Financier Epstein arrested in U.S. sex trafficking case - source

By Brendan Pierson

 

FILE PHOTO: Jeffrey Epstein is shown in this undated Florida Department of Law Enforcement photo. REUTERS/Florida Department of Law Enforcement/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested late on Saturday on suspicion of sex trafficking of underage girls and will appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, a source familiar with the matter said, meaning he will face charges similar to those he avoided in a 2007 plea deal.

 

Epstein, 66, was being held in New York City's Metropolitan Correctional Center, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons website.

 

Asked by email if Epstein planned to plead not guilty to any charges, a lawyer for Epstein, Jack Goldberger, replied, "Yes."

 

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, which is handling the case, declined to comment.

 

Financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested late on Saturday on suspicion of sex trafficking of underage girls and will appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, a source familiar with the matter said, meaning he will face charges similar to those he avoided in a 2007 plea deal. Jillian Kitchener has more.

 

The former hedge fund manager who is known for socializing with politicians and royalty has been investigated in the past.

 

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2007 to a reduced felony prostitution charge in Florida and registered as a sex offender. His 13-month sentenced enabled him to get out of the Palm Beach County Stockade six days a week to work from his office, according to the New York Times.

 

In February of this year, a U.S. district judge in Florida ruled that prosecutors violated the federal Crime Victims' Rights Act by not letting more than 30 identified victims know of the deal so they would have a chance to oppose it.

 

Even so, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing last month there was no reason to cancel that agreement.

 

Among the prosecutors who made that 2007 deal was Alex Acosta, then the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and now U.S. Secretary of Labor for President Donald Trump.

 

A U.S. Justice Department office is investigating whether government attorneys committed professional misconduct in the Epstein case.

 

The Justice Department declined to comment on the status of that probe.

 

Before reaching the non-prosecution agreement with Acosta's office, Epstein was facing potential federal indictment for sexually abusing dozens of girls as young as 14 between 1999 and 2007, directing others to abuse them and paying employees to bring victims to him, according to court filings.

 

Epstein has said that his encounters with alleged victims were consensual and that he believed they were 18 when they occurred.

 

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives confronted Acosta about his role in the Epstein case in April when the labour secretary appeared before the House Appropriations subcommittee on a routine budget matter.

 

Acosta responded that human trafficking was "an in­cred­ibly important issue" and said his office's efforts ensured thatEpstein faced jail time and had to register as a sex offender.

 

"I understand the frustration," Acosta told the subcommittee. "I think it's important to understand that he was going to get off with no jail time or restitution. It was the work of our office that resulted in him going to jail."

 

Saturday's arrest was first reported by the Daily Beast, which cited three unidentified law enforcement sources, and later by other media including the Miami Herald, also citing anonymous sources.

 

The new charges stem from purported trafficking of dozens of minors in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005, the Daily Beast said.

 

The Miami Herald reported that the charges include new victims and witnesses who spoke to authorities in New York over the past several months.

 

Brad Edwards, a lawyer who represents some of Epstein's accusers, said, "I got many calls between last night and today from multiple victims crying tears of joy. One just kept repeating that she was so happy he was finally off the streets."

 

Epstein was arrested at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, the Miami Herald reported, citing one of its sources. Flight records show he had just flown to Teterboro from Paris on Saturday, the Herald said.

 

About a dozen federal agents broke down the door to Epstein's Manhattan townhouse on Saturday afternoon to execute search warrants, the Herald said, citing sources a witness who described FBI agents banging on his door.

 

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson, Noeleen Walder, Karen Freifeld, Sarah N. Lynch and Daniel Trotta; editing by Dan Wallis and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-08

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Let's hope the fallout doesn't taint the Clintons again. How many times did Bill fly on the "Lolita Express" with the beast Epstein during the period the sex trafficking was going on? This is going to give a serious hit to team democrat at such a vital stage heading into the 2020 election run. It highlights the complete historical lack of morality at the top of the party.

Just now, TopDeadSenter said:

Let's hope the fallout doesn't taint the Clintons again. How many times did Bill fly on the "Lolita Express" with the beast Epstein during the period the sex trafficking was going on? This is going to give a serious hit to team democrat at such a vital stage heading into the 2020 election run. It highlights the complete historical lack of morality at the top of the party.

Because Hillary Clinton is running for office?

Actually, you might want to direct your concern to someone who actually is running for office. He goes by the name of Donald Trump.

Here's a partial quote of his about Epstein. I can't cite it in full because of thaivisa.com's 3 sentence rule. But I'll give you a link to let you rejoice in the full thing.

“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. ... It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/07/jeffrey-epstein-ex-donald-trump-bill-clinton-associate-arrested/1669665001/

If Epstein is as potent an issue as you think it is. how's that quote gonna play?

"I don't know him, I never met him," etc

 

 

 

https://www.alternet.org/2019/07/george-conway-tweets-links-tying-trump-to-accused-child-trafficker-after-jeffrey-epstein-arrest/

 

 

 

Let's hope the fallout doesn't taint the Clintons again. How many times did Bill fly on the "Lolita Express" with the beast Epstein during the period the sex trafficking was going on? This is going to give a serious hit to team democrat at such a vital stage heading into the 2020 election run. It highlights the complete historical lack of morality at the top of the party.

Really grasping at straws with that. Anyone that would buy that connection to any democratic 2020 nominee is already a hard core 45 fan.  

Speaking of lack of morality. I really love how former prosecutor Kamala Harris is telling it like it is and explicitly calling 45 a sexual predator.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

Epstein's island mysteriously burned down on Friday. He knows he's in big doo doo. Lots of global elite are probably relieved about the fire though.

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

His 13-month sentenced enabled him to get out of the Palm Beach County Stockade six days a week to work from his office, according to the New York Times.

That's not serving hard time,seems like they bent over backwards

to accommodate him ! 

regards Worgeordie

Impressive that George Conway (aka Mr Kellyanne) got out in front of this before DT.  He's trying to prevent DT from hijacking the narrative like he did with the Mueller report.

 

And a good chuckle regarding the right-wing accusations of Hillary running a sex trafficking operation out of the basement of a pizza place in DC (that doesn't have a basement) when this is going on.  What is he going to do, say that he's never been to Mar-a-Lago?  No federal charges when the US Attorney General is your flunky.

 

 

4 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

That's not serving hard time,seems like they bent over backwards

to accommodate him ! 

regards Worgeordie

It was Acosta who gave him that ‘sweet deal’.

 

The same ‘Acosta’ Trump appointee to his Cabinet (Department of Labor) and the same Acosta who has recently removed a raft of protections for ‘trafficked people’.

 

 

Never ceases to amaze as to how some people who can control vast fortunes, command huge armies and helms countries and empires but yet, can't seems to control their dicks....

... he was doing it by remote control...  byo joystick 

He’s done all us guys get into trouble when we start thinking with the little head and the lady’s know it!

So if Epstein gets convicted, will his tag along sex buddy Trump pardon him?

 

And then how many Trump supporters will still back him after he pardons a known child sex trafficker? 

 

 

1 minute ago, Silurian said:

So if Epstein gets convicted, will his tag along sex buddy Trump pardon him?

 

And then how many Trump supporters will still back him after he pardons a known child sex trafficker? 

 

 

This is a SDNY case, so don't think Trump can pardon this sleazebag.  But if he's already been prosecuted in Florida for the same charges....not sure how that works. 

 

Regardless, it's going to come out that Epstein and Trump had many wild adventures together, and with underage girls.  Both are first-class slime balls and truly deserve each other.  

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

This is a SDNY case, so don't think Trump can pardon this sleazebag.  But if he's already been prosecuted in Florida for the same charges....not sure how that works. 

 

Regardless, it's going to come out that Epstein and Trump had many wild adventures together, and with underage girls.  Both are first-class slime balls and truly deserve each other.  

If you repeat the offence there is no problem prosecuting again.

I must say i like my women on the young side as well ,mind you at my age 35 is on the young side????

by the way what sort of age are we talking about here ,was he trafficking kiddies ,or 18 year olds ?

11 minutes ago, Silurian said:

So if Epstein gets convicted, will his tag along sex buddy Trump pardon him?

 

And then how many Trump supporters will still back him after he pardons a known child sex trafficker? 

 

 

More than you would imagine.

Poster #2 for starters... 

I must say i like my women on the young side as well ,mind you at my age 35 is on the young side[emoji7]
by the way what sort of age are we talking about here ,was he trafficking kiddies ,or 18 year olds ?

Underage.

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8 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

This is a SDNY case, so don't think Trump can pardon this sleazebag.  But if he's already been prosecuted in Florida for the same charges....not sure how that works. 

 

Regardless, it's going to come out that Epstein and Trump had many wild adventures together, and with underage girls.  Both are first-class slime balls and truly deserve each other.  

 

I just assumed that since Epstein will appear in a Federal court that he could be pardoned.

 

Jeffrey Epstein, a onetime associate of Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, is in legal trouble: Here's what we know

 

Quote

Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that Epstein will appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday to face charges stemming from accusations that date to the early 2000s.

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

This is a SDNY case, so don't think Trump can pardon this sleazebag.  But if he's already been prosecuted in Florida for the same charges....not sure how that works. 

 

Regardless, it's going to come out that Epstein and Trump had many wild adventures together, and with underage girls.  Both are first-class slime balls and truly deserve each other.  

I don't think so, He's being charged with trafficking minors between NY and Florida. Crossing state lines. Pretty sure it's the feds.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Let's hope the fallout doesn't taint the Clintons again. How many times did Bill fly on the "Lolita Express" with the beast Epstein during the period the sex trafficking was going on? This is going to give a serious hit to team democrat at such a vital stage heading into the 2020 election run. It highlights the complete historical lack of morality at the top of the party.

And another reason for doubting your take on the situation. It comes right from the article:

"Among the prosecutors who made that 2007 deal was Alex Acosta, then the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and now U.S. Secretary of Labor for President Donald Trump."

4 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

This is a SDNY case, so don't think Trump can pardon this sleazebag.  But if he's already been prosecuted in Florida for the same charges....not sure how that works. 

 

Regardless, it's going to come out that Epstein and Trump had many wild adventures together, and with underage girls.  Both are first-class slime balls and truly deserve each other.  

SDNY is the US Attorney’s Office at the Southern District of New York, it is a Federal Office, not a NY State Office.

So Trump could cement his name to this with a pardon.

 

The Supreme Court has already ruled Federal and State charges do not constitute ‘double jeopardy’.

 

I’ll be interested to see Trump’s response. He has a glowing pro testimony he might want to ‘walk back’ or deny ever having given, and he might choose to telegraph the possibility of a pardon, doing so would raise legitimate questions why.

 

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

 

I don't think so, He's being charged with trafficking minors between NY and Florida. Crossing state lines. Pretty sure it's the feds.

From the article....

 

[A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, which is handling the case, declined to comment.]

 

Regardless, I believe they have new charges separate from the previous in Florida where he got a sweetheart deal. 

 

As for Trump....

 

[Trump once praised Epstein — according to Trump biographer Tim O’Brien  — for liking women “on the younger side.”

During the presidential campaign in 2016, a lawsuit was filed by a woman who alleged she was raped by Trump at a party at Epstein’s in 1994 when she was 13. She dropped the lawsuit days before the election.]

 

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/07/07/billionaire-trump-associate-jeffrey-epstein-accused-of-sex-trafficking-minors/

 

18 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

I must say i like my women on the young side as well ,mind you at my age 35 is on the young side????

by the way what sort of age are we talking about here ,was he trafficking kiddies ,or 18 year olds ?

"Before reaching the non-prosecution agreement with Acosta's office, Epstein was facing potential federal indictment for sexually abusing dozens of girls as young as 14 between 1999 and 2007, directing others to abuse them and paying employees to bring victims to him, according to court filings."

AG Barr's father hired Epstein to teach math/physics at The Dalton School ages ago.

 

This appears to be being handled as a Public Corrpuption case by SDNY.

 

A pardon would be risky as that removes the fifth ammendment protections.

 

Need Waylon "Jock" Jeffocat?

 

Pretty amazing someone didn't advise Epstein to land somehwere else, instead of Teterboro. Seems like this was well compartmentalized?

 

I wonder if Alan Dershowtiz is worried?

 

trump on Epstein now: "He's not my type."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, quandow said:

Yep, the Democrats better start running scared.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

How many times did Bill fly on the "Lolita Express" with the beast Epstein during the period the sex trafficking was going on?

Three times less than Britain's Duke of York or 'Randy Andy' as the tabloids labeled him.

Trump helped attorney Bradley Edwards in 2009 with this case. Trump also kicked his ass out of MarLago when Epstein was soliciting under age girls. ( Probably when this photo was taken)

http://documents.gawker.com/jeffrey-epstein-s-little-black-book-1681447470