A federal judge has delayed the release of court documents with as many as 200 unredacted names linked to late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Court Judge Loretta Preska approved a 30-day extension on releasing the names of at least two people listed in a now-settled lawsuit filed against Epstein by one of his victims. Other names could be released on a rolling basis as early as Wednesday, News Nation reported.
The names were scheduled to be made public after Jan. 1, but Judge Preska granted a month-long extension after one of Epstein’s unnamed victims claimed in a Dec. 21 court filing that the exposure could harm her safety and well-being.
The names of that victim and another “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit will now be kept secret until at least Jan. 22.
The victim’s lawyers told the court she faces “a risk of physical harm,” if her name is made public, and has already received hate mail.
The lawsuit is expected to include the names of not only Epstein’s former associates and victims, but some of the most powerful people in the world.
ABC News reported former President Bill Clinton, 77, is named at least 50 times in the lawsuit, although he’s not implicated with any crime. Mr. Clinton flew several times on Epstein’s private plane.
Mr. Clinton was one of the wealthy and powerful men in Epstein’s orbit before the New York-based financier was busted for sex trafficking minors and died in jail. Others linked to Epstein include Britain’s Prince Andrew, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, actor Kevin Spacey, comedian Chris Tucker, and former President Donald Trump.
The names in the court documents include some that were previously revealed in flight logs kept for Epstein’s private jet, dubbed the “Lolita Express.”
The names were listed in a 2015 lawsuit filed by one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, against Epstein and his former accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is now serving a federal prison sentence following sex trafficking convictions.
In the redacted court documents, Mr. Clinton had been listed as “John Doe 36.” Other prominent names include Prince Andrew, who had already been publicly tied to Epstein and faced sex abuse accusations by Giuffre.
The British prince has denied those allegations and settled a lawsuit brought by Giuffre, who said Epstein forced her to have sex with the royal.
Mr. Clinton has said he knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes and had not spoken to him in over a decade when Epstein was charged in 2019 with operating a sex trafficking ring and sexually abusing girls as young as 14. Mr. Clinton did not oppose the publication of the names in the lawsuit.
Epstein was found dead in his prison cell after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty in the case and was facing 45 years in prison if convicted. Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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