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U.S. NEWS Monday 8 July 2019

Financier Jeffrey Epstein due

in court over sex charges

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and Averting a possible life sen- at least 40 underage girls
JIM MUSTIAN tence, Epstein was instead were brought into Epstein’s
Associated Press sentenced to 13 months in Palm Beach mansion for
NEW YORK (AP) — Wealthy jail. The deal also required what turned into sexual
financier and registered he reach financial settle- encounters after female
sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ments with dozens of his fixers looked for suitable
is due in court following an once-teenage victims and girls locally and in Eastern
arrest in New York on new register as a sex offender. Europe and other parts of
sex-trafficking charges in- Epstein’s deal was over- the world.
volving allegations that seen by former Miami U.S. Some girls were also alleg-
date to the early 2000s, Attorney Alexander Acos- edly brought to Epstein’s
according to law enforce- ta, who is now Trump’s la- homes in New York City,
ment officials. bor secretary. Acosta has New Mexico and a private Sisak reported from Port St. Lucie, Florida. In this July 30, 2008 file
Epstein, a wealthy hedge defended the plea deal Caribbean island, accord- photo, Jeffrey Epstein, center, is shown in custody in West Palm
fund manager who once as appropriate under the ing to court documents.q Beach, Fla.
counted as friends for- circumstances, though the Associated Press
mer President Bill Clinton, White House said in Feb-
Great Britain’s Prince An- ruary that it was “looking
drew, and President Don- into” his handling of the
ald Trump, was taken into deal.
federal custody Saturday U.S. District Judge Kenneth
and is expected to appear Marra of Florida ruled ear-
Monday in Manhattan fed- lier this year that Epstein’s
eral court, three law en- victims should have been
forcement officials told The consulted under federal
Associated Press. law about the deal, and he
One of the officials said is now weighing whether to
Epstein is accused of pay- invalidate the non-prose-
ing underage girls for mas- cution agreement, or NPA,
sages and molesting them that protected Epstein from
at his homes in Florida and federal charges.
New York. Federal prosecutors re-
The officials spoke on the cently filed court papers
condition of anonym- in Florida case contending
ity because they were not Epstein’s deal must stand.
authorized to discuss the “The past cannot be un-
pending case. done; the government
A message was sent to Ep- committed itself to the
stein’s defense attorney NPA, and the parties have
seeking comment. Epstein not disputed that Epstein
is being held at the Metro- complied with its provi-
politan Correctional Cen- sions,” prosecutors wrote in
ter in Manhattan, accord- the filing.
ing to the Federal Bureau They acknowledged, how-
of Prisons website. ever, that the failure to
Epstein’s arrest, first re- consult victims “fell short of
ported by The Daily Beast, the government’s dedica-
comes amid renewed scru- tion to serve victims to the
tiny of a once-secret plea best of its ability” and that
deal that ended a federal prosecutors “should have
investigation against him. communicated with the
That deal, which is being victims in a straightforward
challenged in Florida fed- and transparent way.”
eral court, allowed Epstein, The victims in the Florida
who is now 66, to plead case have until Monday to
guilty to lesser state charg- respond to the Justice De-
es of soliciting and procur- partment’s filing.
ing a person under age 18 According to court records
for prostitution. in Florida, authorities say Opening Hours: Monday to Monday from 5:00 pm to 10:30 pm