possession of vast numbers of child porn videos from Epstein. 20
125. Maria confirmed her report to the FBI in a 1997 entry in her personal journal:
126. The FBI confirmed Maria’s 1996 report in field notes of a 2006 meeting with her. Those notes reveal that Maria had previously reported Epstein to the NYPD Sixth Precinct, who advised her to contact the FBI:21
The Federal Government Gives Epstein Special Treatment by Ignoring his Suspicious anking Transactions, Failing to Conduct Proper Background Checks, and Issui merous Travel Documents without Questi
149. Starting in or about 2002, J.P. Morgan Chase Bank (”Chase Bank”) reported
Epstein’s suspicious financial transactions to the United States Treasury on at least six occasions.
150. Chase Bank submitted multiple Cash Transaction Reports and other materials concerning Epstein. Government of the Virgin Islands v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Case 1:22-cv-10904-JSR, Doc.#238-14, JP Morgan Response to Request for Admission No. 40
(S.D.N.Y. July 25, 2023).
151. It has been alleged that Chase Bank handled $9 million in transfers to girls and women, many with Eastern European names, and suspicious cash withdrawals from Epstein accounts. According to one report, dividing the $9 million by a couple of hundred dollars- the typical amount Epstein was known to pay victims and recruiters— resulted in over “20,000 unlawful sex acts facilitated by JPMorgan.”26
152.
Upon information and belief, Defendant failed to respond to Chase Bank’s reports and took no action.
153. In 2002, the United States Secret Service, then part of the Department of the Treasury tasked with protecting the nation’s leaders and safeguarding the country’s infrastructure, cleared presidential travel on Epstein’s private jet for Bill Clinton.
154. Thus, at or about the same time the Treasury Department received reports from Chase Bank about Epstein’s suspicious banking transactions, the Treasury Department presumably did a deep background check on Epstein.
155. That same year, Epstein was the subject of substantial media attention. For example, on October 28, 2002, New York Magazine published an expose entitled “Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.” Epstein was described as having “cash to burn, a fleet of airplanes and a keen eye for the ladies” with a “life full of question marks. run[ning] S1.5 billion for wealthy clients” with a “closely held secret” lient list.”27
156. Upon information and belief, in November 2002 and on other occasions, Defendant issued visas and at least one passport to young women to travel with Epstein on his private jet.
157. In addition, Epstein repeatedly requested new or multiple passports, sometimes using different addresses? These activities presumably also required background checks. It was later determined that Epstein maintained an Austrian passport under a different name with an address in Saudi Arabia.
158. Although Epstein repeatedly failed to report his international flights on his private jet, the United States Department of State did nothing to investigate or attempt to revoke his passports until in or about 2019.29
159.
Belatedly, after Epstein died in 2019, Chase Bank notified the Treasury Department of more than $1 billion in transactions related to Epstein’s “human trafficking” dating back 16 years- transactions that could and should have been reviewed by the Treasury Department and bank regulators. 30
160. Further, during the Chase Bank litigation, the Epstein estate revealed that the executors may have discovered child pornography on Epstein’s private island. Yet it remains unclear whether the FBI or any law enforcement authority-ever reviewed or investigated those materials. 31
161. Defendant similarly ignored Epstein’s “significant compliance” errors in his later banking relationship with Deutsche Bank. 32
The Palm Beach Police Department’s Investigation into Epstein Starting in Approximately 2005, Including the Discovery of Likely Child Pornography
162. Meanwhile, in March 2005, a fourteen-year-old girl and her parents reported Epstein to the Palm Beach Police Department (the “PBPD”) for sexual assault and solicitation. 33
163. Approximately a dozen girls told the PBPD that they were raped or molested by Epstein at his Palm Beach mansion.
164. The girls told strikingly similar stories of what occurred and accurately described details regarding Epstein’s Palm Beach home.
165. Upon investigating, the PBPD discovered phone message books filled with girls’ names, 34 a high school transcript, references to a child’s availability as only “after school,” and sex toys and objects.
The PBPD also encountered “several photographs of young naked teenage girls...” in Epstein’s home. 35
When Epstein’s home was searched, computer equipment was missing, with wires left dangling as if the hard disks and servers had been hurriedly removed.
168. Ultimately, a Florida grand jury heard testimony about Epstein’s sexual abuse of a fourteen and a sixteen-year-old girl.
169. In 2006, frustrated by the Palm Beach State Attorney’s Office’s mismanagement of the case, the PBPD reported Epstein to the FBI. 36
Substantial Evidence of Epstein’s Sex Trafficking, Child Pornography, and Other Crimes
1. Information Obtained by the FBI as to Child Sex Abuse and Sex
Trafficking
In their Florida investigation, the FBI learned that Epstein recruited underage girls aged fourteen to seventeen to travel to his homes in Palm Beach and New Mexico, where he would sexually assault them.??
At least one survivor, who was 14 years old, told the FBI that she had been photographed nude. 38
Epstein paid for attorneys to represent some of the victims. 39
Upon information and belief, some of the victims reported to law enforcement that they were threatened and warned “You’re going to die” or “I’m going to break your legs.” Victims were also offered compensation for refusing to cooperate with authorities. The FBI did little or nothing to protect or assist these victims.
The FBI investigation identified approximately 30 victims, including approximately 20 victims ages 14 to 17, who Epstein had sexually assaulted.
Victims also informed the FBI that Epstein trafficked them to other locations. 40
Maria’s Second Report to the FBI about Child Sex Trafficking, Child Pornography, and Other Crimes
176. In 2006, as part of their “investigation,” FBI agents arrived unannounced at Maria’s home in North Carolina. The agents advised Maria that they knew that she had Previously complained to the FBI about Epstein, indicating that FBI headquarters was aware of may have been involved with her prior report. The agents met with Maria for several hours.
The FBI agents specifically acknowledged Maria’s 1996 report to the FBI about stein, affirming their awareness of Maria’s earlier FBI complaint.
The FBI agents told Maria that they needed her testimony for an investigation of Epstein in Florida.
Maria was very reluctant to speak with the agents, particularly after the FBI had eviously failed her, leaving her vulnerable and exposed to Epstein’s threats. However, the FBI agents pressed her to help them, representing that they would “get him” this time.
With those representations from the FBI, Maria again told the FBI that Epstein and Maxwell had sexually assaulted her, that they appeared to be engaged in widespread sexual use and trafficking of young women and children, that they were operating a pedophile ring, d that Maxwell would frequently “go get girls” for Epstein’s sexual desires.
181. Maria again told the FBI about her concerns that Epstein had sexually assaulted one of her minor sisters.
182. Maria again told the FBI about Epstein’s theft and transport across state lines of nude and partially nude photographs of her two minor siblings.
183. Maria again told the FBI about Epstein’s child pornography-filled “modeling book,” which was kept in a locked safe at his New York City mansion.
184. Maria again told the FBI about Epstein’s extensive video recording devices and sophisticated computer system at his home in New York City.
185. Maria again told the FBI that Epstein, Maxwell, and others had seriously and continuously threatened her and her sisters.
186. The FBI failed again to offer Maria, as a crime victim, any victim services or provide notifications required by the VRRA and CVRA.
187. Defendant received substantial evidence of Epstein’s production, distribution, transportation, and possession of child pornography, some depicting his victims.
188. Maria told the FBI that Epstein had boasted about the recording and computer devices in his home and had shown her the equipment.
189. Maria reported that Epstein had stolen nude images of her minor sister and transported them across state lines.
190. In addition, when police executed a search warrant of Epstein’s Florida home in 2005, they found dangling wires attached to monitors without any computers or hard drives.”!
191. Files and images on this missing computer equipment could have identified other victims and countered any argument that Epstein was unaware that the girls were minors. 42
192. Due to reports by Maria and others, Defendant was well aware of Epstein’s use of video recording devices and computers in connection with the ongoing sexual exploitation in hishome(s). According to a lengthy report prepared by the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility (”OPR”) entitled “Investigation into the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Resolution of Its 2006-2008 Federal Criminal Investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and Its Interactions with Victims During the Investigation” (November 2020) (the “OPR Report”), the FBI knew and had reason to believe that “Epstein used hidden cameras in his New York residence to record his sexual encounters, and one [minor] victim told agents that Epstein’s assistant photographed her in the nude.”43
“[lInvestigators had learned that Epstein used hidden cameras in his New York residence to record his sexual encounters, and [the AUSA] believed he could have engaged in similar conduct in his Palm Beach home.”44
The 2005 USAO Manual established “General Prosecution Policies andPriorities” strongly encouraging the “[p)rosecution of all crimes involving the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of children and the distribution of child pornography....” Much like the 1991MIOG, the Manual stated:
Investigation has shown that many individuals who produce, import or consensually exchange child pornography do so repeatedly and with full knowledge that it is illegal to do so. In addition, many of these individuals engage in child sexual abuse or would like to do so, given the right opportunity. Many of these people also intentionally engage in occupations or activities that bring them into frequent contact with children. Finally, many people use child pornography to encourage their child victims to engage in sexual activity.
USAO Manual, Section 9-75.020.
195. Even Defendant’s own OPR Report acknowledged that Epstein’s “computers might have contained child pornography…45
196. Epstein’s attorneys refused to turn over the hard drives, and Defendant made no serious effort to compel them to do so.46
197.
Epstein’s attorneys refused to turn over the hard drives, and Defendant made no Effort to compel the turnover of Epstein’s hard drives. 47
198. Instead, as the OPR Report determined, the U.S. Attorney “resolved the federal investigation before significant investigative steps were completed,” and the investigation ended “prematurely.”48
199. Moreover, the OPR Report noted that with his multistate lifestyle[,] it was reasonable to assume that [there was possible] interstate transmission of child pornography...that could have changed the entire complexion of the case against Epstein.”4)
200. The USAO, like the FBI, ignored child pornography and the other serious allegations by Maria and other victims and, in so doing, failed to stop or mitigate the ongoing threat posed by Epstein. the USAO Manual
201. Federal regulations mandate that “all Federal statutes affecting civil rights,” including criminal prosecutions,” be administered by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S.Attorney General’s office:
Closing Remarks- I suppose one can question if what Epstein and Maxwell did constitutes sexual abuse but the theft and threat allegations if true are rather serious. I think I need to see the complete FBI (1996 and 2006) and NYPD reports.
I also don’t understand why the NYPD would consider the theft of Marias belongings in NY a FBI matter and not something they could pursue. That makes no sense and suggests she may not have reported the theft of her furniture and photos from her NY apartment to them.
There is also a question of if she were fully aware of what Epstein was up to with these young girls and was ok with it until they had a falling out. She claims innocence. Regardless, the severing of the relationship also ended any further relationship by Epstein with her sister when she returned from her Thailand trip that was paid for by Epstein. Her hopes she would help pay her way through college were dashed. Annie Farmers story provided her with $1.5 million tax free compensation from the Victims Compensation Fund (VCF). Her lawyer for some reason waived his fee (usually 30-40%)
Maria Farmer also received money from the VCF. The amount is not known but $121 million was reportedly paid out by Epstein’s Estate to 150 women. It’s also unknown if either Maria or Annie received any money from the Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan settlements (combined $365 million).
So thats all there is.
End