What does the last batch of the Epstein documents mean for investigation, and the people surrounding it?
Ever since his Florida-state pedophilia charge in 2016 and his federal sex trafficking arrest in 2019, Jeffrey Epstein’s name has been shrouded in disgust and shame. However, after his death, while he was awaiting trial, the people who he contacted and knew have been called into question.
With the disclosure of his close contacts, the Epstein “list” has shed light on some figures within the case, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, former Maine Sen. George Mitchell, and attorney Alan Dershowitz.
“I was shocked, numb, kind of like the rug was swept out from under me,” says Connor Lucido, about when he heard about the list.
Donald Trump has been closely linked with Epstein, as he is quoted in a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, saying, “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
The new documents also detail testimony from Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, who explained specifically that, “If you walked foot into Jeffrey Epstein’s house and you went in there and you continued to be an acquaintance of his then you would have to know what was going on there.”
The deposition, along with the list, has called the reputation of many “powerful” men into question, with Giuffre’s deposition focusing especially on Dershowitz. She explains in the testimony, “did Dershowitz know that Jeffrey Epstein was using these minors for sexual purposes? Yes, he did.”
Dershowitz, who has recently been under the spotlight from his position to defend Israel against S. Africa’s genocide case in the International Court of Justice, has reneged all claims, calling Giuffre’s testimony “unreliable.”
Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is in prison for 20 years, due to her role in abetting Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. Federal reports have concluded that the scheme went on for as long as 10 years, from 1994 to 2004, targeting mostly minors, with some as young as 14 years old.
Epstein’s death is also shrouded in a bit of mystery: the death has been ruled a suicide, but still, some claims of foul play remain. Maxwell Moore ‘24 has been following the case closely. When asked about whether Epstein actually committed suicide, he said, “He [Jeffrey Epstein] had [sic] so much dirt on people that he could use it as bargaining material to lessen his sentence, so why would he kill himself?”
Some connected to Epstein include Former L Brands CEO Les Wexner, magician David Copperfield, Elon Musk, Kevin Spacey, Prince Andrew, comedian Chris Tucker, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, scientist Stephen Hawking and more. Many have been linked with Epstein through financial dealings, donations, travel, and friendships, which Epstein or others around him have detailed in the past.
“I was really shocked when I saw Stephen Hawking on there [the list], because he was an idol to me. I still appreciate his contributions to the scientific community, but his reputation is soiled in my mind,” says Moore.
Moore adds, however, “Just because their names were on the emails doesn’t mean they knew about the sex trafficking.”
News about the list has been rapidly spreading on social media. Both real and fake lists have been seen on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms, a phenomenon that Lucido found especially problematic.
“There has been a lot of fake news going around for me. I was trying to figure out who was on the list, and I kept seeing lists that were fake. They were trying to slander and mudsling at other celebrities, like Jimmy Kimmel and Miley Cyrus,” says Lucido.
While the Epstein list is not a definitive list of guilt, the names call into question the morals of the world’s most powerful, and the things people will do when they think they cannot be caught.
Lucido predicts that, “Nothing will happen in the law, but their reputations will always be stained,” while Moore adds that their personas will be “morally and philosophically affected.”
Investigations into the prominent people listed will continue, but with Epstein’s death, there is a sense of irresolution when it comes to the case. As for our reactions here at Barstow, Jeffrey Epstein’s death and the connections that remain demonstrate that idolizing the rich and powerful doesn’t always work out in the end. Beware of the famous, beware.
