EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight Democrats hold Epstein investigation hearing in Florida

[9:19] We're going to start this hearing in just about one minute, so I just want to let folks [9:24] know if folks can grab a seat, if they're able, and we're going to start the hearing [9:29] in just about one minute. [9:30] Thank you so much. [10:14] Well, good morning, everyone, and I want to begin by opening up this hearing. [11:22] Of course, we're here in Palm Beach County, and Oversight Democrats are here because we're [11:28] launching a new phase of our Epson investigation. [11:32] Our committee, of course, has been leading on this over the last year. [11:36] Now we're here, of course, in Palm Beach, of course, just miles away from Mar-a-Lago, from [11:42] key locations where this Epson investigation has taken us, because from the very beginning, [11:47] we know that Florida has been a key place where so much of the horrors and crimes of Jeffrey [11:54] Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have happened. [11:57] The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein deserve to be heard, and as a committee, we should always [12:03] uplift their stories, and I want to thank them, of course, for being here today. [12:08] We know that many of our witnesses today that you'll hear from were actually failed by their [12:12] own government. [12:14] We will hear how the FBI ignored Maria Farmer's courageous report in 1996. [12:19] We will hear how Alex Acosta, the future Secretary of Labor at the time, overruled some of his [12:26] own prosecutors, and work with Epstein's attorneys to grant a sweetheart deal which allowed Epstein [12:32] to continue assaulting women. [12:35] We will learn how Epstein continued to game the system and the law to prey on women expanding [12:42] his trafficking network overseas. [12:44] And we will hear from people who have fought hard to bring him to justice. [12:48] We are also going to hear about a continued cover-up, which is harm survivors, how some [12:55] have been doxxed or put into danger, ignored, re-victimized, and betrayed by this government. [13:03] These stories are both horrific and outrageous, but they should also inspire us to keep fighting [13:10] for the full truth. [13:11] We are here because every American deserves equal justice. [13:16] It doesn't matter who you are, how powerful you are, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, [13:23] how much wealth you may have. [13:25] If you hurt women and girls, you will be held accountable. [13:30] We should also be very clear that Epstein was not alone. [13:34] Others enabled him. [13:37] We know he was surrounded by lawyers, accountants, private investigators, and assistants. [13:44] Many of those people who have been forced to testify for the first time because of our [13:48] investigation have given us key information, whether it's been through depositions or interviews. [13:54] But some, even some that we've recently spoken with, were never contacted by law enforcement [14:01] in the 30 years since Maria Farmer's first report. [14:07] Why is it only now that we have begun these interviews, these depositions, that folks are [14:14] being contacted for the first time in decades, and that should outrage every single American. [14:25] Some of these men enabled financial crimes. [14:29] Others fought to hide facts about this case and to deny justice and closure for survivors. [14:36] All of these people need to be called out and held accountable. [14:40] And these are failures of multiple governments and administrations. [14:45] Regardless of party, everyone has failed the public and certainly everyone has failed their [14:54] survivors, especially those that sought justice and that had the ability and courage to file reports. [15:02] Because we also know that so many others didn't have that opportunity or the support to do so. [15:08] This is why we're here today. [15:12] Now, before I introduce our witnesses, I want to briefly just mention a few things about the investigation. [15:18] Now, Oversight Democrats launched our investigation when we forced a subpoena for the full [15:24] unredacted files from the Department of Justice last year. [15:28] And I especially want to thank Representative Summer Lee for her leadership to get that actual done. [15:33] So thank you, Congresswoman. [15:35] To this day, the Department of Justice continues to break the law and defy that subpoena. [15:44] It's not just about the Transparency Act, which is so critical to moving this debate and the truth forward. [15:51] But that subpoena and the defiance pushed us then, of course, including with leadership from [15:57] Congressman Ro Khanna, to get the Epstein Files Transparency Act through the Congress. [16:02] But let's be very clear. [16:04] The DOJ continues to withhold half, half of the Epstein files have not been released to the public. [16:14] Now, we've heard testimony from Alex Acosta, former Attorneys General Bill Barr, Les Wexner, [16:20] Darren Indyke, Richard Kahn, folks that are key to the Epstein investigation. [16:26] We've heard from former President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, [16:29] Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick just last week. [16:32] And we have talked, of course, to survivors, witnesses, and whistleblowers. [16:36] And we have brought critical documents to light from Jeffrey Epstein's estates. [16:40] Emails, photographs, videos. We've secured bank records, documents. [16:46] And we've done all this without formal committee subpoena power to properly conduct this investigation. [16:54] We're undeterred, and we're going to continue to fight until we get the truth. [17:00] Today, Oversight Democrats are also publishing a new report. [17:05] Now, this report uses evidence obtained by our investigation, including, and most importantly, [17:10] bank records, that show how Alex Acosta's sweetheart deal let Epstein build a global network, [17:17] using enablers to bring in women who he could then exploit and abuse. [17:22] And this report is just the beginning of numerous reports and information that we intend to put out [17:29] over the course of the months ahead. [17:33] This hearing is about making one thing clear, and that is that no one is above the law. [17:38] Survivors matter, and this committee will continue to demand transparency. [17:42] Before I turn this over to our colleagues, I want to thank Congresswoman Lois Frankel, [17:47] who has been critical in this fight for many years. [17:50] Congresswoman Frankel, of course, represents the community that we're in now. [18:02] I want to thank her for hosting us. I also want to thank, particularly, [18:06] West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, their staff, the county, West Palm Beach PD, [18:11] all for their assistance today. And I want to recognize Congresswoman Lois Frankel for [18:15] a few brief remarks. [18:16] Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And welcome, everybody, to West Palm Beach. [18:21] And we're gathered here in a chamber that's very near and dear to me, because I was mayor here for [18:25] eight years and I've had the honor of serving this. And I'm very proud to be with my Democratic [18:32] colleagues of the House Oversight Committee, of course, the various witnesses, [18:36] and most importantly, the survivors whose courage and perseverance made this hearing possible. [18:44] And to the survivors, I want to say, and I know I say this to everyone here, [18:47] thank you. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your resilience. And thank you [18:52] for your determination to tell the truth, even when the system failed you. [18:59] This hearing is long overdue. Myself and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, we have been asking for a hearing [19:04] for many years here for many reasons I won't go into, but we're here today. [19:10] Because it is right here, folks, right here in Palm Beach County, more than 20 years ago, [19:18] that the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's horrific crimes were first denied justice with devastating [19:24] results. In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department, led by then Chief Michael Ryder, I'm giving him a shout [19:33] out, a good guy. He uncovered a deeply disturbing pattern of predatory sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein [19:41] and his associates, targeting women, of course, and young girls. Many recruited from our local high [19:48] schools right here in Palm Beach County. The police did their job. They listened to the survivors. [19:54] They built a serious case. Then they brought it to then State Attorney Barry Krischer. I call his name [20:00] because his succeeding prosecutors are not involved. But instead of filing charges, was he overwhelmed [20:11] by the power, by the wealth? He sent the case to a grand jury where prosecutors shockingly [20:19] minimized the abuse, limited the witnesses, and treated vulnerable young girls as if they were [20:25] criminals. And you can read that grand jury testimony yourself. At the urging of Krischer's [20:32] prosecutors, the grand jury returned just one count against Epstein, and it is jaw-dropping solicitation [20:40] of prostitution, punishable by up to 60 days in jail. How crazy and wrong, an abomination if you ask me. [20:51] Disappointed and alarmed, Chief Ryder took the case to federal authorities, and what followed was more [20:57] shock and awe to the justice system. In 2008, as we've heard, Acosta approved the secret shameful [21:05] non-prosecution deal without notifying the survivors, and then sent the case back to Palm Beach County. [21:11] Epstein was allowed to plead guilty to solicitation of prostitution, solicitation for a minor for [21:18] prostitution. Really? That was that? And then he got an 18-month sentence, which he served about 13 months, [21:25] federal immunity from prosecution here in South Florida, immunity for unnamed co-conspirators, [21:34] and work relief privileges. Listen to this, he had work relief privileges that allowed him to leave [21:42] the jail each day to continue his systematic sexual exploitation of women and girls. And the most troubling, [21:51] also, a deal was hidden from the public. And the full extent didn't come to light until reporting from [21:57] the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post, who brought the fight to bring the grand jury records into the [22:03] open. Justice was denied without explanation. And listen, I'm hoping as we move forward, these local [22:10] prosecutors must be subpoenaed, and they must be questioned under oath, because they, I think they know the [22:21] secret. So these survivors were abused first by a predator and then failed by a justice system that [22:27] too often protected wealth and power over vulnerable women and children. And let's be clear, folks, had [22:33] prosecutors in Florida done their jobs, most likely hundreds of young women might have been spared [22:39] unimaginable harm. So we're here again, we're going to continue to ask the questions, questions that [22:46] should have been answered years ago. Why was Jeffrey Epstein a serial predator who you [22:51] used its wealth and influence to exploit underage girls given little more than a slap of the wrist? [23:00] Who else should be held accountable? And what must we continue to do to make sure this never happens [23:06] again? We owe the survivors and the public the answers and more. And with that, I thank you and I yield back. [23:14] Thank you. Thank you, Congresswoman. We're going to, of course, hear some opening testimony [23:21] from survivors and advocates who will speak about the failure of our justice system to protect them, [23:27] others, and certainly to hold Epstein and so many others accountable. I want to, they're going to each [23:31] provide some opening remarks. I do want to introduce them briefly. We're going to hear from Dani Benski, [23:38] who is an advocate, dance, teaching artist, choreographer, and Epstein survivor. As an educator of the [23:44] arch, Dani's advocacy derives from creating a safer world for her students and future generations. She is [23:50] a public speaker and hopes that by sharing her story, we can get an insight perspective into grooming and [23:56] how abuse can happen and how systems fail people. Dani was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in 2004 and 2005, [24:06] when she was just 17 years old and working as a dancer in New York City. She has since spoken out [24:13] about the government's handling of the case and has pursued legal action. And, of course, [24:18] the amount of courage is incredible. And I want to thank, of course, Dani for being here. [24:23] We'll also hear from Rosa. Rosa is testifying under her first name and under that name only, [24:30] just for her own safety. She was recruited in Uzbekistan by a modeling agent, co-conspirator, [24:36] and brought to the U.S. with promises of a career. She met Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 and was abused [24:43] over several years. With her immigration status used to keep her from leaving, Rosa is a fighter, [24:51] a coach, a wife, and a stepmother. And her courage, of course, is immense. And we want to thank Rosa for [25:01] for being here. We're going to hear from Courtney Wilde, who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach [25:07] beginning at the age of 14. Courtney is a mom, advocate, and survivor. She later brought a lawsuit [25:17] against the federal government over the non-prosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to avoid federal [25:23] charges. And she will speak about its lasting impact on survivors. We're also going to hear from Jenna [25:31] Lisa Jones, who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Florida when she was 14 years old. She has spoken [25:39] publicly about her experience and about her disappointment with the failure to fully release [25:44] information related to this case. She is a mom, a wife, and a founding survivor of Survivors, Inc. [25:51] We're going to also hear from Spencer Kuvin, who is an attorney who represented some of the earliest [25:57] survivors to come forward against Epstein. And he spent years advocating on behalf of victims. [26:02] He will speak about the failures in the original prosecution and the impact those failures have had [26:07] on survivors. We'll also hear from Lauren Hirsch, who's a former prosecutor and an advocate working [26:14] to combat trafficking and exploitation. She will discuss the ongoing efforts by survivors and [26:19] advocates to seek accountability and justice. We will also hear from Maria Farmer by video, [26:26] who's the first person to report Jeffrey Epstein's abuse to authorities in 1996. She'll be providing [26:33] video testimony. Finally, Skye and Amanda Roberts are here. We all of course know their incredible [26:42] courage and they'll be reading a brief statement as well. We will continue of course to honor [26:47] Virginia's memory, her legacy, and her tireless fight for justice. I want to especially thank the [26:54] witnesses for being here and for your enormous courage. You are doing obviously a service, [27:03] not just to all of the women and girls that have suffered, but to every single American woman and American [27:12] girl in this country who need to be believed and who need to know that when they report a horror [27:20] against them, that their government is going to believe them and is going to stand up for them. [27:25] And so thank you for your courage today. And now we're going to hear a video that Maria Farmer [27:35] wanted to uh she wanted folks to hear about and so we're going to go ahead and and play that. [27:40] So my name is Maria Farmer. I am the whistleblower who reported Jeffrey Epstein, [27:46] Ghislaine Maxwell, Les Wexner and others to the FBI 30 years ago in 1996. Today I apologize for my [27:55] appearance. I was not well enough to attend this hearing in person and have recently been released [28:00] from the hospital. That's the result of 30 years of fighting. For three decades I've carried a weight [28:07] that no survivors should ever have to bear. I reported what I believed were heinous crimes against [28:12] children and these individuals responsible were involved in an international pedophile ring. [28:17] I reported their crimes in real time and the government continues to ignore me to this day. [28:22] In 1996 I reported Epstein and his co-conspirators to my local New York City 6th precinct. The commanding [28:30] officer told me local police could only address the local arson crimes and he instructed me to [28:35] immediately report the whole story spanning several states to the FBI. He told me that it was vitally [28:41] important that I tell the whole story to the FBI which I did. The FBI asked me questions said they were [28:47] familiar with some of the perpetrators I identified and gave me every reason to believe they would respond. [28:53] That failure that single moment when law enforcement refused to take action set off a cascade of injustice [28:59] and grave repercussions to my sisters my family and so many others and to me personally including [29:06] my health and well-being. The FBI's decades of failure and inaction led to countless more girls [29:12] and young women suffering abuse and trauma that could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia [29:18] Giffray, Anushka DiGiorgio, Shantae Davies, Marika Chartoni, Danny Bensky, Jenna Lisa Jones, Ashley [29:28] Rube Wright and Jennifer Rose among others. Each survivor represents a life change forever suffering [29:35] that could have been spared if the FBI had done their job in 1996. The failures did not stop there. [29:42] In 2006 the FBI tracked me down stating that they searched for me because they knew I had reported [29:49] Epstein 10 years earlier and no one else had. They urged me to testify in a federal criminal trial [29:55] against Epstein and his co-conspirators and they promised that they would get him this time. [30:00] I trusted them again relied upon them again and they betrayed me again. Rather than following [30:06] through with their promises the government offered Epstein a sweetheart deal and shielded powerful [30:11] individuals from accountability and they persist in granting special treatment to certain people to [30:16] this day. I have received death threats from Maxwell and her associates including one instance where they [30:22] threatened to burn my apartment down and those threats have not stopped. I have been subjected [30:28] to more than three decades of ongoing harassment, vicious challenges to my truthfulness and real danger [30:37] from internet instigators, trolls and more. Meanwhile my numerous efforts to obtain my 1996 report from the FBI [30:47] have been rejected time and again. In 2023 I wrote a letter to the government asking for an [30:53] investigation of the government's actions or inactions in response to my 1996 report. The inspector general [31:00] replied saying they were busy with other things would get back to me and they never did. I sent multiple [31:06] FOIA requests for my FBI report records in January 2025 in response to my most recent request. The government [31:14] said that they would get back to me in November of 2027, a delay of three years. I finally received a letter [31:21] saying they looked at my complaint, took some kind of action and the matter was addressed but what they [31:27] did was a secret. With no other choice I filed an administrative claim against the government and then a [31:34] lawsuit. Since then virtually nothing has happened and I'm left waiting and wondering what is next. With [31:41] the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act after years of efforts to get my records, an FD 71 form was [31:48] released for the first time confirming just a small part of my 1996 whistleblower report and vindicating [31:55] some of what I had said for years. However, the full extent of what I told the FBI was not in that [32:02] document so the release of the Epstein files provides only partial relief for me. Where is the evidence I [32:10] provided of my sexual assault and that of my sister Annie? Why won't the FBI release my full report? The [32:18] failures of those sworn to protect us have overwhelmed me. Doing my civic duty has caused me [32:24] dearly. The stress of this trauma, the government hiding and refusing to turn over written confirmation [32:30] of my 1996 report along with the ongoing harassment and death threats have contributed to me developing [32:37] serious health issues including Hodgkin's lymphoma, a brain tumor and recently Addison's disease. In the last month [32:46] I have spent 23 nights in hospitals including multiple nights in the ICU. Along with my health, [32:55] it has robbed me of my career. In 1996 I was fresh out of graduate school and living a life that I had [33:00] always dreamed, creating and selling art in New York City. When I was assaulted, threatened, held captive, [33:08] my career was halted and the trajectory of my life was thrown off course. So many others had their dreams [33:14] shattered by these crimes and they could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia Giffray, [33:19] who is the backbone of this case and remains the inspiration behind this fight, she's the reason [33:25] my sister and I came forward publicly so we could stand together. She faced also relentless attacks to her [33:31] credibility online, yet she fought. While Virginia may no longer be physically beside us, she's been our [33:38] shining star and guiding light and remains so today. The rest of humanity owes it to her legacy to [33:43] continue this quest. We are still walking down the trail that Virginia blazed for us, so let me be [33:49] direct about what we need. The federal government owes us explanations, accountability for injuries [33:57] caused and a promise of systemic change when crimes against children are reported. Accountability should [34:03] start with the government's acknowledgement and responsibility for their repeated failures to act [34:09] in response to my 1996 report. The government needs to take responsibility for endangering and injuring [34:15] girls and young women. The government needs to start telling the truth, face my lawsuit, and be held [34:21] to account to me and to all others who have been harmed. Had the FBI done their job, 30 years of child [34:29] sex abuse and trauma could have been avoided. I want my full FBI file, including the 96 and 2006 reports, [34:39] including my art. We also need the FBI and the Department of Justice to fully investigate every lead in this case. [34:48] We need investigation and prosecution of everyone responsible, both men and women. This includes the [34:55] officials who enabled the 2008 sweetheart deal, the other perpetrators and the many co-conspirators, [35:01] and anyone who is currently shielding powerful individuals from justice. No more protection for [35:07] the guilty. There must be no pardoning or commuting the sentence of Maxwell, who sexually abused me, [35:14] my minor sister, hurt so many girls and other young women, and personally threatened to kill me. [35:19] Has shown no remorse and has demonstrated no basis on which to believe she would ever be truthful. [35:27] As the Epstein case whistleblower, I have waited three decades for justice. It's a miracle I'm still fighting, [35:35] especially considering what the stress of three decades of this case has done to my health and well-being. [35:40] I will keep fighting for justice and transparency for a better, safer future for the next generation. [35:46] Thank you. [35:47] Well, thank you. And obviously, I know we don't often get to hear from Ms. Farmer, [35:55] and we're just very grateful that she chose to address, obviously, us and the country. [36:00] I also want to thank her sister, Annie Farmer, who has been an incredible advocate or survivor, [36:06] of course, herself, and has really worked to share her sister's story and her own story whenever [36:13] possible. We're going to hear some opening remarks also from Skye and Amanda Roberts, [36:18] and so I would ask them to join us here at the podium, and I want to thank them also for their [36:25] courage and for being here. Thank you, Representative Garcia, and all members here today. We deeply appreciate [36:39] the opportunity to be here. Obviously wish Virginia was here to do this herself, but I will do my best [36:46] to keep it together and to get through this. My name is Skye Roberts, and I am the younger brother [36:53] of Virginia Roberts Giuffre. I am here today because without Virginia's courage and her story, [36:59] we would not be having this conversation about accountability. In the summer of 2000, just steps [37:06] away from this courtroom at Mar-a-Lago, Virginia was recruited by convicted trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. [37:14] She was only 16 years old, a child who had just finished 10th grade when she began being trafficked. [37:22] Before her passing, Virginia gave sworn testimony, exposing this for what it truly was, [37:27] a global sex trafficking operation enabled, protected, and funded by powerful people. For years, [37:35] survivors have been asked the same question, who were the names? The truth is, many survivors stay [37:43] silent because many of these individuals still hold power, wealth, and influence in our society. Point [37:49] blank, period. That is dangerous. No survivor should have to risk their own safety just to be believed. [37:59] But Virginia, she did it anyway. She stood up when others were afraid, told the truth under oath, [38:08] and faced people she knew were powerful. Today, we lean on her courage once again, [38:15] because she believed accountability should reach everyone involved, no matter their status or [38:20] influence. If Virginia were here today, she would say these words herself. Since she cannot, I will say [38:33] them for her as her little brother. And with that, I'd like to share Virginia's own words from her sworn [38:41] deposition dated May 3rd, 2016. They trafficked me to many people. Okay, please name a person that [38:56] Glenn Maxwell directed you to have sex with. Prince Andrew. Okay, who else? As a whole, they both [39:08] trafficked me to many people. Okay, so can you please tell me when Glenn Maxwell asked you to have sex with [39:15] another person? Glenn Dubin. Who else? Well, Redacted is another one. Glenn Maxwell asked you to have sex [39:25] with Redacted? And Glenn Dubin and Steve Kaufman were, like I said, the first people I was sent to [39:36] after my training. And where does Alan Dershowitz fit into this group of people? Same. I can't tell you [39:44] piece by piece by piece who I know Glenn Dubin was first. Okay, and I know Stephen Kaufman was the one of the [39:52] first that I was sent to. Alan Dershowitz could have been between there, between, sorry, between Glenn [39:59] and Stephen. This is only a small sample of the thousands of stories that still remain untold. [40:09] But the question today is no longer whether names exist. The question is, what will Congress and the [40:15] Department of Justice do about it? Even if only a handful of names are publicly known, will there [40:21] finally be investigations and accountability? With that, I'd like to turn it over to my wife, Amanda Roberts. [40:33] First, I want to thank this committee and Representative Garcia and everyone here, [40:37] who continues to fight with us for accountability, but most importantly, standing with survivors. [40:44] Virginia's story was harrowing. And as you heard my husband speak, she wasn't afraid to say the names. [40:51] We are talking about millions of files, sworn testimony, depositions, emails, flight records, [40:57] bank records, photographs, videos, and evidence collected over decades. Evidence that points to a network, [41:05] not just two people who trafficked and abused, over 1,200 victims. Girls, children, women, and boys. [41:15] Epstein and Maxwell did not act alone, and Palm Beach was the blueprint. It was the center for expansion. [41:24] So when this Department of Justice says, there is nothing to see here, survivors know exactly what that [41:31] sounds like, a cover-up. Virginia wrote in Nobody's Girl, don't be fooled by those in Epstein's circle who [41:39] said they didn't know what Epstein was doing. That sentence should guide this committee's work. [41:46] Because, I don't recall, is not enough. When people like Les Wexner are asked about Epstein's finances and [41:54] alleged connections to his network, the public deserves real answers and investigations. When [42:00] Howard Lutnick has given changing accounts about his association with Epstein, that deserves scrutiny, [42:07] resignations, and investigations. When former Prince Andrew denied knowing Virginia, despite evidence and [42:15] testimony surrounding that encounter, that deserves scrutiny and investigation. And when Acting Attorney [42:23] General Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trapper, accused of perjury, [42:29] and shortly after was moved to a minimum security prison, that demands answers and investigations. [42:36] So today, we ask for four things. First, Congress must hold this Department of Justice accountable, [42:43] including contempt proceedings, as the record has shown that this DOJ has violated the law. Second, [42:50] state investigations must continue and expand in New Mexico, New York, Florida, the Virgin Islands, [42:57] and everywhere this network operated. Third, this committee must issue further subpoenas and required [43:05] alleged co-conspirators, enablers, financers, and witnesses to testify under oath. Fourth, follow the [43:15] money. Financial records are not secondary. They may be the key to exposing the full network. Suspicious payments, [43:24] shell entities, possible tax violations, money laundering, and transactions connected to trafficking and abuse [43:30] must be investigated aggressively because financial crimes can open the door and lead to real [43:37] prosecutions. And finally, the Epstein and Maxwell investigations must be reopened, not partially, [43:45] not quietly, but fully. Survivors and the public deserve the truth, and enablers must no longer hide behind [43:52] wealth, power, or silence. Thank you. Thank you both very much for those words. We are going to [44:04] to begin and hear some opening statements from our from our witnesses. So I want to just start by [44:11] thanking Ms. Wilde, who's going to be recognized now for her opening five-minute statement. Ms. Wilde. [44:19] Hello, my name is Courtney Wilde. When I was 14 years old, I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein. He abused me until [44:28] I was 17 years old. What happened to me was terrible, but what happened after that by our own government [44:34] changed my life just as much. I came here today to ask for one simple thing, to make sure this never [44:41] happens again. I filed a case under the Crime Victims Rights Act because government secretly made a deal [44:48] with Jeffrey Epstein. They signed a non-prosecution agreement. They made the deal behind closed doors. [44:55] They never told me, and they never told any of us. Instead, they sent letters telling me to be patient, [45:02] even though they knew the case was already over. For years, I believed there was an investigation [45:08] happening. There wasn't. When I found out the truth, I went to my lawyer, Brad Edwards. He took my case [45:16] in 2008, and he fought for me against the government for over a decade. We wanted to do the right thing [45:23] for all victims. Together, we wanted answers to a simple question. How could this happen? We had to [45:31] fight all the way to the 11th Circuit, which took years to get the emails between the government and [45:37] Jeffrey's lawyers to help us understand what happened. When we finally got them, they showed [45:43] something I will never forget. The government wasn't trying to negotiate with Epstein's lawyers. It looked [45:49] like the government was trying to make him happy. They were trying to make sure that the punishment they were [45:55] going to give him was okay with him. It seemed like they had forgotten that there were 40 of us kids [46:03] who had been abused by him. I was so confused because where I come from, if you commit a crime, [46:13] you go to jail. I have never heard the feds of letting you help them decide which crimes they're [46:20] going to charge you with or if you're cool with how long you're going to spend in jail. But I thought, [46:25] what do I know? Maybe that's how it works for rich guys. That's how it did work for Jeffrey Epstein. [46:34] Finally, after 10 years of fighting in 2019, a federal judge finally ruled that my rights [46:40] and that the rights of other victims were violated by the non-prosecution agreement. [46:48] But there was nothing that could be done about it. There was no remedy. I just want to say it again. [46:56] I'm sorry. I have to. The court found that the government violated the law and nothing happened. [47:03] That means the law, the Crime Victims Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. 3771 does not matter. And if the law has no [47:14] consequences, it doesn't protect anybody. I was lucky to have a lawyer willing to fight for me for almost [47:22] a decade. A lot of victims won't find that, especially in this case where everybody made [47:28] us feel like we were crazy. So I'm asking you to fix that. Please fix the Crime Victims Rights Act [47:35] so it could actually help victims in the future. I have my own ideas and my lawyers have more ideas, [47:43] but I really hope that if nothing comes with this, we can finally get the legislation right. [47:48] There needs to be a clear definition of what it means to meaningly confer with victims. I'm still [47:57] not sure what that actually means, but I know it never happened for me. There must be real consequences [48:04] and penalties in the statute that apply automatically when a court determines that a victim's rights have [48:10] been violated. The answer after years and years of litigation cannot be nothing happens when you [48:17] finally win and prove that your rights have been violated. If prosecutors choose to ignore victims, [48:24] those victims' voices must be put on the record, memorialized, and preserved, especially when a deal [48:32] is made behind closed doors. There needs to be attorneys' fees provision so victims can find lawyers who will [48:39] stand up for them. If those changes had existed back then, maybe what had happened to me and so many [48:46] others would have not happened. My case against the government for violating the rights of at least [48:51] 40 of us Palm Beach kids was happening from 2008 to 2019. Do you know how many other girls Jeffrey [49:01] abused in that time period? I bet the FBI knows. But the point is that Epstein continued to abuse other [49:09] girls in New York, New Mexico, around the world, and even still here in Florida, well, after he was released [49:16] in 2019, or I'm sorry, in 2009, and everybody knew it. There were lawsuits, there were so many new articles, [49:24] he was a registered sex offender, and still nothing was done by the government, not until 2019 when he was [49:31] finally arrested. None of the girls, none of those girls should have ever been abused. Jeffrey Epstein [49:38] should have been in jail. If he had been in jail like any other man who did the same thing as him, [49:44] he would have been, and there wouldn't have been a single victim after 2009. But he wasn't, [49:51] and he did. He abused so many girls after 2009, at the same exact time that I was asking the government [49:58] why he got the deal and why they violated my rights. That is the real injustice here. That is the real [50:07] thing we need to prevent from ever happening again in this country. I was there for his bail hearing in [50:15] 2019, and I spoke to the judge right in front of him about how dangerous he was. The bail was denied, [50:22] and for the first time, I thought we might finally get justice. A month later, he was dead. Once again, [50:30] the system failed us. Someone let him die in a secure prison, ensuring that he would never be held [50:36] accountable for what he did to me as a kid. Since then, there have been prosecutions, there have been [50:43] civil cases, there have been settlements, but none of that changes what was lost, and none of that fixes [50:49] what was allowed to happen in the first place. We fought for years to get Jeffrey Epstein arrested. We [50:55] fought to hold people accountable. We did not fight so that this could turn into something political, [51:04] or so that our rights would be violated once again. I lost years of my life fighting this, [51:10] and so did many others. We did that so the next victim wouldn't have to. So don't let this work be [51:19] in vain. Make the Crime Victims Rights Act matter. Thank you so much. Thank you very much, Ms. Wilde. [51:31] Ms. Jones, you are now recognized for your opening statement. Ranking member and members of Congress, [51:37] my name is Jenna Lisa Jones. I was 14 years old when I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach. [51:43] It has taken me many years to find my voice. For a long time, I stayed silent because I was afraid, [51:50] and because I did not understand why this happened to me. When I finally came forward, [51:54] I made a commitment to use my voice responsibly. I'm here today to do exactly that. Last September, [52:02] I went to Washington DC along the other survivors with a simple request, transparency and accountability. [52:09] We asked you to help us understand how Jeffrey Epstein was given a non-prosecution agreement, [52:15] even though the government had evidence that he had sexually abused dozens of children, including me. [52:22] We asked how he was allowed to leave jail in 2009 and continue harming young girls. We asked for answers, [52:30] answers that would hold our government accountable for its actions. We still do not have those answers. [52:36] Instead, what we received caused harm all over again, including too many of our survivor sisters [52:44] who had never come forward before and who never wanted their names or abuse to become public. [52:51] The Department of Justice released documents that exposed our names, our social security numbers, [52:57] and deeply personal information. Survivors' identities were made public. Husbands learned [53:04] about their wives' abuse for the first time. Children learned about the abuse of their mothers [53:12] from reporters, from strangers on the internet, and in some cases, from other kids at school. Some [53:23] survivors learned that friends had also been abused only because they saw their names in those documents. [53:35] Others saw the most intimate details of their own trauma publicly exposed. Our privacy was violated. [53:46] The government promised us over and over again that our information would be protected and properly [53:55] redacted. Those promises were broken again. We came to you seeking answers for why our rights were [54:05] violated in 2007. And in the process of asking for those answers, our rights were violated again. [54:14] I want to believe that each of you in this room is listening because you truly care. Not just about us, [54:19] but about every child in this country who survived sexual abuse. If Congress and the Department of Justice [54:28] truly want to do right by the survivors, the path forward is not complicated. Acknowledge the failures. [54:34] When Jeffrey Epstein was set free in 2009 and again when our privacy was shattered earlier this year. [54:41] Take responsibility and provide meaningful remedies to the women who have been harmed over and over again. [54:49] Please do not force us to relive this through more litigation. Pass a law requiring the Department of [54:57] Justice to compensate victims for the harm that they had caused by releasing the names and information. [55:01] That would show that this is truly about helping victims. [55:04] Victims. Second, with respect to our ongoing investigations, please remember this. Jeffrey Epstein is dead. [55:13] Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison. Do not pardon Maxwell. If there are other men who hurt women, [55:24] hold them accountable. But please leave the survivors alone. If you subpoenaed someone to testify before [55:31] your committees and she tells you she is a victim, listen to her. Believe her. Respect her trauma. [55:38] Jeffrey tried to paint his victims as bad guys to avoid responsibility for himself. Please learn [55:46] and understand that. Sharing our stories should be a choice. The choice I was able to make today. [55:51] It should never be something survivors are forced to do. The girls who were groomed by Ghislaine Maxwell [55:57] and abused by Jeffrey Epstein should not be treated like criminals. Please learn the stories of the women [56:03] who have been harmed before you forced them to testify in a room full of strangers about the [56:07] worst moments of their lives. Jeffrey Epstein destroyed so many of our lives and Ghislaine Maxwell [56:13] helped him do it. Do not blame their survivors for the crimes of the abusers. That is not how the [56:19] story should end. Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein to allow survivors and [56:24] this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day, and I pray soon, Jeffrey Epstein's name is no [56:31] longer something we are forced to hear every single day. And my last point, I'm not here today only to [56:38] talk about the past. I am here for the children who are sitting in the classroom today. Children who may [56:44] be vulnerable, confused, and unsure of what is happening to them. When I was a teenager, I did not [56:49] have the language to understand what was happening to me. I did not know who to tell. I did not know where [56:54] to go. Many of us didn't. We were young and we were manipulated. We were left without the tools [57:00] or the support we needed. That is something Congress can change. Every middle school and high school [57:07] student in this country should receive education on the signs of sexual abuse and exploitation. [57:15] What it looks like, how to recognize it, and how to safely report it. Schools should have trained [57:21] adults accessible resources so that no child feels as lost or as alone as we did. I have worked with other [57:28] survivors to start a nonprofit called the Survivors Inc. because not everyone who has been abused [57:35] has access to strong legal representation, therapy, or support systems. I became a certified life coach. [57:42] I believe in giving others the support I wish I had. Though the survivors, we were able to provide [57:49] these services to people who have been abused so they can begin their healing journey too. I'm proud of [57:57] that work but individual efforts are not enough. Real change requires leadership at a national level. [58:02] You have the power to make sure that happens to us does not happen again on this scale. I believe [58:09] one of the most important places to begin is in our schools. Train teachers, educate students, [58:14] give children a place to turn when they feel they have nowhere else to go. Together we can do better [58:19] for the next generation. Thank you so much. Ms. Benski, you are now recognized for your opening statement. Thank you. [58:34] Thank you. Hello, my name is Dani Benski. I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in 2004 and 2005. [58:44] That was eight years after Maria Farmer first reported Jeffrey to the FBI. Although discussing my abuse [58:52] is far from easy, I live with diagnosed PTSD from that experience. My story is actually one of the safest [59:01] stories to tell. The key abuser who caused me physical harm is dead. It's imperative to understand [59:08] that the stories you are hearing today are a tiny fraction of the whole. I am one of more than 1200 [59:15] girls and women. I don't face the same level of threats of defamation lawsuits and serious risks to my [59:22] safety, as some of my survivor sisters do. While there are co-conspirators who do need to be held [59:30] accountable for the parts that they played in the operation of my own abuse, I was trafficked only to [59:36] Jeffrey, which really, unfortunately, is not the case for so many others. I was groomed prior to meeting [59:44] Jeffrey. I grew up in the dance world where perfectionism, body image issues ran rampant in a [59:51] world that was built on hierarchy and secrecy. I would have my body criticized, critiqued and manipulated, [1:00:00] not so different from what I initially experienced with Jeffrey. I was trafficked to Jeffrey. I had two [1:00:08] recruiters. One was a late teen and the other was only 15 years old, just trying to escape her own abuse. [1:00:16] Jeffrey weaponized my aspirations and dreams by speaking the language of dance and making false [1:00:22] promises. My mom had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I had seen the name Epstein listed on a donor [1:00:29] wall and believed that his wealth and power had come from the medical profession. I brought him her [1:00:36] scans, hoping to understand her diagnosis. Instead of helping her, he used my mother's brain scans over me, [1:00:44] giving me an ultimatum. Either recruit more girls or do more for him. I didn't end up recruiting anyone, [1:00:52] and instead just endured the abuse. In May of 2005, my mother had a successful operation at Mount Sinai [1:01:00] to remove the tumor, and I finally extricated myself from Jeffrey's web. The Epstein case demonstrates [1:01:08] that institutional systems have failed survivors time and time again. I was first subpoenaed in 2008 for [1:01:17] an interview. I was just 20 years old, and without a victim's rights advocate or a lawyer, I didn't know [1:01:24] that I was entitled to those protections. No one told me I was safe, and for many parts of my interview, [1:01:31] it felt like an interrogation. Jeffrey had already threatened my friend, and he had told me that I [1:01:37] would be charged with prostitution if I ever interacted with law enforcement. He made it clear that he held the [1:01:45] cards. The passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act was a moment in which survivors hoped and believed [1:01:53] that we might see some reckoning. But the system, yet again, failed survivors. Before the first [1:02:02] document dump by the DOJ, my lawyer teamed up with another law firm representing survivors. Together, they [1:02:10] submitted 350 victims' names to the DOJ as names that needed to be redacted prior to the deadline on [1:02:20] December 19th. In the first round of documents, I saw my name in two places. Then in the January dump, [1:02:27] there were more, and the redactions were far, far worse. These files displayed my name, my phone number, [1:02:35] my old address, where I worked at the time, where I was studying, and other identifying information. [1:02:43] What's important to understand is that these documents weren't just somehow overlooked and [1:02:49] not redacted at all. On one document, my nickname, Danny, redacted, while Danielle Hanabenski is left [1:02:56] completely unredacted. I am just one of the hundreds of survivors exposed like this. A few weeks ago, [1:03:05] a legal analyst reached out to share that, yet again, my name appeared in a third batch of only 20 [1:03:12] documents. After my lawyer continued to contact the DOJ on multiple occasions for protection, [1:03:19] my name and information remained attached. These documents hold disturbing and yet incomplete [1:03:27] accounts of my abuse, and they were viewable not only by the entire world, but my child, [1:03:33] my students, my students' parents, my friends, my employers, my colleagues, my family. I am public. [1:03:44] However, in my FBI 302, a Jane Doe who has never ever wanted to be revealed was exposed. This outing of [1:03:56] survivor names does real irrevocable damage. The passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act was [1:04:05] meant to be a moment when survivors could regain their power and finally obtain the truth. [1:04:11] It was a time for our institutions, created to protect the American people to, for once, [1:04:17] stand on the side of survivors. As survivors, we have said time and time again, this is [1:04:23] not political. This requires coming together and prioritizing, prioritizing coming together, [1:04:32] not political showmanship. I'm always asked, what does accountability look like? Accountability means [1:04:40] removing perpetrators from power, seeing arrests be made, and legislators pass laws like protecting [1:04:48] victims' rights like Virginia's law, which would remove the statute of limitations for victims' civil [1:04:54] claims against their abusers. Our entrenched systemic failures have allowed powerful people [1:05:01] like Jeffrey to thrive. When institutions prioritize protecting the powerful and their enablers over [1:05:08] protecting victims, abuse becomes normalized. If we continue down this path, the question isn't whether [1:05:18] abuse will happen again, but who will be the next Jeffrey Epstein? This moment is critical. [1:05:27] It is time to reform our system, to protect our survivors, not the perpetrators, and to ensure [1:05:34] the truth can come to light. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Ms. Rosa, you are now recognized [1:05:47] for your opening statement. In 2008, I just turned 18, when I met MC Square model management [1:05:56] owner named Jean-Luc Brunel. Coming from a financial and stable background, I was the perfect target for [1:06:03] Corrigin. I was promised modeling career beyond my dreams. In less than six months, MC Square obtained an [1:06:11] O-1 visa for me. I fit nearly impossible for a teenager with almost no experience. I did not have the [1:06:19] documentation to earn that visa. By May of 2009, I was in New York City. I was isolated, controlled in a [1:06:25] manner I've never experienced before. Within three months, the agency claimed I owed them over $10,000. [1:06:33] I had no family, no friends, or no money. MC Square controlled every aspect of my life, where I went, [1:06:40] how I dressed, and how I looked. They provided me enough of allowance to keep me afloat, but never [1:06:45] enough to be independent. Less than a month after I arrived to the United States, my agency sent me to [1:06:52] a home of a registered sex offender. I was introduced to his girlfriend under the disguise that she was [1:06:59] a photographer who helped me build my portfolio. Now I know that Jeffrey Epstein was supposed to [1:07:05] be in jail cell in June of 2008. I met him at his house right here in West Palm Beach. He was not in [1:07:13] a jail. Jean-Luc Brunel brought me to West Palm Beach to have dinner with Epstein in July. Epstein used the [1:07:21] names of powerful politicians to demonstrate his influence. He told me he's an investor of the very [1:07:28] agency that promised me a career. He also spoke of his arrest that it was a game, bragging about girls [1:07:34] visiting his cell, and his friendships with authorities. Jeffrey offered me a position at the Florida [1:07:44] Science Foundation to handle phone calls to help me with my financial troubles. One day, his masseuse [1:07:53] called me into his room where I was molested for the first time by Jeffrey. For the following three [1:08:01] years, I was subject to ongoing rape. Jeffrey Epstein was under house arrest for the molestation of [1:08:14] underage girls at the exact time he was abusing me. Seeing that the fact that he could commit those [1:08:27] acts made justice feel impossible to me, and it took my ability to seek for help. I was summoned to his [1:08:40] residence right here in West Palm Beach. My agency relocated me to Miami to keep me closer, and only [1:08:47] after he was released from the house arrest, I was allowed to go back to New York City, where my [1:08:53] nightmares continued. Those years of abuse turned into a decade of fear that I still carry today. [1:09:01] I eventually found the courage to reach out for help. I stepped forward along other survivors, hoping [1:09:09] those who allow this to happen will be held accountable. I kept my identity protected as Jane Doe. [1:09:17] I woke up one day with my name mentioned over 500 times. While rich and powerful remained protected by [1:09:33] reduction, my name was exposed to the world. Now reporters from across the globe contact me. I cannot [1:09:39] live without looking over my shoulder. I can only imagine the long-term impact this mistake will have [1:09:47] on my life. I wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid. So I want to end this statement with a story. [1:10:00] In 1800, the doctor named Ignace Semmelweis discovered something life-saving. He realized that the doctors who [1:10:09] were performing autopsies and then immediately delivering babies without washing their hands [1:10:14] were carrying cadaverous particles, causing women dying in agony. He had evidence. He had solution. [1:10:23] He begged the medical establishment to wash their hands to save lives. But the doctors were offended. [1:10:31] They found it easier to protect their own reputation and maintain the status quo than to admit they were the [1:10:38] ones causing harms. They chose their pride over the life of women and Dr. Semmelweis was ignored, ridiculed, [1:10:46] and eventually cast out. I see the same patterns happening today with handling of these files. [1:10:55] Releasing my name while redacting the name of other powerful is not a mistake, it's a choice. [1:11:01] It's a choice to prioritize the comfort of an institution over the safety of the survivors. [1:11:06] The evidence is right here, yet those in power, rather us, die socially, emotionally, [1:11:14] and physically, then admit their own complicity. I am no longer a Jane Doe, hitting in the files. [1:11:23] I'm a woman, I'm a fighter, and I'm a witness, and I'm begging you, please wash your hands. [1:11:33] Thank you, Ms. Rose. Obviously, I think one of the true horrors of this investigation has been the way [1:12:00] so many survivors continue to be re-traumatized, and I think this is one just really horrific example of [1:12:08] how, even through the Transparency Act, so much horror and re-traumatization continues to happen. [1:12:17] Um, so thank you for the testimony. Mr. Coven, I'm going to recognize you for your opening statement. [1:12:27] Thank you. I'm moved by her strength. Um, ranking member, members of Congress. [1:12:38] My name is Spencer Coven. I have represented numerous survivors of sexual exploitation and [1:12:44] trafficking over the years, including the first victim to come forward in the Epstein investigation [1:12:51] here in Palm Beach. I'm here today because what happened during the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein [1:12:57] was not simply a failure of judgment. It was a systemic failure of justice. In Palm Beach County, [1:13:06] credible evidence of widespread sexual abuse involving minors was presented to state prosecutors, [1:13:13] including my client. Law enforcement initially identified dozens of victims. The conduct was [1:13:20] organized, repeated, and devastating. Yet instead of a prosecution that matched the scale of the harm, [1:13:27] what followed was a secret agreement, as we know, that minimized the abuse and insulted the children [1:13:33] that had been abused. Despite the efforts of some of the federal agents at the time, [1:13:39] the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District decided to have these secret meetings [1:13:44] with Epstein's attorneys. The U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Palm Beach County [1:13:48] State Attorney's Office at the time, colluded in secret to quietly shelve this case with minimal [1:13:55] state charges that branded a 15- and 16-year-old child victim as prostitutes. They gave a sweetheart [1:14:05] deal to Jeffrey Epstein and four named as well as unnamed co-conspirators. The Southern District [1:14:12] U.S. Attorney at the time, Alex Acosta, spearheaded what every attorney advocate saw as the worst [1:14:20] non-prosecution agreement ever executed by a U.S. Attorney. This sent a message. It told victims that [1:14:28] even when the evidence is strong, accountability is negotiable if you are rich and powerful. This awful [1:14:37] non-prosecution agreement completely shut down further federal charges for the events they were [1:14:42] investigating here in Florida. As I mentioned, that tragic deal was negotiated and signed in secret. [1:14:49] Not only was it kept secret from the world, it was kept secret from me. Calls were made repeatedly to [1:14:55] the U.S. Attorneys investigating this at the time by myself, an advocate for multiple victims at the time. [1:15:02] And, of course, it was kept secret from those victims. I was forced to file motions with the court to [1:15:08] compel its ultimate disclosure even after it had been executed. And finally, after obtaining court orders, [1:15:15] they turned it over to us. A full year after it had been signed. The victims were not consulted. [1:15:24] Their advocates like me were not consulted. Victims were never given an opportunity to be heard. [1:15:32] This was not just a moral failure. We believed it was a violation of law under the Crime Victims Rights Act. [1:15:39] Originally passed in 2004, subsequently amended by Congress in 06, 08 and 15, victims have had the right [1:15:47] to confer with prosecutors and the right to be treated with fairness and respect. Yet those rights were [1:15:53] ignored at the very moment that it mattered most. When decisions were being made that would determine [1:16:00] whether justice would ever be pursued, the result was predictable. Survivors, as you've heard, [1:16:07] were re-traumatized, not only by the abuse they endured, but by a system that excluded them from the [1:16:13] process designed specifically to protect them. And the public was left questioning whether justice [1:16:20] can be trusted when powerful interests are involved. This failure by the Department of Justice at the [1:16:26] time was a subject of litigation brought, as you heard, by Ms. Wilde. That case ultimately exposed [1:16:33] a gap in the law, one that must be closed by you. Today, I want to offer that clear path forward. [1:16:43] First, Congress should amend the Crime Victims Rights Act to make it explicit that victims [1:16:48] must be notified and given a meaningful opportunity to confer before any non-prosecution agreement or [1:16:55] deferred prosecution agreement is finalized. Second, as you've heard, there must be enforceable remedies, [1:17:04] not just suggestions. Victims should have standing to challenge agreements reached in violation of the [1:17:10] act and courts must have the authority to review and, where appropriate, void those agreements. Third, [1:17:18] transparency must be the rule, not the exception. Secret agreements that extinguish criminal liability, [1:17:26] particularly in cases involving multiple victims, should not exist in our system of justice. And [1:17:33] finally, there must be accountability. When prosecutors fail to uphold victims' rights, [1:17:38] there must be consequences sufficient to ensure that those failures are not repeated. This is not [1:17:44] about relitigating the past. It's about ensuring what happened here never happens again. The survivors in [1:17:51] this case have showed extraordinary courage coming here today. They told the truth and they trust [1:17:57] the system and the system failed them. Congress now has the opportunity and, I would suggest, [1:18:04] the responsibility to fix it. Thank you. We look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you very [1:18:11] much. I'd like to go to Ms. Hirsch, please, who's now recognized for her opening statement. Thank you so [1:18:19] much, Ranking Member, Members of Congress. I'm Lauren Hirsch, the CEO of World Without Exploitation, [1:18:25] the largest anti-trafficking coalition in the country. We have nearly 200 member organizations across the [1:18:31] country. Many of those organizations are survivor led. It is an absolute honor to sit beside each [1:18:39] one of you. You are the reason this moment of reckoning is happening. What we have witnessed in the [1:18:47] handling of the Epstein case is not simply a bureaucratic misstep. It is a deeply horrific failure to protect [1:18:55] the very people the system the very people the system is meant to serve. Survivors have repeatedly [1:19:00] been promised dignity, confidentiality, and care. And instead, we have seen a systemic breakdown in [1:19:10] their protection at nearly every step of the way. We have watched those with power and privilege [1:19:17] manipulate the system, shielding themselves from accountability, while survivors have suffered in [1:19:23] silence. Every one of these failures sends a devastating message, not only to Epstein survivors, [1:19:31] but to survivors everywhere, that accountability is optional for the powerful. Survivors have had [1:19:39] enough, and frankly, the American public has had enough of this too. We are now in a moment of reckoning [1:19:46] that requires a thorough examination of all of the things that have gone horribly wrong. But it also [1:19:53] requires a serious course correction. Survivors have been repeatedly harmed, first by Epstein and his [1:20:00] associates, and then by law enforcement who refused to bring adequate cases, who didn't notify victims [1:20:06] when secret sweetheart deals were made, who allowed abuse to continue even after pleas were entered in, [1:20:13] and then they were again abused by the DOJ. When the federal government fails to protect, [1:20:20] provide protection under the Crime Victims Rights Act, survivors cannot be left without remedy. We need [1:20:27] a legislative fix immediately to provide compensation and recourse for violations of the Crime Victims Rights [1:20:35] Act, and this is urgent. I think everyone in the room has heard the survivors and understands the profound [1:20:43] harm caused by the DOJ in releasing hundreds of names of survivors and their personal information in the [1:20:50] aftermath of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, so I'll keep this part brief. As a former prosecutor, [1:20:57] I understand that mistakes happen. We're human. But when hundreds of names are released repeatedly, [1:21:05] including nude photos of a survivor, this can no longer be dismissed as human error. Something [1:21:12] has gone horribly wrong inside the DOJ, and the American public deserves clear answers about how this [1:21:20] failure has occurred. This requires a recorded deposition of Pam Bondi on May 29th, not a transcribed [1:21:29] interview. Survivors also deserve meaningful legislative recourse, including a private right of action, [1:21:44] so that they can be compensated for the exposure of their private information to the public. [1:21:52] Accountability cannot end with an examination of process failures or even legislative fixes. [1:21:59] These files demand further examination. Assertions that there are no credible investigative leads [1:22:08] are deeply concerning. From my perspective, both as the CEO of World We and a former prosecutor, [1:22:16] that conclusion is not only premature, it is inconsistent with the available record. There is an abundance [1:22:25] of potential investigative leads that warrant serious independent review. For three decades, countless men [1:22:33] have been operated with complete impunity. Sex trafficking does not happen in a vacuum. It is driven by the [1:22:40] demand for commercial sex, and it is enabled by systems and people who are willing to look the other way. [1:22:47] That is exactly what we're looking at here. Likely the largest sex trafficking operation the United States [1:22:55] has ever seen. The files are clear, and the files name names. When individuals and institutions surface repeatedly [1:23:06] in the files, it's a pretty strong indicator that there's some there there. When there are millions and [1:23:14] millions of dollars flowing between an individual and Epstein, and there doesn't seem to be a business [1:23:19] relationship, but instead allegations of sexual abuse, that's not noise to ignore. That is an investigative [1:23:28] lead. And this is just one of many examples. And the examples are not just limited to individuals. Major [1:23:37] hospitals took money from Epstein and provided questionable care. And that's putting it nicely. Hospital systems, [1:23:47] academic institutions, modeling agencies, and the list goes on. They all require careful, independent [1:23:55] examination of investigative leads. The burden should not fall on the survivors to name names or drive [1:24:04] investigations. Survivors should be given safe, voluntary spaces to speak, but they should not be [1:24:11] compelled. The responsibility lies with investigative bodies, prosecutors, the DOJ, [1:24:18] on relevant authorities to do their jobs thoroughly, transparently, and with integrity. Survivors have [1:24:28] already carried far too much of the burden. They should not have to carry the failures of our institutions as [1:24:34] well. What is needed now is not defensiveness, but accountability. And finally, for survivors and for [1:24:43] world without exploitation, this is not and has never been political. I'm sure that it will be twisted into us [1:24:53] entering the political fray by being here today. But we have been absolutely clear we will and have worked with [1:25:03] anyone who is serious about getting to the truth. The era of silence and inaction must end here. [1:25:12] Thank you. Thank you. Obviously, just thank you to all of our witnesses for those opening statements. [1:25:24] We're going to be moving on to questions and some comments from the members of this committee. I do want to [1:25:33] uplift and recognize particularly the survivors and your courage again and how we got to this moment. I want to [1:25:39] start just by again just commenting that we're here because of the horrific crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, [1:25:47] Ghislaine Maxwell and numerous others and the failure caused by our own government. And I want to in [1:25:55] in my line of questioning, I just want to hone down on one thing, which I think is really important. Last July, [1:26:03] the administration's FBI and DOJ released a two page document saying and I and I quote, we did not [1:26:13] uncover evidence that could predicate investigation against uncharged third parties. In other words, [1:26:23] the current administration through its DOJ believe that this investigation was over, that no one else could [1:26:33] be investigated for perhaps the worst sex trafficking ring in American history, that no other person [1:26:42] could be held accountable or there could be further convictions of the horrors made and against 1200 [1:26:52] women and girls. Now we here and some of our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle have [1:27:02] worked together to file motions, to file laws and to push this investigation forward. And I want to be very [1:27:11] clear, the DOJ, this administration, the President and the Attorney General made it clear that this [1:27:20] investigation in their opinion was a hoax, was a lie and there was nothing else to do or to move forward. The DOJ [1:27:30] tried to close this case. Through our investigation, we have learned that many of the witnesses that we [1:27:40] have been going through through deposition, through transcribed interviews, were never questioned by law [1:27:47] enforcement. And this is something that we learned only by forcing these interviews and by sitting asking [1:27:54] these questions. How could Les Wexner have never been interviewed by our own government, who was the [1:28:04] source of most of Jeffrey Epstein's wealth and was never questioned? How can some of the folks on this [1:28:15] document the FBI had in their possession, not ever have been questioned by our own government or law [1:28:23] enforcement? How could Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, who you can see in this chart and were essentially the brain [1:28:30] trust of Jeffrey Epstein's organization, how could they never have been questioned? That is not a mistake. That is a [1:28:43] cover-up. And what I think we want to make very clear is this is not just about the mistakes and [1:28:53] ongoing harm of the Trump administration. This has been harm posed by numerous administrations led by [1:29:01] both Republicans and Democrats. And when folks come and ask, well, why wasn't the former administration, [1:29:09] Attorney General Garland, more engaged on this issue? I asked the same question. Why wasn't Merrick Garland [1:29:16] more engaged and focused on prosecutions and more focused on getting out the truth? This is not just [1:29:22] about partisan politics. This is a continued pattern of abuse and not seeking justice. But we're here now [1:29:37] at this moment in this Congress with this administration and this cover-up must end. I want [1:29:45] to briefly ask the survivors if you believe that this investigation should continue, if your government [1:29:53] should continue this investigation. Ms. Spensky? Yes. Rosa? Absolutely yes. Ms. Wild? Yes. Ms. Jones? Yes. Thank [1:30:08] you. And we agree it's unacceptable that folks have been not questioned, that there haven't been criminal [1:30:16] prosecutions and that our own former Attorney General continues to be engaged in this cover-up. [1:30:26] They want to end this investigation. But what we are saying today is we need to come together with our [1:30:33] bipartisan allies on the other side, and especially some Republican women who have stood and continue to [1:30:39] push for truth and justice. We welcome their support in this investigation. At a hearing back in March, [1:30:47] former Attorney General Bondi told one of my colleagues, quote, I'm stunned that you want to [1:30:55] continue talking about Epstein. That was her quote. Ms. Spensky, you were there. So was Skye Roberts on [1:31:05] behalf of Virginia. Attorney General Bondi didn't spend one minute talking to you, but instead wanted to [1:31:12] end the Epstein investigation. Today we're here to tell the former Attorney General that we are demanding that [1:31:19] she come in for her date with the subpoena that she testify under oath deserve nothing less. And I want [1:31:34] to again ask the survivors. We know that approximately 2.5 million documents are still hidden. And we also [1:31:43] understand that anything that's released in the future needs to be redacted with care and properly. [1:31:52] Do you all support this Congress in the continued release of the files? If redactions are done properly and [1:32:00] with care, Ms. Spensky? Of course, yeah. Rosa? Yes. Ms. Wild? Yes. Ms. Jones? Yes. Thank you. I think [1:32:11] it's important for the Attorney General, for Mr. Blanche, and for others to hear directly that the [1:32:17] survivors don't think this is a hoax or that the investigation is over. Everyone in this room is [1:32:24] committed to making the truth and justice a part of our legislative work. We have to pass laws and do the [1:32:33] right thing. What we're facing right now is a systemic, a systemic government agencies and [1:32:43] administration that's trying to end this work. And we have to push back on it. We have sworn testimony. [1:32:55] We've seen emails from the Epstein estate, from many others, even about the relationship and the [1:33:02] friendship between the current President and Jeffrey Epstein. We continue to demand that the President [1:33:13] forces DOJ to do the right thing by the survivors and to ensure that we get truth and justice. [1:33:20] We're just a few miles away from Mar-a-Lago, where we know Ghislaine recruited and harmed and abused women, [1:33:29] where Virginia herself was recruited. And we also know that the President or his residence is just a few [1:33:37] miles from here is the one man in America that has the power to do the right thing and force the DOJ to [1:33:46] release the files, protect the survivors, and demand and ensure that the American public get the truth. [1:33:52] And that's why we're here today. And with that, I yield and I want to turn it over to Representative [1:33:58] Christian Morphy. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Ranking Member. Thank you to all the witnesses. Thank you for [1:34:07] your bravery, your conviction, and your determination. Today, I want to ask you first about Ghislaine Maxwell. [1:34:17] Ms. Wilde, in a written victim impact statement that was filed in court, you said that the abuse [1:34:23] you suffered was, quote, deliberate and systematic, designed by Epstein and facilitated by his staff and [1:34:29] associates, including Ghislaine Maxwell, correct? Um, I don't, I don't, I never, I don't think that's my, [1:34:35] I never had any relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell. Can you repeat that? Uh, in a victim impact [1:34:42] statement in Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 versus the United States? Oh, yes. Yes. Okay. Against the, [1:34:49] I'm sorry. I've never met Ghislaine Maxwell, but yes, that's what the other Jane Doe. Ms. Benski, [1:34:56] at Maxwell's trial, survivors testified that Maxwell participated in the sexual abuse of girls. [1:35:04] Maxwell recruited victims for Epstein, including at schools, and that Maxwell once told a 14-year-old [1:35:12] girl that she, quote, had a great body for Epstein and his friends. Isn't that what was testified to? [1:35:18] Yeah, I also, my experience was not with, with Maxwell, but I, I am sure that that is true. [1:35:24] Yeah. Ms. Jones, after Maxwell was found guilty of unconscionable acts, Politico reported that [1:35:32] Maxwell's lawyer, this guy right here, said that there's a good chance and for good reason that [1:35:40] Maxwell would get a pardon. Sure. You have publicly stated that, quote, [1:35:44] clemency would be a slap in the face to all survivors, right? I agree with that wholeheartedly. [1:35:50] I think everyone on this panel agrees probably. Maxwell hasn't shown any guilt, hasn't shown any [1:35:56] remorse, hasn't shown any ounce of accountability for what she did. I've introduced the House resolution [1:36:04] condemning clemency for Maxwell. I hope everyone here will join me because we have to do everything in [1:36:09] our power to block a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms. Hirsch, I want to turn to another topic, [1:36:21] following the money. You're aware of Epstein-related financial records called suspicious activity [1:36:26] reports, SARS reports, that have not been produced, correct? And just to level set, a suspicious activity [1:36:33] report is a report produced by a bank anytime a customer performs a questionable transaction. It turns [1:36:40] out there were numerous such reports filed by banks with the Treasury Department for Jeffrey Epstein, [1:36:46] including large cash withdrawals and even requests that Epstein made for the creation of bank accounts [1:36:54] and credit cards for teenagers and people who had nothing to do with his family. Isn't that right? [1:37:00] It is. The Senate Finance Committee has found Epstein made wire transfers that are detailed in these [1:37:06] suspicious activity reports to the tune of $1.5 billion, with a B, and include the names of women [1:37:15] and girls he may have trafficked, as well as the names of his potential clients. Do you agree with that? [1:37:20] I do agree with that. If we're serious, if we're serious about following the money, I believe that [1:37:26] these SARS reports must be disclosed by the U.S. Treasury Department now, immediately today. Last topic, [1:37:39] Ms. Hirsch. Can you give me this? These one, two, three, four, five, six people, they must be disclosed today. What do you think about that? [1:37:52] I absolutely agree with you. They may be among us today, perpetrating a continuation of a sex trafficking ring. [1:38:02] Now, Mr. Coven, DOJ has not released all of the raw interviews and transcripts from the more [1:38:07] more than 40 victims of the DOJ's that were investigated in the DOJ's 2008 investigation, [1:38:13] right? Correct. And DOJ has not released all of the video footage collected at Epstein's properties, [1:38:20] correct? Absolutely. Not only that, I've actually walked through the home of Jeffrey Epstein after [1:38:27] the incidents occurred and saw where the video cameras were located and no longer existed. [1:38:32] Epstein tried to maintain his power over those he abused by taking away their chance at justice. We [1:38:41] cannot let that happen. Donald Trump, I'm calling on you to listen to survivors. Release all of the [1:38:47] documents. Unredact all these people. Prosecute the rest of these people and investigate the remaining. [1:38:55] In addition, Ghislaine Maxwell should never, ever, ever receive clemency. That monster should not be given [1:39:02] part in and ensure every enabler of Epstein faces consequences, no matter who they are or their [1:39:08] political affiliation. Thank you. And I yield back. Thank you. Now we'll have Representative Stansbury. [1:39:18] All right. Well, good morning, everyone. And I just want to start out by acknowledging our survivors [1:39:26] who are here with us. And to those of you who spoke, people tell you all the time that you're brave [1:39:32] and you are. But I know that it comes at great cost to yourself, great cost to your families. But I want [1:39:41] you to know, and part of why I asked the staff to hold up this picture, is because you are literally [1:39:47] changing the face of the planet by standing up and telling your stories. And even though the system [1:39:53] is failing you again right now in Congress, you are changing the world by helping people who are [1:39:59] survivors, who are victims, who have never had their stories told publicly, to know that they're not [1:40:06] alone. So I want to say thank you for everything that you are doing. And I know that it's hard, [1:40:12] but what you're doing is changing. I came, I got in early yesterday, and I went for a walk. I walked to [1:40:23] downtown here in West Palm Beach, and then I walked across the bridge. I think like millions of people [1:40:31] across the country, I've seen, of course, the documentary that documents what happened here in [1:40:37] West Palm Beach. And I wanted to walk across the bridge that survivors had told this story themselves [1:40:43] of literally having been driven across. But I don't think that I truly understood the power, the wealth, [1:40:53] the abuse that has happened in this community until I saw the mansions and the estates, the private clubs, [1:41:03] and how inequality is literally written into the landscape here. And the reason why I wanted to [1:41:11] start there is because there has been a lot said about the system of abuse that Epstein and Maxwell [1:41:20] perpetrated. There has been a lot said about how grooming occurred, how recruitment happened, [1:41:26] and how he psychologically threatened, abused, and used all these different tactics to abuse girls and [1:41:34] women. But I want to make one thing clear here today, and I want to ask some questions about this, [1:41:40] is we talk about the system failing. The system didn't fail. The system was designed to protect the [1:41:47] wealthy. The system was rigged from the beginning when those mansions were built. The system was built on [1:41:56] inequality. The system was built on exploiting people. It's written into the landscape here in [1:42:03] West Palm Beach. It's written into the landscape in New Mexico, where Jeffrey Epstein went to Santa Fe with [1:42:11] his rich friends and recruited girls that he exploited and then trafficked to other rich friends that he flew [1:42:18] to New Mexico. This wasn't failure. This was a system. It was a system of exploitation. It was a system of [1:42:27] abuse, and it was a system of power. And that's one of the things that I want to really dive into [1:42:34] here with my short time today. Because the officials, the federal, the state, the local, the attorney generals, [1:42:43] didn't just fail to investigate these cases. They chose not to investigate them. They chose to take [1:42:50] bribes and kickbacks and campaign donations. The police department here in West Palm Beach [1:42:57] chose to take a donation from Jeffrey Epstein. The police and sheriffs and others in other cities and [1:43:05] states chose to take donations. And right now, while this is not a partisan issue, this administration [1:43:16] is choosing to not investigate the crimes that are in these files. This administration is choosing to [1:43:24] release the names of survivors and not perpetrators. This administration is choosing to not investigate [1:43:34] or indict a single man who committed rape of a child or woman that is in the files. And this administration [1:43:42] is choosing to gaslight the American people. While all over the world, foreign officials are arresting, [1:43:51] investigating, a prince has been taken down. And here in the United States, our Department of Justice, [1:43:58] which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act. That is not a failure. That is a choice. [1:44:07] That is a system built on wealth, inequality, and exploitation of women, of girls, of children, [1:44:15] and a system built to protect the powerful. That is a system. And it is a system that Jeffrey Epstein [1:44:23] developed here in West Palm Beach. And then it is a system that he exported to places like the Virgin Islands, [1:44:31] to New Mexico, and to all of the places that he operated. And so I want us to think about as we're [1:44:42] moving forward with this investigation, we can investigate all the hundreds or even thousands [1:44:49] of micro decisions that were made by local police, by sheriffs, by state police, by the Department of [1:44:56] Justice, by AGs who chose to turn a blind eye and not prosecute these crimes. But the only way we [1:45:03] are actually going to get justice in this case is by changing the system itself. And that's exactly [1:45:09] what you guys are doing. And it's powerful. You're literally taking on the entire world right now, [1:45:16] and a system of wealth and inequality. So I want to ask the survivors, because I feel like you get asked [1:45:26] all the time to retell your stories. And I've read your stories. Anyone can go in the files and read your [1:45:31] stories. But I want to hear from you, what justice would look like in this case. So maybe starting [1:45:38] here on the end, it's always a sore, sore subject, because I'm just like, at this point, honestly, [1:45:48] I don't think justice will ever be served in this case. And, and that's just my experience of the past [1:45:56] 20 years that I've dealt with it. If I were really optimistic, and it did, I think it would be, [1:46:05] for one, the Crime Victims Rights Act, we have to fix that law. Also, education in the school systems, [1:46:15] maybe like with the sex ed, or just there has to be more education on what grooming is on what sex [1:46:23] trafficking is. It's not, you know, I think a lot of people have a picture in their head [1:46:27] that is just not reality. Um, and for me, being that this happened in Palm Beach County, I think [1:46:37] there needs to be like a building. And I think that the, the first 72 hours that a survivor tells their [1:46:44] story and comes forward and says, Okay, I'm ready. I'm ready to tell this. And there, it's such a crucial [1:46:53] time. I think there needs to be something dedicated in Palm Beach County to all of our childhoods that [1:47:00] were lost and taken. You know, when we came forward, and we told our stories, man, I was treated like a [1:47:07] criminal from the by the federal government. And I just think I guess justice would be change. I don't [1:47:21] know what justice looks like anymore. It's I'm just blown away that this is our government that [1:47:29] is handling this. But justice would be like Courtney said, accountability. These people that did wrong [1:47:42] should be held accountable for what they did to us. Of course, we know that. But do we think do I think [1:47:47] that is gonna truly happen? Probably not. Look at how this has gone on. But education is so very [1:47:55] important. Our kids are listening. They're watching this. They're hearing. And for the first time for a lot [1:48:01] of children, this is the first time they are even hearing about something like this. And so education [1:48:06] is important. If we can't take these bad guys off the streets, let's teach our kids how to protect [1:48:12] themselves in this. And so but I hope the government gets it together. Maybe get some justice. I think [1:48:22] justice starts with passing Virginia's law. I think that's a really great place to start because [1:48:28] justice shouldn't have a time limit, right? I know at almost 40, like I'm about to turn 40 this year, and [1:48:36] I'm just able to look at my abuse. I'm just able to sit and write it and read it. And so I think there [1:48:43] are a lot of survivors who have never come forward. So that would be a start passing Virginia's law, [1:48:48] changing the statute of limitations. There's a culture shift that really needs to happen, [1:48:53] where the blame needs to be placed on the perpetrator and not on the victim, similar to [1:48:58] Courtney's experience. My experience with law enforcement, I was so terrified. And I did feel [1:49:04] like I was being interrogated the entire time that I was there. I thought that I was going to go to jail [1:49:08] that day. I was like, my life is over. It didn't really make me want to talk to anybody. But the FBI came [1:49:15] back to my home in 2019. Anyway, I'll have to say it was very threatening feeling. So having an advocate [1:49:22] in those spaces would also be really important. But yeah, just elevating survivor rights and making sure [1:49:29] that we start with that baseline of Virginia's law. [1:49:32] So I come from a different country, and I have a job. And if you come to me, and you ask me, [1:49:43] what should I do and ask questions about my job, I'll give you an answer. I appreciate you asking [1:49:49] that question. But I don't know, that's your job. You guys have to figure out how to make justice, [1:49:56] not me. And you can't give me justice. Like this, when I came to this country, I thought [1:50:13] something's going to be different. And I am shocked that this is happening here in the United States. [1:50:20] You keep on saying this is the worst case in the United States, but it's not. It's the worst case in the [1:50:25] world. This never happened to me in other places. And I traveled as a model all over the world. [1:50:33] This didn't happen to me there. It happened to me here. You need to figure it out. And I hope you do. [1:50:41] And I hope this never happens again to anybody. Keep it in the history books. Don't stop fighting. [1:50:48] Don't let it go away. I wish one day we all can sit there and never hear the name. But I also hope [1:50:56] that we will forever so this never happens again. Good luck. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that [1:51:08] says it all. It's our job. So thank you. Thank you so much. Representative Frost. [1:51:15] Thank you so much. I want to talk about something very specific. As we know, [1:51:21] Jeffrey Epstein trafficked and abused women and girls, not just in Florida and New York, [1:51:25] but internationally, across the globe. This case shines a light on the truth of sex trafficking. [1:51:31] And it informs us as members of Congress of the changes and the reforms we need to pursue [1:51:36] in many different areas that sometimes seem different, but are all connected. [1:51:40] I want to first thank you all for coming here today, especially the survivors and sharing your [1:51:44] stories. In many instances, we have seen that traffickers and sexual predators [1:51:49] control employment opportunities for the people that they abuse. This happens everywhere, [1:51:54] from working communities to the wealthiest and the most powerful pockets of society. [1:51:58] Right here. This is from documents produced to the committee. [1:52:02] It appears to show copies of passports in Epstein's possession belonging to young women. [1:52:07] We believe many of these are survivors. Epstein's network is bigger than what many people understand. [1:52:13] It's stretched across the entire globe. And we know that Epstein did not act alone. [1:52:18] Him and his associates exploited financial and immigration systems, broken immigration systems, [1:52:25] to traffic women and girls. Epstein helped women enroll in English language schools, [1:52:30] facilitated their admission into American universities to help them get visas and help them secure jobs, [1:52:38] all as a premise for getting the women into the United States. We questioned Epstein's lawyer about [1:52:44] this and his accountant about the sham marriages, which they helped arrange for immigration purposes. [1:52:50] And many of these women sadly became survivors of Epstein's abuse. Rosa, thank you so much for [1:52:58] your very powerful testimony. Why did you come to the United States? You spoke a little bit about this. [1:53:05] I was a model. I came here thinking that my modeling career is going to be continued here. I traveled before [1:53:17] United States and I was very successful. When I was able to escape the ring of Jeffrey Epstein, [1:53:24] I was a successful model afterwards, but only after. During it, I couldn't. [1:53:31] So you came for opportunity? Yes. And we told you, right? We told the entire world, [1:53:39] we've told the entire world, come to the United States for opportunity. This is a land of opportunity, [1:53:43] where you can be anyone, where you can do anything, right? Yes. New York City was a top of a list for [1:53:50] any model traveling and getting a contract. Rosa, can you help us understand how Epstein Brunel and [1:53:59] their associates use the promises of modeling jobs to recruit you and other women? When you enter [1:54:09] modeling, you have a dream of ending up and walking a Victoria's Secret show or on a cover of Vogue [1:54:16] magazines. So when you're a teenager and somebody approaches you saying that they can be there to [1:54:23] help you and be your word ally. I hate that word really, because that was used many, many times in [1:54:33] trying to make me believe that they are my ally in order to get those jobs. So naturally it comes across [1:54:44] like these people care and you believe them. Why? Because you were just a teenager. You, [1:54:49] you, it doesn't look really scary to begin with. So they gain your trust and then they put you in a [1:54:57] situation where financially you can't leave. The, the ticket back home costs $1,300 round trip. I was [1:55:08] giving a hundred dollars a week. Go to New York City today and try to live of a hundred dollars. Good [1:55:14] luck. Rosa, we also know that Epstein, you're an immigrant and we know that Epstein and his network [1:55:21] also manipulated and threatened women using their visas or immigration status. Can you talk about [1:55:27] your experience with this? Every time I came to my agency or Epstein, which I didn't know why I came to [1:55:34] him, I begged them to let me go back to other places I used to model before on which they said, [1:55:44] why you are not going to do well there. So stay here. What do you need? I would say job. And then [1:55:53] they offered me job. Um, they didn't give me money to purchase a ticket and I didn't have a credit card. [1:56:02] I didn't have my parents sending me money. I couldn't afford a ticket back. So they used my dreams against [1:56:10] me saying that it's just the time and everything's going to be okay. And if I trust them, all my dreams [1:56:17] are going to come true. We know that he weaponized, um, people's immigration status, right? And the [1:56:24] fact that they were immigrants against them to manipulate them, to force them into, um, his [1:56:29] horrible crimes and the horrible things he did to them. There are so many changes that need to come [1:56:34] from this investigation. And I think it's important that we also remember immigrant women are [1:56:39] disproportionately impacted by sex trafficking in the United States. Epstein exploited this broken [1:56:45] immigration system to do these crimes. Um, and I think your story and your testimony shows that and [1:56:50] many of the other stories and testimonies that we've heard this investigation shows us that we have [1:56:54] to fix this system, not just demonize immigrants. And in a moment where the same people that are [1:57:01] obstructing this investigation, the same people who are engaged in the coverup of this investigation [1:57:06] are also the one demonizing immigrants across this country shows us the real truth that if we spent a [1:57:11] modicum of the money and energy that this government is using to go terrorize our communities and round [1:57:16] up innocent people to go after the billionaire pedophiles and sex traffickers and people who [1:57:23] have exploited this broken immigration system, maybe we'd have some justice here. And so just thank you so [1:57:28] much for being here and sharing your testimony. I yield back. And now I'll recognize Ms. Lee from Pennsylvania. [1:57:41] Thank you ranking member. Um, I want to start like many by just grounding us in the people who have, uh, [1:57:49] too often have been ignored survivors like Danny Bensky, who was just 17 when she was lured to work for [1:57:56] Jeffrey Epstein with false promises that, uh, and then threatened with her mother's illness. Rosa, [1:58:02] who was trafficked across borders and abused for years to go fight for recognition by a department of justice [1:58:07] that was supposed to protect her. And Jenna Lisa Jones, who has sounded the alarm that a paltry release [1:58:14] of DOJ fouls hints at a possible, probable coverup. I just want to thank you all for being here, [1:58:21] for continuing to show up for your continued courage and your commitment to justice. We recognize that [1:58:26] you are fortunately four of very, very many, many more survivors. And I hope you know that your presence [1:58:32] today means, uh, means to survivors across this country, how important it is to them. For decades, [1:58:38] survivors have worked in good faith with law enforcement to try to expose Epstein and his [1:58:42] co-conspirators only to have their interests and their needs ignored from a bogus non-prosecute, uh, [1:58:48] prosecution agreement way back in 2008 to the inexcusable release of personal identifying information [1:58:55] from Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche's DOJ. The DOJ seems perfectly capable of concealing the names of these [1:59:01] rich and these powerful folks in the fouls that have been released, but they did not give that [1:59:06] same level of care to the actual survivors. And here in Florida, Alex Acosta spent more time cutting [1:59:13] the deal with Kenneth Starr, Alan Darshowitz, and other well-connected lawyers working for Epstein and [1:59:19] with Epstein than he did actually listening to survivors. This sweetheart deal enabled Epstein to [1:59:26] continue abusing survivors while he was out on work release, as we've heard. The DOJ has failed to [1:59:31] indict any other perpetrator of sex trafficking beyond Epstein and Maxwell, despite all the [1:59:37] complaints and the reports that other individuals were implicated involved, including from survivors [1:59:42] themselves who have named these people. They seem to have no plans to do so. So Todd Blanche stating that [1:59:48] the Epstein vows, quote, should not be a part of anything going forward, unquote, is where we need, [1:59:54] uh, to spend a little time. This is a glaring proof of a two-tier justice, uh, system of justice in this [2:00:00] country. Mr. Cuban, this saga began with a failure at the state level when prosecutors declined to [2:00:05] fully pursue justice against Jeffrey Epstein, right? Correct. You represented one of the first [2:00:10] survivors in Florida. We saw a non-prosecution agreement that showed at Epstein and protected [2:00:14] his associates. Can you explain why that agreement was so unusual and how harmful it was? So first of [2:00:21] all, as I said before, it was unusual because ordinarily the U.S. Attorney's Office would consult with [2:00:26] counsel for the victims and talk about the potential charges that they're going to bring, [2:00:30] and they never did that. They kept it secret. They would not answer phone calls. When I was able [2:00:35] to get through to the U.S. Attorney at the time, who was Maria Villafagna, uh, she said, [2:00:40] I can't talk to you. Second, it was so unusual because it not only gave immunity to Jeffrey Epstein, [2:00:46] who was the target of their investigation, but it gave immunity to co-conspirators without [2:00:50] prosecution of those co-conspirators or even a hint of prosecution of four specifically named co-conspirators. [2:00:57] Lastly, the most onioned co-conspirators. I have never in 30 years doing this ever seen a [2:01:04] non-prosecution agreement so broad as to say that they're giving immunity to unnamed individuals. It [2:01:11] was a gift. Ms. Wow, really quickly, you, can you tell us more about those emails between Epstein's [2:01:17] lawyers and the prosecutors and what made them seem different from what you would think a typical plea, [2:01:21] a negotiation would look like? Ms. Yes, ma'am. When we, when me and Brad Edwards, uh, were able to, [2:01:27] we got the emails, it was literally friends. They're, hey, they were meeting at Starbucks. They [2:01:33] were meeting off the record wherever they wanted. Um, these were friends literally negotiating how much [2:01:41] time, what it would look like, what the charges were going to look like, what they were going to say [2:01:46] during the grand jury. It was, it was all scripted. It was all set up, cover up. [2:01:52] Ms. I just want to say really quickly, does any survivor feel, have, have you felt protected [2:01:58] or seen or heard by the government? Ms. No, ma'am. Just no. [2:02:01] Ms. My, none of my, the redactions, none of my information had been redacted. [2:02:06] Ms. This is about a system that asks survivors to carry the burden of proof, [2:02:10] the burden of patience, the burden of pain. While people with wealth and power are given time and [2:02:15] protection and silence. While we're here today because of Jeffrey Epstein, sexual abuse survivors [2:02:20] across this country know all too well that he is not an anomaly, but he's a high profile example of [2:02:25] a system that too often works exactly as designed to shield abusers and silence those that they harm. [2:02:30] So to all the survivors, the fierce attorney advocates who are with us here today, I just want [2:02:34] to thank you for coming forward despite the many frustrations, the threats, the dangers and the [2:02:38] setbacks that you've experienced. We have a responsibility to all survivors who are still waiting, [2:02:43] to the ones who have never gotten justice, and to the ones watching right now to say that this [2:02:47] ends here and we take that very seriously. I thank you all so much and I yield back. [2:02:51] Thank you so much Ms. Lee and now I am going to recognize myself for five minutes. [2:03:04] I've been smiling probably more than I am supposed to as I've sat here because y'all bring me so much joy. [2:03:13] And let me tell you why. The reason is this. It's because in spite or despite this incompetent [2:03:22] government, y'all have not backed down. For some people it is the very first time that they're seeing [2:03:28] your faces, but you have been there when no cameras are rolling. You have been there for decades and you [2:03:35] are still showing up. The reality is that you are not a child in this moment, but you know that other [2:03:42] children are potentially being subjected to something similar in this exact moment. And it is your [2:03:49] courage that is contagious. We don't have that unfortunately in Congress. We got a bunch of cowards. [2:03:56] But your courage is contagious. Think about it this way. One of the things that I really want to clarify, [2:04:02] because I have had an opportunity to hear some of your stories and meet with some of you in person and [2:04:08] behind closed doors, a lot of people who potentially are not on the right side of history right now. One of [2:04:16] the common questions that they ask is how is it that this could have happened to so many people, [2:04:23] yet when you were going through your experience, you failed to see anybody else or know anything else [2:04:31] and you thought that you were all alone. And I know that that is something you have told me directly. [2:04:36] So for the people that are watching and they're hearing numbers like, man, thousands of girls, [2:04:43] but at the same time, they're hearing, you know what, I never saw anything else. Whoever feels most [2:04:50] comfortable, if you will, because for me, I don't think that I have that much confidence in the [2:04:59] government overall doing what's right for the right reason. But it is the pressure from outside. [2:05:06] It is you going out there and being courageous that has made the people rise up. That is why we were [2:05:15] able to get some kind of movement. And so I want to build more allies for this movement right now. So [2:05:21] if any of you would like to answer that question. Thank you for that, first of all. But I think it [2:05:31] starts with our young people knowing that they need to speak up. Because for me, I think I was pit [2:05:39] against a friend of mine that went together to Jeffrey the first time and he was very good [2:05:43] at using the manipulation to hold us there. And so I felt like I couldn't tell anybody and I didn't [2:05:50] tell anybody. So I think it starts with the youngest, you know, if an experience feels off, [2:05:57] to have a young person speak out and talk to even just a friend about that, and then say to that [2:06:02] friend, hey, is this happening to you, then the two of them can talk to an adult. And then we're [2:06:06] already making change because we're already taking it out of the dark. I think the secrecy was the hardest [2:06:12] part in my own abuse. And meeting all of the Survivor Sisters in September absolutely changed my whole [2:06:19] life. And so I do think if you can find community and if you can find the people who boost you, [2:06:26] it's really important. But it starts with our youngest survivors. Thank you so much for that. [2:06:30] And in fact, you brought up young survivors. You know, a quick question that I have for each of you [2:06:36] is, do you believe that a child has the ability to consent to sex? No. Okay. Interestingly enough, [2:06:44] most of the time, our laws, whether they're state or federal, acknowledge that as well. But [2:06:49] I have a transcript and I won't go through it, but it relates to the case that stemmed out of here, [2:06:55] where they were trying to make it seem as if a child victim was a criminal. That was the focus of [2:07:02] their questioning. So it is so frustrating because literally when I was in the state house in Texas, [2:07:08] this is one of the things that I actually worked on, was making sure we changed the actual language in the [2:07:13] code, specifically as we talked about child victims. So that brings me to kind of where we are on the [2:07:22] federal level. And I'm gonna wrap up because of the time. I want to make sure we stay on time. [2:07:29] My colleagues have been so, my colleagues are nicer than I am. I'm gonna be real. They've used words like [2:07:36] cover up, choice. For me, it's obstruction of justice. It's real clear. And that's just the lawyer in me. [2:07:44] This is pure obstruction. Anyone else that would engage in this type of behavior would be charged [2:07:51] with obstruction of justice, yet somehow because it's the Department of Justice, the ones that are [2:07:56] supposed to enforce justice and law in this country. We're not calling it a thing a thing, [2:08:02] but that's what it is. And so it is my hope that we understand that while these survivors have taken the [2:08:09] time to come out, and some of them were outed unlawfully and absolutely need to have some [2:08:19] semblance of justice because of that illegal outing, because our law was very clear, to be clear about [2:08:26] that. I need people to understand that we all have a role to play. People in this moment keep asking, [2:08:34] what is it that I can do? Well, I'm gonna be partisan as well, because they're not being partisan. [2:08:39] The Republicans could have shown up today too. They didn't. So let me be clear, I am going to be full [2:08:44] on partisan. You have to vote. If you care about this, you have to vote and you have to understand [2:08:51] who is fighting for you. There are certain things that were always a basic kind of standard in this [2:08:57] country for what was right. We protected the most vulnerable amongst us. We're not doing that [2:09:03] nowadays. We made sure that we believed in quote unquote law and order, but we're not doing that [2:09:09] nowadays. It is time to wake up. It is time for us all to do our part, because again, I'm gonna be [2:09:16] partisan because only the Democrats decided to show up today. So with that, I will yield and my next, [2:09:24] okay, they're making me skip down. Okay. Well, we gonna head to Virginia. [2:09:32] Rep. Supervolume, it's your turn. Thank you. I want to thank you all for being here today and thank [2:09:39] all the people in the audience here today. And I will just say that it's because of you [2:09:45] that we had the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed and the president himself had to sign it into [2:09:49] law begrudgingly while in the background trying to figure out how to break it later on. And it's because of [2:09:55] you that we were able to issue an August subpoena led by Representative Lee, and they still haven't [2:10:01] complied with that subpoena, but it's because of you we got that far. It's because of you that they [2:10:05] won't even hold hearings, real hearings in the oversight committee on anything anymore because [2:10:10] they're afraid we'll subpoena more people about Epstein Files and Epstein Transparency Act. So just [2:10:15] think about where you've gotten us. I know it's not enough. It may never be enough. Someone mentioned [2:10:20] before, but I just want to thank you for getting us this far. And I know there are a lot of girls and [2:10:26] women around the country around the world who thank you as well. One of the things that has driven me [2:10:32] crazy is that there's millions of files that have still not been released. And so this question really [2:10:37] is for anyone. But one of the things that I remember hearing from many of the survivors last year was [2:10:43] you'd at least like your own files, files, your own witness statements. Has anyone received your own [2:10:49] files? So no one has received their own files. And has the Trump administration talked to you about [2:10:57] potentially giving you those files? I'm seeing everyone say no. And did they ever talk to you about [2:11:06] which files they were withholding and why they would withhold them or consult with you about that? [2:11:11] I'm seeing everyone shake their heads as well in the audience and and all the witnesses we have [2:11:16] today. And so I guess I would ask then, you know, we're going to be talking to someone next week, [2:11:23] Pam Bondi. And so do you have any suggestions on what we should ask her tomorrow? [2:11:32] We can start on Ms. Wilde or anyone who'd like to answer that. [2:11:34] I think there's a lot to ask her, right? But do we believe anything that she's going to come out of [2:11:43] her mouth? Let's pretend yes. Yeah, okay. I definitely, why, who are you, who are we covering for? [2:11:50] Like, you were willing to lose your job to cover up for these people. What do they have on you? [2:12:00] Because I'd like to know. You're a woman, you're a mother, and you look at us, couldn't even look at [2:12:09] the survivors. So what's your part in this? Can I add to that process? What was the process? And we [2:12:20] would ask the same of Todd Blanche. What was the process for moving Keelan Maxwell? I can actually [2:12:27] speak to three very specific things that you should ask her. Number one, there was hours of video [2:12:32] surveillance taken by the lead investigator at the time outside of the home watching people go in and [2:12:38] out of the house that has yet to be released, and we know it exists from the probable cause affidavit. [2:12:43] Secondly, back in October of 2003, there's record evidence that there were surveillance inside the [2:12:49] home because cash was stolen from Mr. Epstein by one of his workers, and Sarah Kellan showed police that [2:12:56] video from inside the home. That means surveillance cameras well photographed everything. She loved taking [2:13:02] photographs of people. That was her passion. They have not released even a fraction of the photographs [2:13:10] that Maxwell took. So I'm just going to add on to Danny's point about process and be a little more [2:13:19] specific. So what transpired in advance of the files being released were a number of the lawyers who are in [2:13:26] this room provided DOJ with lists of names. I think one lawyer provided about 300 names, and those names got [2:13:38] released in the first batch. Many of those names got released in the first batch of files when they were [2:13:45] dumped. The lawyer went back and said, these names need to be redacted. I'm just going to use Danny's as an [2:13:53] example. I hope that's okay, Danny. So her lawyer went back and said redact Danny Bensky's name. So [2:16:04] her lawyer went back and said redact Danny Bensky's name. There's a lot that this investigation needs [2:19:12] to do to do just that. And so what I can say with certainty is that what the inspiration for this work [2:19:22] looks like, and I'm looking at it. I'm looking at all of you. I'm looking at every single survivor, [2:19:29] known and unknown that continues to inspire us to do this work. And I thank you for being here. [2:19:37] We do not take that lightly that you've agreed to be here today and share your stories and being honest [2:19:44] about why this matters. Because as my colleague said, this administration has made it harder, [2:19:50] not easier for you to be here, but you are in our inspiration and we appreciate you. Thank you. [2:19:57] Thank you, Congressman. Next up is Representative Min. [2:20:02] Thank you to the survivors for appearing here today. Ms. Wild, Ms. Jones, Ms. Bensky, [2:20:08] Rosa, Mr. Roberts, Ms. Roberts. Your testimonies are powerful and extremely heart-wrenching. [2:20:15] And we're sitting right now just 2.8 miles from the Epstein Estate where so much of this took place, [2:20:21] four miles from Mar-a-Lago where Jeffrey Epstein spent so much of his time. [2:20:25] And I don't think it's lost on any of us up here how much courage you all are showing in being here [2:20:30] today and sharing your stories. Because as we begin to unravel the threads of the Epstein Files, [2:20:36] we're seeing just how broad and deep this conspiracy goes. And a number of you have talked [2:20:41] about the threats you face, and that must be incredibly frightening. Many of the world's richest [2:20:45] and most powerful men are implicated. And they have directly perpetrated a decades-long cover-up. [2:20:52] Even after we were able to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, over the maneuvering and [2:20:56] objections, I'd add, of President Trump, then Attorney General Pam Bondi and Speaker Mike Johnson, [2:21:01] the rich and powerful were still able to pervert justice, with the DOJ refusing to turn over 50% [2:21:06] of the documents in their possession, redacting the names of the perpetrators while releasing [2:21:11] personal information about many of you, re-victimizing the survivors. And that's outrageous, [2:21:16] and we for damn sure need to ask Pam Bondi what the hell happened here, [2:21:20] and why she chose to re-victimize survivors when she appears before us next week. [2:21:24] Mr. Hirsch, I want to start, Ms. Hirsch, I want to start with you real quickly. [2:21:28] Are you aware of any instance where the DOJ contacted survivors before [2:21:32] they released personal identifying information about the survivors last year? [2:21:40] The DOJ did not contact survivors directly, but they did return a phone call, [2:21:48] but when we asked them to speak with survivors, that never happened. [2:21:53] And that's outrageous because the DOJ is supposed to represent justice for people who are victims of [2:21:58] crime, not re-victimizing them, not protecting the perpetrators of crime. And what's at stake today [2:22:03] for you all and the hundreds of other women who were trafficked and abused by Jeffrey Epstein, [2:22:08] Ghislaine Maxwell, and their associates is justice for you, but also the idea that there's one rule of [2:22:14] law for everybody, that we don't have one set of rules to the rich and powerful, the Epstein elites, [2:22:19] and another that applies to the rest of us. As I've said before, I've spent my career fighting for [2:22:23] the rule of law. This is very important to me. I also started my career at the Securities and Exchange [2:22:27] Commission, proceeding corporate fraud, then taught banking law at UC Irvine. And I also know that [2:22:33] following the money is the first rule of tracking down any kind of major criminal conspiracy. [2:22:39] And as I just want to reiterate the points that were made earlier by Rep. Christian Murthy, by you, [2:22:43] Ms. Roberts, that we need to follow the money, that Epstein survivors have sued and won settlements [2:22:49] from a number of large financial institutions, including Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Deutsche [2:22:54] Bank, hundreds of millions of dollars. We need to get the SARS reports from Treasury. We need the SEC, [2:23:00] Treasury, and the banking regulators to investigate and potentially prosecute anyone or any institution [2:23:07] that was complicit in covering up or helping facilitate the Epstein trafficking ring. Now, [2:23:13] Mr. Kuven, you've stated previously that Epstein would never have been able to get away with this [2:23:16] horrendous crimes without the complexity of banks, the big banks. And back in 2023, you stated, [2:23:23] I've always said that he would never be able to molest these young girls without the banks and the money [2:23:26] behind it. Could you briefly elaborate on what you meant when you said that? Correct. So we found [2:23:32] during our original litigation back at the inception that he was pulling out large amounts of cash and [2:23:39] transferring funds back and forth and large amounts of cash were coming out of the banks. There were [2:23:43] never any questions that were being asked of him at the time. And in fact, as I alluded to before, [2:23:48] even back in 2003, he had envelopes filled with cash that he even reported to police that had been stolen [2:23:54] from his home. And the banks appeared to be working with him, not questioning him because of all of the [2:24:01] money he was moving through those institutions. It is a damn shame that Department of Justice and [2:24:06] the FBI have never followed this thread, even though it's something that is very, very important. [2:24:11] I will just add that House Oversight Democrats have worked with Chairman Comer to issue subpoenas [2:24:15] for Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan, but we're seeking subpoenas for an additional 21 banks. I think this is [2:24:21] going to be really, really important. Another important piece of evidence that has not been followed [2:24:25] up on is the camera evidence, the computer files. The lead attorney at the time, Maria Villafuena, [2:24:30] had referred to. Now, you had mentioned, Mr. Coven, that you saw a number of cameras [2:24:35] in the estate. That would potentially have a lot of damning footage. [2:24:40] So after we originally filed the first case here in Palm Beach for one of the victims, [2:24:46] I was granted an opportunity by the court to go on property at Epstein's home and do a site inspection. [2:24:52] There were spots within the home, both in the bedrooms and the massage area and other areas of the home, [2:24:57] where you could see mounting brackets where cameras used to be. And then there were CPU or computer [2:25:02] units that had been taken away. And then I was able to verify back in 2003, as I said, [2:25:09] that Sarah Kellan had actually shown internal footage to the police department back then of [2:25:14] someone that had allegedly taken money. So there was verifiable evidence that cameras were in fact in [2:25:21] the home. Lastly, I represented a client in Manhattan who, when she was brought to the home [2:25:26] in Manhattan, saw the entire network of cameras that was being utilized in the Manhattan mansion. [2:25:32] None of that video has been released today. And in fact, lead attorney, I'll just close with this, [2:25:36] Maria Villafuena, had said that that was a smoking gun, this evidence. They knew exactly where it was. [2:25:41] And Alex Acosta, who was then the U.S. Attorney for the District of Florida, refused to investigate this or [2:26:21] actually seek to have this turned over or actually seek to have this turned over. I want to thank [2:26:25] you all again. Thank you for your courage and being here today. Thank you, Congressman. Next is [2:26:31] Representative Randall. Thank you, Mr. Ranking Member. And thank you to each of you for being here today. [2:26:39] I especially want to thank those of you who shared your stories about surviving unimaginable abuse. We [2:26:48] thank you for your immense bravery, which we do over and over again, but also [2:26:52] for your willingness to relive your trauma in pursuit of justice. I know you've waited far too [2:27:01] long and are still waiting. You are seen and heard by every member of Congress in this room, [2:27:10] and we will make sure that your stories are not ignored. Former Attorney General Bondi literally kept [2:27:18] her back turned away from a room full of survivors. We've seen the photo. We are here to do the opposite. [2:27:26] We are here to walk alongside you and to shine a light on the stories that you have shared over and over. [2:27:36] We will keep fighting for truth, for transparency, and an end to this shameless DOJ cover-up of all the [2:27:42] information relating to the heinous crimes of this Epstein case. DOJ's document productions to date have [2:27:49] released very little new information about Epstein's co-conspirators. In fact, we know that there are [2:27:56] more than 2.5 million documents still hidden. But unfortunately, as we have heard today, recent releases [2:28:05] have exposed private and personal identifying information of survivors. DOJ has created serious [2:28:13] risk to safety for survivors and published names and photographs, some of them very explicit. [2:28:20] survivors have also shared with the committee that in multiple instances, as we heard again today, [2:28:28] loved ones didn't know that you had been abused by Epstein until that information was released [2:28:36] publicly. Every oversight Democrat sent Pam Bondi a letter back in February to express alarm at DOJ for [2:28:44] publishing survivor names and photographs thousands of times while taking special care to redact information [2:28:52] that could be crucial for bringing justice and holding perpetrators of abuse accountable. The sheer amount of [2:29:00] personal identifiable information released after survivors got assurances from DOJ that they would be protected raises the [2:29:07] the question of whether this is just incompetence or, far more likely, deliberate witness intimidation. [2:29:16] Ms. Benske, you have spoken about this, about the harm of DOJ's sloppy Epstein file release that has caused [2:29:26] you and other survivors. You spoke about your own name being released despite repeated requests to redact it. [2:29:33] Will you share again for us, for the record, what that experience meant to you and other survivors to have your [2:29:40] information be exposed? [2:29:42] Yeah, I mean, I am public. That's a choice that I made. But never in my life did I expect for anybody to read [2:29:49] intimate details of abuse. Um, to me it's always been about protecting others. And, um, you know, unfortunately I [2:29:58] have friends in this story and to see somebody's name out there who has worked so hard to move past this in life, um, is [2:30:09] something it sends a shockwave through your body. It hits you like reading your own name in the file first. Just like I, you [2:30:17] know, I went into the files thinking I would have to look pretty hard to find things, type my last name [2:30:22] in and everything came up, right? And it's like, there's like a hot flash moment, right? It hits you [2:30:27] sort of like a bullet to the chest where you're like, oh my God, it's that feeling of like that PTSD is real, [2:30:32] right? So the PTSD of, um, the trauma that I endured definitely came back and then you're reading on [2:30:40] and then you see more and you see survivors being outed. A survivor that I had said, you know, don't ever [2:30:46] worry, you've always been a Jane Doe. So, um, and to feel the impact of that is something that I will [2:30:52] carry forever. I, um, I'm sorry. I feel like you deserve an apology from your government and, you know, [2:31:04] as democratic members of Congress, we are here to continue to work with you. But I also know that [2:31:12] we absolutely have to fight for better. We have to fight to pass Virginia's law. And, um, I know [2:31:20] Congresswoman Frankel wanted us to share that she's also been working on the, um, Courtney Wilde [2:31:26] reinforcing crime victims rights act to ensure that those rights that you are owed are actually [2:31:32] upheld, that we work with survivors, um, to inform you about any prosecutorial agreements to ensure that [2:31:41] folks know what rights you are awarded and deserved. And we will continue to investigate and to fight [2:31:50] for all of you, but also for every survivor and every young person who is being victimized around [2:31:55] the world. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you, Congresswoman. Uh, representative Ansari. Thank you, [2:32:03] ranking member. President Trump, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche [2:32:10] promised truth and transparency regarding the Epstein files. They have instead led the most egregious [2:32:16] coverup in American history. Despite their public assurances, Pam Bondi released Epstein files at an [2:32:23] excruciatingly slow pace. And when she did, as we heard in powerful testimony today, [2:32:29] protected the names of rich and powerful men who committed the crimes while revealing the identities [2:32:36] of survivors. In March of 2026, the DOJ admitted that it withheld almost 48,000 files from public [2:32:43] release, including allegations against President Trump. The Trump Epstein administration continues [2:32:49] to try to cover it up to this day. President Trump has said most recently that we should stop wasting [2:32:55] time and energy on the Epstein files. He's called the fight for the release of the files and [2:33:00] transparency, and I quote, a hoax. Abuse and trafficking of thousands of minors is not a hoax. Abuse and [2:33:09] sexual exploitation of women is not a hoax. Survivors deserve the truth and the American public deserves [2:33:17] the truth. Miss Jones, you have said that you and I quote, put your hope in President Donald Trump and [2:33:25] that you believe that he would do right by the survivors. Now, do you believe that he has broken his [2:33:31] promise? He's broken many promises. Thank you. I want to remind everyone that former Congresswoman [2:33:41] Marjorie Taylor Greene alleges that during a phone call, President Trump told her that if he was to [2:33:47] release the Epstein files, and I quote, my friends are going to get hurt. And now the Trump Department of [2:33:55] Justice that is responsible for overseeing the release of the Epstein files claims that there is nothing more [2:34:01] to investigate in the Epstein case. Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice, [2:34:07] before moving her to a cushy minimal security prison. It is so ridiculous and insulting. So far, [2:34:16] only Epstein and Maxwell have been prosecuted for sex trafficking, and there has never been a full [2:34:21] accounting of Epstein's financial crimes or additional prosecutions of suspected co-conspirators. [2:34:27] Last month, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, and I quote, from the information that we have [2:34:34] within the Epstein files, we do not have a case against anybody. Ms. Jones, based on your experience, [2:34:42] or based on what you have seen in the files, do you believe the statement to be true? Absolutely not. [2:34:47] Ms. Bankski, based on your own experiences, or what you have seen in the files, do you believe the [2:34:54] statement to be true? No. Ms. Wild, I'd like to ask you the same question. No. And Rosa, lastly, [2:35:03] I'd like to ask you the same. No. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you, Congresswoman. I'd like [2:35:13] to now have Representative Walkinshaw. Thank you, Ranking Member, and thank you all for being here. [2:35:19] Walking into this room and telling your stories again takes tremendous courage. And I've heard [2:35:27] a lot of the stories from survivors. And like everybody, I'm struck by the courage, the commitment [2:35:35] to justice for Epstein, Maxwell, and everyone involved in these crimes. But I'm most struck by [2:35:42] your commitment to protecting every child and every potential victim of sexual abuse or assault. [2:35:49] Epstein, Maxwell, and their co-conspirators shattered lives. They targeted vulnerable women and girls, [2:35:56] objectifying and attempting to silence them. They were protected by their wealth, their power, [2:36:03] their privilege. We can see it here in Palm Beach. And as we've heard today, their ability to commit [2:36:09] these crimes reflects a systemic and intentional failure by the very institutions meant to protect [2:36:16] you. Our government lets you down when you deserve protection and justice for the crimes that were [2:36:23] committed against you. And we're here today to try to do our part to correct some of these failures. [2:36:33] And we're not going to stop until the truth comes out. The extent of the crimes, [2:36:37] the involvement of all of the co-conspirators is revealed. I want to focus on two patterns that [2:36:44] have emerged today. First, Epstein and Maxwell weaponizing immigration status and travel documents [2:36:52] against survivors, confiscating passports, holding visas hostage to trap women and girls in their [2:37:00] orbit. And then when survivors like yourselves were brave enough to speak up, our justice system [2:37:07] ignoring you, reinforcing the sense that there was nowhere safe for you to turn. Rosa, Ms. Wilde, [2:37:15] thank you for being here today. I want to ask you both just a couple questions related to these [2:37:20] patterns. Rosa, can you tell us again how Epstein used your visa status as leverage to keep you under [2:37:29] his control? O-1 visa is a visa for an individual with extraordinary abilities and it takes a lot of [2:37:39] documents to obtain that visa. I have helped one individual to obtain similar visa and I learned the [2:37:47] amount of documents needed to be gathered. Looking back at my case now, I did not have documents to [2:37:55] obtain that visa. I am 100% sure of that. My agency being able to obtain that visa for me in such a short [2:38:02] time, which was less than six months, it's a miracle. You try to do that right now, you won't be able to. [2:38:09] I want to know how and it's impossible. So I knew that my visa was linked to him and if he is unpleased, [2:38:24] I would be sent back. And are you aware of Epstein using similar tactics against other women or girls? [2:38:33] I have personally met a foreigner girl at his mansion in West Palm Beach and I have personally [2:38:42] have not seen a foreigner come forward to tell the story and I hope my case will bring more people [2:38:50] out in front because there are many other people who speak broken English or don't speak English at [2:38:58] all who can tell their stories. Thank you. Ms. Wilde, you were 14 as you testified when you first [2:39:05] encountered Mr. Epstein. Is this you? Yes. A child? Yes. I just want to go back to the DOJ investigation [2:39:14] and the sweetheart deal for Epstein and ask you, were you told by the Department of Justice that [2:39:21] your case was still being investigated even after Alex Acosta signed off on Epstein's plea deal? Yes, [2:39:31] they sent me a paper in the mail. My attorneys have it. That saying it was going to be a lengthy [2:39:38] process and that they were doing everything that they could to put them away. But at that time when [2:39:44] the letter was dated, it had already been signed, the non-prosecution agreement. You learned later that [2:39:50] they had already signed the deal. Yes. So that letter they sent you was a lie. They lied to you. Yes. [2:39:57] Thank you. Thank you both. I yield back. Thank you, Congressman. Next up is Representative Presley. [2:40:07] Thank you to Congresswoman Lois Frankel. Thank you to Ranking Member Garcia, to Congresswoman Summer Lee, [2:40:13] your efforts made today possible. And of course, thanks to our courageous survivors. I've been on [2:40:21] this committee since I was a freshman and Elijah Cummings, the great Elijah Cummings, our chair at the [2:40:25] time, would often remind us that the role of the Committee on Oversight, our mandate, is to be [2:40:31] an efficient and effective pursuit of the truth. Now that pursuit is what brings House Democrats here [2:40:43] today because instead of Epstein's victims being met with efficiency, they've been met with obstruction [2:40:51] and delays by law enforcement and by the Department of Justice. Instead of Epstein's victims being met with [2:41:00] effectiveness, they've been met with systemic coverup. And I would add cowardice of those who were [2:41:07] intimidated by the power and the privilege of Jeffrey Epstein, Jelaine Maxwell and their co-conspirators. [2:41:16] So today we are here to shine a light because sunlight is the best disinfectant. We are here to shine a light [2:41:25] on the day on the corruption, on the failures of this investigation. But most of all, we are here to center [2:41:36] the survivors, to center the courageous. Survivors who are grown women before you but who were children, [2:41:46] children whose innocence was corrupted, whose bodies were violated, whose dreams were destroyed, [2:41:56] whose lives were irrevocably changed. Maria, Courtney, Jenalisa, Danny, Rosa, and Skye and Amanda, [2:42:11] here for Virginia, we thank you. Congress enacted the Crime Victims Rights Act in 2004 to mandate [2:42:22] specific obligations for the Department of Justice to ensure that survivors are protected, informed, [2:42:28] and able to heal. Now, Mr. Kubin, you've spent decades representing survivors and fighting for [2:42:33] transparency around the federal government's handling of their cases. Can you speak to how [2:42:38] the federal government violated after their bodies were violated, after their dreams, their dignity, [2:42:45] their lives were violated? How were their rights violated? It was our understanding after the release [2:42:55] of documents and the bravery of Ms. Wilde here at the end in her case that was brought and the final [2:43:01] disclosure of all those documents. It showed that the federal government and the state attorney's office [2:43:06] colluded together to not bring an indictment because they knew that if they did, then the Crime Victims [2:43:13] Rights Act would then be triggered and they would have to inform the victims of what they were doing. [2:43:20] So what we learned was they intentionally kept it out of the hands of victims so that the victims [2:43:26] couldn't object or have any say in the process by secretly doing this deal that they did. And the [2:43:35] federal judge, a very brave federal judge, Mara, found that there was a violation of the act here in the [2:43:41] Southern District. And unfortunately, because the way the law was written, there was absolutely no way to [2:43:47] get them any justice or any remedy as a result. That's right. So they weren't notified. They were [2:43:53] not consulted. They were not given the opportunity to participate in proceedings that directly affected [2:43:57] their lives and their safety. These rights are supposed to be guaranteed by the Crime Victims Rights Act. [2:44:03] Now, would any survivors like to speak to any examples to share about how the federal government ignored [2:44:08] or neglected your case? I see the clock is ticking here. Would anyone else like to speak to that? [2:44:13] How about this? Let me just say this. As a survivor myself, I know that this is not only about your [2:44:19] safety that you were robbed of, your innocence and your dreams. Survivors are also forced to carry [2:44:24] the financial burden of abuse. Lost wages, housing instability, medical expenses, legal fees, security [2:44:31] costs, trauma that impacts your daily life. Could any of you speak to that? [2:44:35] We have put ourselves on the front line and spoke out and put our face to the public when we should [2:44:47] have never had to. And that comes with a huge toll. Now, every job that we apply for, they Google us. [2:44:55] They know our most personal information of things that happened to us as children. That is forever, [2:45:06] forever going to follow us. We don't get that back. We don't get that luxury. So that is just the one, [2:45:16] one of the most important things that comes with the weight of this, all because the government couldn't [2:45:24] do their job. May I, like I heard this before from the survivors. I'm a really cool person if you meet [2:45:34] me outside of here. I have a life stories, but these release of documents made me something else. [2:45:46] And I, I can't do tasks, daily tasks without certain help. And I have a support system and I'm grateful for [2:45:54] it. But if I didn't, I don't think I would be here today alive. So it's really hard. I, I want to tell [2:46:05] the world, like it's hard to be here today. I'm very uncomfortable. I trying to look like I'm okay, [2:46:14] but I'm not okay. Yes. Would anyone else like to speak to the financial burden of abuse, [2:46:23] lost wages, housing instability, medical expenses, legal fees, security costs? [2:46:29] So I w I was gonna, when I was younger, when I, we met, I met Jeffrey, I would, I experienced a lot [2:46:35] of homelessness. So I think I misunderstood your question, but I was gonna say whatever you would [2:46:40] like. Yes, ma'am. I was just gonna say that, you know, just like you were walking over the bridge, [2:46:45] you know, a 14 year old going to Palm Beach. It was like, as soon as you go over that bridge, [2:46:50] you just feel the money and power. And it's just such a contrast. If you go down Okeechobee to Okeechobee and [2:47:00] the turnpike, there's a call, a road called Drexel and it's a mobile home street. There's a lot of, [2:47:06] that's where I came, that's where I was from. So to go from here to there is just, you know, [2:47:15] it's so confusing. I was homeless. My parents had addiction problems. You know, he prayed, [2:47:21] he knew what he was doing. It was all very calculated, you know, and then later on the fact [2:47:27] that he used those things against me. We had the feds pulling up our MySpaces, treating us like [2:47:35] criminals because we were at a party at 16 and 17 drinking, you know, rather than going out. They [2:47:42] had. So for me, it's just, it's a, it's so sad that he, he knew who he prayed on. He prayed on young, [2:47:52] especially in Palm Beach County. He paid, he preyed on us kids who came from troubled backgrounds [2:48:00] and everything else. And they portrayed us as these underage prostitutes, which is that, [2:48:07] is that a real charge? Is it like, what was the statue number? I'm on his charge that he took. [2:48:17] Spencer Spencer should, right? Is that a real charge? It was bizarre to us even at the time, but, [2:48:24] um, you know, it made absolutely no sense. And the statutory guidance was very questionable, [2:48:30] given that they were minors. But speaking to representatives, questions specifically [2:48:35] and representing survivors over the last 30 years now, um, you know, it affects not just the survivor. [2:48:42] It affects their family. It affects the way they raise their own children. If they have daughters, [2:48:48] it affects their mental stability and ability to maintain employment. Um, you know, try telling [2:48:54] a survivor they've got to pay a lawyer for 20 years straight. If they want to get justice, [2:48:58] it's impossible, especially with a law that doesn't provide any remedy. So they've got to seek out [2:49:04] victims, advocates that are willing to do it for free. And there aren't many of those, [2:49:08] especially none that want to do it for 20 plus years to fight. So the financial ramifications of being a [2:49:14] victim, especially if somebody with unlimited resources is dramatic. Can I add to that? I think [2:49:21] also to continue this fight, like we're all here right now. And this isn't the only thing I'm sure [2:49:28] we're all doing this week to talk about getting the messaging out advocacy is expensive. Therapy and [2:49:34] healing is expensive, you know, and we, there's no time to work because honestly we got to change it for [2:49:40] our kids because I don't want to raise my kid in a world like this right now. So yeah, I'll just close [2:49:48] out with one point to Courtney to your question about these prostitution charges. We need to eliminate [2:49:55] the prostitution charges from the books altogether. We absolutely, absolutely should be holding sex [2:50:01] buyers accountable for the harm they cause. But people in prostitution should not be criminalized [2:50:07] for being in prostitution because the vast majority of them are not there by choice. They're there because [2:50:12] of lack of circumstances, poverty, other vulnerabilities. And what we see so often is that traffickers [2:50:21] deliberately use that notion that the women and girls will be arrested for prosecute prostitution [2:50:29] as a tactic. It is the number one tactic in order to make sure that survivors victims are too terrified [2:50:39] and too traumatized to talk. So we've got a lot of work to do. And I just want to again, I thank you all [2:50:45] and thank you for being prescriptive with a number of the the legislative responses to address these [2:50:51] systemic harms. I'll just say that there is no amount of compensation that could ever fully account [2:50:57] for what was stolen. But every single survivor certainly deserves much more than sympathy. [2:51:06] And that is the work that I'm committed to doing alongside of you legislatively. Thank you. [2:51:11] Thank you. Thank you, Congresswoman. I'd like to turn over now to Representative Frankel. [2:51:18] Thank you. Thank you again for being here. Let me just start with Courtney. You and I met many, [2:51:24] many years ago. And just to let you know, I took for heart what you said. And myself and colleagues, [2:51:31] Democratic Women's Caucus, we have filed the bill many years in a row named after you. [2:51:38] to make sure we can get these rights that you talked about. And the the the Courtney Wilde bill [2:51:47] would assert that the victims of federal crimes are entitled to all the rights guaranteed under the [2:51:53] original Crime Victim Rights Act, regardless of if the charges are filed in court. And then it lists [2:51:59] out a whole set of criteria. So I want to thank you for your bravery. We're still trying to get that [2:52:05] bill passed. It's a little difficult under the circumstances, but we're going to keep trying. [2:52:11] And thank you so much for your persistence. Yes, I want to tell everybody, I don't think I was able [2:52:22] to tell you exactly why it took so long to have this hearing in Palm Beach County. Because I think many [2:52:28] of us always believe there were three witnesses who have been missing, who must be asked the question, [2:52:36] why did Jeffrey Epstein get the deal that he got? And why were the survivors so mistreated in the grand [2:52:45] jury room? And those people are Barry Krischer, who was the state attorney, Lana Bevla Levick. I don't know if I'm [2:52:53] saying that name right. She was one of the prosecutors in that grand jury and Mary Ann Dugan, who was one of [2:52:59] the prosecutors. I've requested for many years that those people be subpoenaed. We almost had an [2:53:05] opportunity. In 2019, Karen Maloney was the chair of our oversight committee when Democrats were in charge. [2:53:14] We actually scheduled to have this hearing here. And what happened was the Justice Department had engaged [2:53:25] the Maxwell prosecution and they said they would not allow survivors to testify. So that's why this [2:53:33] and that's was correct, actually. So that's what happened. And then political circumstances changed. [2:53:39] But we we need to get to the bottom of this. And I really my next question really was for you, [2:53:44] Mr. Coven. Thank you so much for all you've done for the justice system. Can you give us any insight, [2:53:51] opinion, why these charges were so watered down? Was it power? Were the attorneys, was the state [2:54:01] attorney here? Let's start with Barry Krischer, because he could have stopped it right away, [2:54:05] right? Could have stopped it right away. Was he overpowered? Was he sweet talked? What happened? [2:54:11] I think all of the above. Unfortunately, the system is political here and he was an elected [2:54:18] representative. And after my client went forward to police and the investigation began, we saw a full [2:54:25] court press, meaning that Epstein hired his lawyer from Miami, Roy Black. He hired Alan Dershowitz. He [2:54:32] hired Mr. Lefkowitz from New York, and they all swarmed into Palm Beach County. And they met with Barry [2:54:40] Krischer with all kinds of information that was just an attempt to smear victims. They called them liars. [2:54:48] They called them young, you know, prostitutes. As Courtney stated, they were pulling up MySpace pages of [2:54:56] these girls. And then they were talking about the parade of horribles that could happen to Mr. Krischer. [2:55:02] And they were doing this in the history, unfortunately, of this county. Many may forget [2:55:09] that there was a failed prosecution of a rape here in Palm Beach County from one of the Kennedy's. Yes. [2:55:17] And there was a huge publicity problem associated with that on a political basis. And I know that Barry [2:55:24] Krischer was aware of that. And I think he saw his career going up in flames if he were to prosecute [2:55:29] these. So I think he was looking for an out. And as a result, I think that's why he tanked the grand [2:55:36] jury investigation. Well, what a bad excuse. I think perhaps his career should have gone up in flames, [2:55:43] really. I mean, look, I'm taking the personalities out of this. I would suggest not only did the lawyers [2:55:52] put pressure on him, but I would assume that he got many phone calls. Is that correct? [2:55:59] You want to add to that? We have no doubt that a number of phone calls were made politically. In [2:56:04] fact, Chief Ryder at the time, who I spoke with and in sworn deposition testimony, stated that he, [2:56:11] in fact, was so concerned that he asked Mr. Acosta directly, is he a protected informant? [2:56:16] So just, you mentioned Chief Ryder, because I think it's always good to identify the good guys. [2:56:21] And Chief Ryder, who originally brought this case, was appalled with what Krischer was doing here. [2:56:29] And ironically, he ended up taking the case to the U.S. Attorney, who didn't do much better. [2:56:38] What happened there? Was it the same type of pressure? [2:56:41] Yeah, it was even higher pressure at that point, because then Ken Starr got involved as well on [2:56:46] Epstein's team. And we all know that name from history. And there were huge amounts of political [2:56:53] pressure that were being exerted on in the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District at that [2:56:57] time. But you're absolutely right. Chief Ryder fought the good fight. And he was so angry at Barry [2:57:03] Krischer that he wrote a scathing letter that's in the record now to him, just astounded at the failure of [2:57:09] his office to prosecute these claims. And they were looking at the U.S. Attorney's Office to save them, [2:57:14] to save the case. And unfortunately, they were just appalled at what they did as well. [2:57:23] And one more comment, which is to really salute the power of the press, because it was a Miami Herald [2:57:32] article in November 2018 called Perversion of Justice that finally really start to bring a lot of this [2:57:42] to light. And then it was the Palm Beach Post going to court to get the grand jury proceedings of Palm [2:57:49] Beach County open. And that was a couple of years later. So we thank them. And I'm going to yield back in [2:57:57] a minute just to say again, thank you so much to the survivors, to our witnesses. So you are an [2:58:03] inspiration of courage and perseverance and give us really the the intuition to continue this fight. [2:58:15] And again, let's make sure that we subpoena and have all the relevant witnesses testify and we find out [2:58:22] who else should be accountable because Jeffrey Epstein did not act alone. And with that, thank you so [2:58:30] much for holding this hearing. I yield back. Thank you. Thank you, Representative. And I want to again, [2:58:35] just as I close this out, I want to thank first and foremost, Representative Frankel for hosting us [2:58:41] today. This would not have been possible without her leadership, her team, her insistence on why Palm [2:58:49] Beach, Palm Beach County is so important to this broader investigation. And of course, I want to [2:58:53] thank Mayor James and his team for their support in putting this hearing together. Most importantly, [2:58:58] I want to thank the survivors that are here and our witnesses. Your testimony on the record is so [2:59:05] important. And I know so many of you have had to continue to speak out. But having having your stories [2:59:11] and your answers in the record is really important to our investigation. I want to thank you for your [2:59:18] courage. I also just want to for the public to understand that for those of us on the committee, [2:59:25] we are focused on truth, accountability and justice. Clearly, Palm Beach, the US Attorney's Office, [2:59:34] so many of the prosecutors that were involved in this case, law enforcement officials, these are all [2:59:41] individuals that we have a lot of questions for. For us to really move this investigation forward, [2:59:48] we need to understand why the prosecutors that went forward to the US Attorney to other courts and [2:59:59] demanded and asked for prosecutions and asked for actions to be taken, why those were denied. We have [3:00:07] yet to get responses from Alex Acosta. But it's clear that we have additional questions for the former [3:00:14] Labor Secretary. And we certainly have numerous questions for the line prosecutors that were involved [3:00:20] in making those recommendations. Palm Beach County will continue to be an important place for our [3:00:25] investigation as we continue to explore and investigate the links between what was happening [3:00:31] at Mar-a-Lago and of course, Jeffrey Epstein. And to close, we will say we look forward to hearing from [3:00:39] Attorney General Bondi here in a few weeks, and that we continue to ask the majority to [3:00:46] partner with us in additional subpoenas as this investigation moves forward and as we work to [3:00:52] protect the survivors. And with that, again, thank you all to our witnesses. And this meeting is adjourned. [3:00:57] Thank you. We're going to start in just just a minute here. Well, thank you. My name is Robert Garcia. I'm [3:09:48] the ranking member of the Oversight Committee. Of course, I'm here with members of the Oversight Committee, [3:09:56] Democrats that are clearly focused today on the survivors and accountability, truth and justice. [3:10:02] We're going to hear from some of our committee members here in just a second. I want to just give [3:10:07] some thoughts and then answer any questions. Now, we're here in Palm Beach County because so much [3:10:14] of this investigation brings us back to this location. We know that the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and [3:10:20] Ghislaine Maxwell, the horrible things that happened to so many women and girls totaling 1200 could have [3:10:28] been stopped and halted had authorities here been listened to, had prosecutors who made recommendations [3:10:39] to the U.S. Attorney had been listened to, had survivors been listened to. But time and time again, [3:10:46] whether it was at the law enforcement level or whether it was at the U.S. Attorney's Office by Alex [3:10:51] Acosta and others, that justice was denied and survivors did not receive justice. We know that [3:10:58] that led to the additional abuse and trafficking of women and girls, including of Rosa, who you heard [3:11:06] from today. And you heard her a horrific story and had folks listened, that would not have happened to [3:11:15] her and to so many others. We also want to be clear that especially after today, we want to hear and are [3:11:24] demanding to hear from the line prosecutors and law enforcement officials that made some [3:11:33] recommendations to prosecute additional names to go after co-conspirators and yet were denied those [3:11:42] charges and that evidence was pushed back because of decisions made by the U.S. Attorney at the time, [3:11:48] Alex Acosta. Now, we've talked to Mr. Acosta in the past and we have additional questions. And I think it's [3:11:53] important for anyone that was involved in the case here in Palm Beach to know that while we have reached [3:11:59] out to some folks to speak to us voluntarily, you will be compelled to answer questions when Democrats [3:12:12] are in the majority. If you were involved in this case and tried to do the right thing and made [3:12:22] recommendations to the U.S. Attorney to bring prosecutions, we encourage you to testify and to bring your [3:12:34] information to the committee. But if you're unwilling to do so, we are going to compel that testimony [3:12:41] because those survivors deserve to understand who and why decisions were made to not move forward [3:12:49] with prosecutions that then led to the abuse of so many more women and girls. I'll also say that I want [3:12:59] to reiterate to the Attorney General that we expect to see her in front of our committee in just a couple of [3:13:06] weeks and that we expect Republicans and James Comer because it's his decision alone to ensure that [3:13:15] that testimony is recorded under oath and released to the American public. The survivors deserve nothing [3:13:21] less. And I want to thank them for their courage today to provide testimony under oath. With that, [3:13:25] I'm going to turn this over to Representative Frankel, who of course hosted us here today. [3:13:29] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to Mr. Garcia and my colleagues. Uh, I've been trying to get this [3:13:35] hearing here for many years and I thank you so much for finally bringing folks here. Because folks, [3:13:42] so much of the truth lies here hidden in Palm Beach County and we still have yet under oath heard from [3:13:49] some of the key players. Uh, Barry Krischer, who was state attorney at the time, the two prosecutors he sent [3:13:55] in to a grand jury room to debase, uh, our survivors. Uh, we need to hear from them and I can give you [3:14:04] another list of associates, law enforcement, state attorney employees who have some of the answers to the big [3:14:15] question is why did Epstein get such a slap on the wrist. And secondly, uh, uh, to Courtney Wilde, [3:14:22] a bill has been filed, uh, actually numerous times to deal with a hook concern that the survivors were [3:14:30] not given notice of the plea and had any opportunity to weigh into that. And I'm just going to end by [3:14:38] saying this because what makes this so tragic and sad is how many lives, how many lives, how [3:14:45] could have been spared the agony of abuse had the prosecutors in Palm Beach County acted properly, [3:14:54] or had they not been overpowered, I should say, overpowered by Jeffrey Epstein and his, his team of lawyers, [3:15:02] politicians, business people, whoever, who, who obviously overpowered our, our justice system. And with that, [3:15:11] again, thank, thank you. Where are you? Thank you so much for, for bringing us here and all of you for your attention. I yield back. [3:15:18] So, um, you know, we're here at, at ground zero for where Epstein's crimes occurred, uh, crimes that [3:15:35] were, uh, moral crimes, uh, civil crimes, criminal crimes, uh, crimes that I would consider, uh, really [3:15:44] against, uh, humanity, uh, given the systemic harm caused by really what was a global enterprise of [3:15:56] trafficking girls. Impossible for me to not think about my own 17 year old daughter. Again, you see [3:16:05] grown women before you, uh, who are courageous and their refusal to be silent, but they were mere girls, [3:16:14] 14, 15, 16, 17, talented artists, dancers, [3:16:20] aspiring teachers, lawyers, models, their bodies were violated, their dreams devastated, their lives [3:16:34] irreparably harmed. Uh, when you are violated in such a way as a child, it changes, uh, on a very [3:16:43] foundational and deep level, uh, who you are forever, your ability to love, to receive love. But it's not [3:16:55] only an emotional toll and certainly the cost of trauma is a high one, but there are also economic [3:17:08] expenses and inability to pursue a job, to keep a job, uh, 20 years of 30 years, three decades of legal [3:17:17] fees that no one was counting on. And not only, uh, was their innocence corrupted and their bodies [3:17:26] violated and their lives changed, their very rights were violated. The Crime Victims Rights Act grants [3:17:36] individuals who are victims of federal crimes specific enforceable rights, including protection from the [3:17:43] accused, reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of public proceedings, and the right to be heard. [3:17:53] It ensures victims are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect. Well, that did not happen. Their rights [3:18:03] were violated. And I'm working closely with survivors for a legislative fix of restorative justice. That's [3:18:10] what brings us here today to learn from the survivors, to identify failures, to hold predators and abusers [3:18:20] accountable. And although I commend the survivors for their courage, I look forward to a day. [3:18:28] Where survivors do not have to relive their trauma in order to compel action from their government. [3:18:37] And finally, although this is a fight specifically for justice, accountability, and healing for our [3:18:43] survivors who deserve so much more than sympathy, which is why I'm seeking to advance a legislative [3:18:50] restorative justice fix to acknowledge the economic abuse and financial hardship that many of them still [3:18:55] carry today. But this is a fight for all survivors that are victims of sexual assault and human trafficking. [3:19:04] And so for that, to ensure that there is no erasure, I want to acknowledge the incredible work of [3:19:09] Tarana Burke, of the Me Too movement, Amber Tamblyn, and many more, and in my own district of the Massachusetts [3:19:18] 7th, My Life, My Choice, and the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. This is a fight for all survivors. [3:19:30] Good afternoon. I'm Melanie Stansbury, and I am very deeply proud to represent New Mexico's first [3:19:37] congressional district, and to be part of a state delegation in New Mexico that is seeking to turn [3:19:43] the Epstein files into Epstein trials. As we stand here today, New Mexico is the first and only state [3:19:51] to pass a state law to investigate this case. And what I think is extraordinary about today, [3:20:00] and I want to acknowledge Congresswoman Frankel, is that this is the first congressional hearing on this [3:20:08] case to ever be held in West Palm Beach. Think about that. The first criminal allegation against Jeffrey [3:20:18] Epstein happened more than 25 years ago in this community. Police look the other way. Your state [3:20:28] attorney general look the other way. Our national and federal attorney generals and investigatory bodies [3:20:34] look the other way. The FBI had gobs of evidence that there were criminal enterprises going [3:20:41] on here in this community that included the exploitation of children, the trafficking of [3:20:48] children across state lines, international trafficking of children and women, and financial crimes. [3:20:57] And over the last two and a half decades, not a single congressional hearing has been held on this case [3:21:04] here in this community where it all started. And so I want to say thank you to Congresswoman Frankel, [3:21:12] and to our soon to be chair of the oversight committee because we would not be here if it were not for them [3:21:20] and for the survivors who were brave enough to show up today and to tell their stories on camera [3:21:26] for the world to hear. Now I just want to say this as I close out my comments. There are lots of discussions [3:21:35] about the failure of the system to hold Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and the potentially dozens of men [3:21:43] who exploited young girls and trafficked and participated in the sexual exploitation of survivors. [3:21:51] But this was not an isolated incident of failures of a system. This is a system that was designed [3:21:59] to exploit children. It was a system that protected the wealthy and powerful and it was a system that [3:22:08] intentionally chose not to prosecute Jeffrey Epstein under federal law which enabled him to commit [3:22:15] potentially hundreds of other cases of rape, abuse, grooming, and transnational sex trafficking. [3:22:23] That is not just system failure. That is a system that was designed to enable rich and powerful people to get [3:22:30] away with anything that they wanted. And so we're here today to make sure that the voices of survivors, [3:22:40] that the stories of survivors are heard not just in this community but across the world, [3:22:46] and to make sure that we take on that system directly. To say we are not going to stand for [3:22:53] this one more moment and to end the injustices that have allowed this to happen in this community and [3:23:01] communities all across the country. And so we demand accountability. We demand action. We demand that Pam [3:23:09] Bondi show up for her deposition. We demand that Donald Trump release the Epstein files. We demand [3:23:17] that Todd Blanch actually prosecute these crimes. And we demand accountability for every single [3:23:23] perpetrator that is still out there. We are coming for you. Emily Randall, I represent Washington State's [3:23:37] sixth district and I have been moved over and over and over by the stories of such brave women, brave women [3:23:45] who are forced by a system of power to relive their trauma over and over and over in pursuit of justice. And [3:23:55] what I hear from my neighbors, and I know that my colleagues here from the American people across the country, [3:24:01] is that this case isn't only about survivors of Epstein's trafficking and sexual crimes, but it is [3:24:08] about survivors everywhere who finally feel a little bit of hope that their stories will be listened to [3:24:17] and that they will be able to imagine a future in which there is justice. But we're not there yet. Because [3:24:26] we still are experiencing a department of justice that is engaging in a massive cover-up 2.5 million documents [3:24:38] still unreleased in this Epstein investigation and yet the release over and over and over again thousands of [3:24:49] times of the names and personally identifying information of survivors. There's nothing else to call that [3:25:00] but witness intimidation because it cannot be accidental the number of times that co-conspirators [3:25:08] and powerful men have their names redacted in the files and survivors names are unredacted. No matter how [3:25:15] many times they have asked for that privacy and protection, no matter how many women testified under the [3:25:23] understanding that they will be identified as Jane Doe, we are seeing information about survivors [3:25:30] survivors who have already been traumatized over and over and over again be released as part of this cover-up and [3:25:37] part of this intimidation strategy. We are going to continue to fight so that those who are actually culpable, [3:25:46] the dozens, hundreds of people who are actually culpable, have their day in the sunlight, that we record [3:25:57] their testimony, that we investigate this to the full extent and we are committed every day to working [3:26:03] alongside the survivors to ensure that they are protected to the best of our abilities. Hi everyone, [3:26:12] Yasmin Ansari, congresswoman from Arizona's third district. I was a child just a few years younger than [3:26:19] many of the women who testified today when Jeffrey Epstein was carrying out his heinous crimes right here in [3:26:25] West Palm Beach. These women were girls at the time over 1000 girls, girls who should have been [3:26:34] protected but girls who were failed by adults by institutions and by their government and what [3:26:40] happened here in West Palm Beach and across the country and across the world was not simply just about [3:26:47] the evil of one man. It was a systemic failure that was shaped by inequality by influence and by impunity. [3:26:55] All of this has been exacerbated by the most corrupt administration in American history carrying out [3:27:04] the most egregious cover-up in American history and this systemic failure requires systemic solutions. [3:27:14] In the minority oversight democrats led by ranking member Garcia have forced everything that has gotten [3:27:22] us to this point today. We would not be here if it were not for democrats on the oversight committee [3:27:28] pushing every subpoena, pushing for these depositions, pushing for these transcribed interviews, [3:27:34] pushing for Pam Bondi to come before the oversight committee. This has been an egregious cover-up by the [3:27:40] Trump administration but also a complete abdication of responsibility by republicans on the oversight [3:27:46] committee barring a few and by republican chairman James Comer and we will continue whether now or when we [3:27:55] are in the majority to make sure that every single person who enabled who perpetrated or who covered up [3:28:04] these heinous crimes will be held accountable and we know from what we heard from the women today and [3:28:10] we've known this it's in the files that there are rich and powerful men out there right now continuing [3:28:18] to live their lives without any consequences and we assure you that day will end. Good afternoon I'm [3:28:28] James Walkinshaw from Virginia's 11th district. We're here today in Palm Beach County Ground Zero, [3:28:36] the center, the place where Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's massive child sex trafficking ring [3:28:45] started. We're just miles from Mar-a-Lago, the place where the close friendship between Epstein and [3:28:52] Donald Trump grew, where Virginia Giuffre was trafficked and later raped by Jeffrey Epstein. And we heard [3:29:00] today powerful stories from survivors including Rosa from Uzbekistan who was recruited and held [3:29:07] hostage by the visa that Epstein controlled. Powerful stories and I hope the world was watching. I [3:29:18] specifically hope that Alex Acosta was watching because we learned today from Rosa that she was raped [3:29:26] time after time after time by Jeffrey Epstein while he was serving the sweetheart deal sentence that Alex [3:29:38] Acosta gave him. While he was on unsupervised, very unsupervised release, he was continuing to commit [3:29:46] the very crimes that women like Maria Farmer and others brought to the attention of the FBI decades ago. [3:29:55] I hope another person was watching today. I hope Pam Bondi was watching and I hope she saw the courage of [3:30:03] the survivors here today who told their stories in most cases again in front of all the cameras with [3:30:13] all of the bright lights for the world to see. And I hope Pam Bondi will feel some shame for the fact that [3:30:20] she has tried time after time after time to avoid public accountability. She wants to answer questions [3:30:29] behind closed doors in private where the world can't see it with no video. Well, Pam Bondi, that is not good [3:30:37] enough. That is not good enough. You need to show one ounce of the courage that the women here today [3:30:44] showed. They deserve your public testimony on video. The American people deserve it too. I'll go back to [3:30:52] the ranking member. Thank you. We're going to open up for a couple of questions. Before I do, I want to say [3:30:57] a couple important things at the close. Number one, I hope today reminds the public that this investigation [3:31:04] is not a hoax and it's not over and that unlike Todd Blanche, the acting AG who just a week ago [3:31:12] said that the DOJ was moving on from the Epson investigation. We understand that it is alive [3:31:19] and well and moving forward and we have a lot of work to do ahead of us. And the second thing is for [3:31:25] this community. It's important for the folks of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach to [3:31:31] understand and to know that there's a lot of folks that worked for law enforcement that were lawyers [3:31:37] involved in this case. There were investigators or that have heard stories or know information or [3:31:44] evidence that we want to access. So I encourage anyone from the Palm Beach community that we have [3:31:50] information about Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, the crimes or the cover-ups that happened to please [3:31:57] contact the oversight committee. We have a protected system, a whistleblower system that we encourage [3:32:05] you to please access if you have information that could help us in our investigation. And with that, [3:32:09] I'll open it up for any questions. Look, we're working right now through a list of additional subpoenas [3:32:30] that we want to get through. Some we're communicating directly with the majority on, so we're waiting to see [3:32:35] if they move on those or not. But I think it's safe to say that we're interested in speaking [3:32:40] to anyone that was involved, particularly prosecutors that were involved in making recommendations [3:32:46] about the Sweetheart deal, what happened here in Palm Beach, and more broadly in some of the other [3:32:50] cases that were brought forward to the government. That's one piece of folks we want to speak to. [3:32:54] We also have additional questions for other folks that we believe were involved in assisting Jeffrey [3:32:59] Epson and Ghislaine Maxwell. Some of those you and I discussed earlier, but we're not at this moment [3:33:03] ready to release additional names. So let me just, I mean, let me add, um, one is obviously [3:33:35] as survivors, we're never going to force a survivor to be compelled to speak in front of the committee, [3:33:40] but any survivor that wants to speak and have the opportunity, absolutely. And we definitely have [3:33:44] additional questions for folks that we've talked to. I'll take Alex Acosta as a very good example. [3:33:49] We'll definitely have additional questions. As far as members from our party, we have been [3:33:53] a nonpartisan in our approach. We don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat, we'll talk to you. [3:33:57] And I think we said earlier that we have additional questions. I want to understand why Merrick Garland [3:34:01] in the former Justice Department under the Biden administration did little to nothing to bring [3:34:06] justice for the survivors or have additional prosecutions. And so Merrick Garland for me is at [3:34:10] the top of that list of folks that we need to speak to and ask questions of. And, and there, [3:34:15] I think there are a variety of other folks. And if anyone else wants to add to that, there's a variety of [3:34:19] of other folks that we want to speak with. Yes. [3:34:21] Yes, Representative Miles, you heard today that there's survivors. What do you do moving forward [3:34:44] to try to prevent that? And to get names of the perpetrators, when your own survivors today [3:34:51] said they don't have a lot for that or did they not? [3:34:57] Yeah. I mean, I, I put the blame squarely on former Attorney General Pam Bondi for that. She has had a direct [3:35:06] hand in this coverup from the beginning. Not only did they move slowly, but they were sloppy. We heard [3:35:12] from survivors, as you mentioned that, you know, their lives have been destroyed while names of men [3:35:19] and co-conspirators who committed the crimes were not, were redacted. So I think that there needs to [3:35:25] be a, that's why we need to hear from Pam Bondi at the end of this month under oath on camera in front [3:35:31] of the American people because she is to blame for this. And there should be, I believe, accountability [3:35:38] for her and for what she did here. She has ruined lives. I mean, we heard such devastating stories [3:35:43] today about people's children hearing these, you know, these stories for the first time, you know, [3:35:48] women whose details of their sexual assault and abuse was revealed because of the botching of this [3:35:53] files. The law was very clear that any personally identifiable information as it pertains to survivors [3:36:00] should have been redacted. This is not an accident. The Department of Justice chose to do this [3:36:05] because they want to silence people. They want this to go away. Donald Trump has made that abundantly [3:36:10] clear. He's directed his staff to make sure that happens. And I believe that the reason these mistakes [3:36:17] were made was again, not an accident and at the direction of, of Pam Bondi. Okay. And moreover, [3:36:25] I would just say that what this proves, um, the fact that, um, you know, none of our Republican [3:36:29] colleagues are here today, uh, for Democrats, this is not a, uh, a midterm campaign strategy. [3:36:35] This is not about political gamesmanship or, or upsmanship. Um, but clearly for them, [3:36:41] fighting for the, uh, just naming the Epstein files in their campaigning, the Epstein files, [3:36:48] by the way, are real people. These are real people's lives, right? Um, that was just purely political [3:36:53] for them, you know, as get, as proven by their obstruction and by their, uh, defiance and their [3:37:01] unwillingness to comply with, uh, legally binding subpoenas. And then finally, I would just say [3:37:09] something that really just stayed with me today. There have been so many instances of insult to [3:37:14] injury. Not only were vile acts committed by this vermin in their predator, pedophile Ponzi scheme, [3:37:25] that is a lifetime sentence for these survivors. This trauma is showing up and manifesting in, [3:37:31] in the, in their way, in their, in their lives in so many ways. But it is insult to injury that there [3:37:37] was an institutional betrayal by law enforcement, by the Department of Justice, and now today by House [3:37:44] Republicans, and their rights were not honored in the Crime Victims Rights Act. And the fact, [3:37:51] as my, as Congresswoman Randall speaks to, that their names have been unredacted. That was some of [3:37:57] the most devastating testimony here today, this insult to injury. And in the words of Virginia Giuffre, [3:38:06] we need to know who the monsters are. We need to follow every single road. We don't care if they're [3:38:12] Democrat, Republican, independent, what state they live in, what their job is, if they're a politician, [3:38:18] if they're a president, or if even they are a prince. We will follow all roads, because this is not [3:38:25] political for us. This is deeply personal. This is about these survivors and their families. And [3:38:31] every monster, in the words of Virginia Giuffre, needs to be named and shamed, because they could still [3:38:37] be out there committing these evil, vile acts. Last question. What I can say is that we have invited [3:38:54] some former Florida officials to testify voluntarily. That has yet to happen. And so we are prepared [3:39:04] to compel testimony in the future. That's something that we're looking at right now. Thank you very much.