SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - A court battle over public grazing leases that New Mexico officials believe were used to help shield a remote desert ranch owned by financier Jeffrey Epstein is over.
The State Land Office announced Friday that Cypress Inc., a company associated with Epstein, has dropped its claims over the agency’s cancellation of two grazing leases.
A portion of Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in central New Mexico extends across state trust land, under the grazing contracts with Cypress. Epstein was accused of abusing young women there before he died behind bars.
Cypress initially contested the move by the land office and asked a state district court to intervene. A hearing had been scheduled for next week.
State officials say Cypress agreed to the cancellation and to drop the court case during settlement negotiations.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.