New Mexico legislators investigating Jeffrey Epstein have subpoenaed U.S. Attorneys' offices in three states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The probe seeks information on whether these offices chose not to prosecute the late sex offender after investigating his activities.
This investigation could uncover potential prosecutorial misconduct or systemic failures to address Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes, potentially leading to further legal actions and shedding light on how powerful individuals may have evaded accountability.
New Mexico legislators investigating the activities of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have subpoenaed U.S. Attorneys' offices in three states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The subpoenas, approved by New Mexico's "Truth Commission" on Epstein, seek evidence of decisions not to prosecute the financier after investigations into his alleged crimes.
State Representative Andrea Romero, the commission's chair, stated that information indicated investigations into Epstein's activities had occurred in these jurisdictions. The requests broaden the scrutiny beyond Epstein's 2007-2008 non-prosecution agreement with then-Florida U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta to prosecutors nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the five subpoenaed U.S. Attorneys' offices have not yet responded to requests for comment. The commission has issued approximately 23 subpoenas in total to various law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and other entities.
The "Truth Commission," the first of its kind in the country, aims to identify officials who may have been aware of Epstein's alleged sexual abuse and failed to act. The investigation holds potential international significance if evidence emerges of public figures' knowledge or participation in the abuse, potentially leading to prosecutions by New Mexico's attorney general. The committee is expected to publish an interim report by the end of July.
Rachel Benavidez, a survivor of alleged abuse at Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, supported the subpoenas, viewing them as a means to expose potential corruption involving individuals in positions of power. Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019, ruled a suicide, after being charged with sex trafficking of minors by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.