Epstein Survivors Testify Publicly Before House Committee

Mr. Chair (20:04):

Well, good morning everyone and I want to begin by opening up this hearing. Of course, we're here in Palm Beach County and oversight Democrats are here because we're launching a new phase of our Epstein investigation. Our committee, of course, has been leading on this over the last year. Now we're here, of course, in Palm Beach, of course, just miles away from Mar-a-Lago, from key locations where this Epstein investigation has taken us, because from the very beginning, we know that Florida has been a key place where so much of the horrors and crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have happened. The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein deserved to be heard and as a committee we should always uplift their stories and I want to thank them, of course, for being here today. We know that many of our witnesses today that you'll hear from were actually failed by their own government. We will hear how the FBI ignored Maria Farmer's courageous report in 1996. We will hear how Alex Acosta, the future Secretary of Labor at the time, overruled some of his own prosecutors and work with Epstein's attorneys to grant a sweetheart deal which allowed Epstein to continue assaulting women. We will learn how Epstein continued to gain the system and the law to prey on women expanding his trafficking network overseas. And we will hear from people who have fought hard to bring him to justice. We're also going to hear about a continued coverup, which is harm survivors, how some have been doxed or put into danger, ignored, revictimized, and betrayed by this government. These stories are both horrific and outrageous, but they should also inspire us to keep fighting for the full truth. We are here because every American deserves equal justice. It doesn't matter who you are, how powerful you are, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, how much wealth you may have.

(22:11)
If you hurt women and girls, you will be held accountable. We should also be very clear that Epstein was not alone. Others enabled him. We know he was surrounded by lawyers, accountants, private investigators, and assistants. Many of those people who have been forced to testify for the first time because of our investigation have given us key information, whether it's been through depositions or interviews. But some, even some that we've recently spoken with, were never contacted by law enforcement in the 30 years since Maria Farmer's first report. Why is it only now that we have begun these interviews, these depositions, that folks are being contacted for the first time in decades and that should outrage every single American. Some of these men enabled financial crimes. Others fought to hide facts about this case and to deny justice and closure for survivors. All of these people need to be called out and held accountable.

(23:26)
And these are failures of multiple governments and administrations. Regardless of party, everyone has failed the public and certainly everyone has failed their survivors, especially those that sought justice and that had the ability and courage to file reports because we also know that so many others didn't have that opportunity or the support to do so. This is why we're here today. Now, before I introduce our witnesses, I want to briefly just mention a few things about the investigation. Now, oversight Democrats launched our investigation when we forced a subpoena for the full unredacted files from the Department of Justice last year. And I especially want to thank Representative Summer Lee for her leadership to get that actual done. So thank you, Congresswoman.

(24:25)
To this day, the Department of Justice continues to break the law and defy that subpoena. It's not just about the Transparency Act, which is so critical to moving this debate and the truth forward, but that subpoena and the defiance pushed us then, of course, including with leadership from Congressman Ro Khanna to get the Epstein Files Transparency Act through the Congress. But let's be very clear. The DOJ continues to withhold half. Half of the Epstein files have not been released to the public. Now, we've heard testimony from Alex Acosta, former Attorneys General Bill Barr, Les Wexner, Darren Indyke, Richard Kahn, folks that are key to the Epstein investigation. We've heard from former President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, Congress Secretary Howard Lutnick just last week. And we have talked, of course, to survivors, witnesses, and whistleblowers.

(25:22)
And we have brought critical documents to light from Jeffrey Epstein's estates, emails, photographs, videos. We secured bank records, documents, and we've done all this without formal committee subpoena power to properly conduct this investigation, but we're undeterred and we're going to continue to fight till they get the truth. Today, oversight Democrats are also publishing a new report. Now, this report uses evidence obtained by our investigation, including and most importantly, bank records that show how Alex Acosta's sweetheart deal let Epstein build a global network using enablers to bring in women who he could then exploit and abuse.

(26:08)
And this report is just the beginning of numerous reports and information that we intend to put out over the course of the months ahead. This hearing is about making one thing clear and that is that no one is above the law. Survivors matter and this committee will continue to demand transparency. Before I turn this over to our colleagues, I want to thank Congresswoman Lois Frankel who has been critical in this fight for many years. Congresswoman Frankel. Congressman Frankel, of course, represents the community that we're in now. I want to thank her for hosting us. I also want to thank, particularly, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, their staff, the county, West Palm Beach PD, all for their assistance today. And I want to recognize Congresswoman Frankel for a few brief remarks.

Congresswoman Frankel (27:02):

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And welcome everybody to West Palm Beach. And we're gathered here in the chambers that very dear to me because I was mayor here for eight years and I've had the honor of serving as... And I'm very proud to be with my Democratic colleagues of the House Oversight Committee, of course, the various witnesses and most importantly, the survivors whose courage and perseverance made this hearing possible. And to the survivors, I want to say, and I know I say this to everyone here, thank you. Thank you for your strength, thank you for your resilience, and thank you for your determination to tell the truth even when the system failed you. This hearing is long overdue. Myself and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, we have been asking for a hearing for many years here for many reasons I won't go into, but we're here today because it is right here, folks, right here in Palm Beach County more than 20 years ago that the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's horrific crimes were first denied justice with devastating results.

(28:12)
In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department led by then Chief Michael Reiter, I'm giving him a shout-out, a good guy, he uncovered a deeply disturbing pattern of predatory sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, targeting women, of course, and young girls, many recruited from our local high schools right here in Palm Beach County. The police did their job. They listened to the survivors. They built a serious case. Then they brought it to then State Attorney Barry Krischer. I call his name because his succeeding prosecutors are not involved, but instead of filing charges, was overwhelmed by the power, by the wealth, he sent the case to a grand jury where prosecutors shockingly minimized the abuse, limited the witnesses, and treated vulnerable young girls as if they were criminals. And you can read that grand jury testimony yourself. At the urging of Krischer's prosecutors, the grand jury returned just one count against Epstein and it is jaw dropping solicitation of prostitution, punishable by up to 60 days in jail.

(29:32)
How crazy and wrong and abomination, if you ask me, disappointed and alarm, Chief Reiter took the case to federal authorities and what followed was more shock and awe to the justice system. In 2008, as we've heard, Acosta approved the secret, shameful non-prosecution deal without notifying the survivors and then sent the case back to Palm Beach County. Epstein was allowed to plead guilty to solicitation of prostitution, solicitation for a minor for prostitution. Really? That was that. And then he got an 18-month sentence, which he served about 13 months. Federal immunity from prosecution here in South Florida, immunity for unnamed co-conspirators and work relief privileges. Listen to this. He had work relief privileges that allowed him to leave the jail each day to continue his systematic sexual exploitation of women and girls. And the most troubling also, a deal was hidden from the public and the full extent didn't come to light until reporting from the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post who brought the fight to bring the grand jury records into the open.

(30:50)
Justice was denied without explanation. And listen, I'm hoping as we move forward, these local prosecutors must be subpoenaed and they must be questioned under oath because they... I think they know the secret. So these survivors were abused first by a predator and then failed by a justice system that too often protected wealth and power over vulnerable women and children. And let's be clear, folks, had prosecutors in Florida done their jobs, most likely hundreds of young women might have been spared unimaginable harm. So we're here again. We're going to continue to ask the questions, questions that should have been answered years ago. Why was Jeffrey Epstein, a serial predator who used its wealth and influence to exploit underage girls, given little more than a slap of the wrist? Who else should be held accountable and what must we continue to do to make sure this never happens again? We owe the survivors and the public the answers and more. And with that, I thank you and

Speaker 1 (32:00):

I yield back.

Mr. Chair (32:01):

Thank you. Thank you, Congresswoman. We're going to, of course, hear some opening testimony from survivors and advocates who will speak about the failure of our justice system to protect them, others, and certainly to hold Epstein and so many others accountable. They're going to each provide some opening remarks. I do want to introduce them briefly. We're going to hear from Dani Bensky, who is an advocate, dance, teaching artist, choreographer, and Epstein survivor. As an educator of the arch, Dani's advocacy derives from creating a safer world for her students and future generations. She is a public speaker in hopes that by sharing her story, we can get an inside perspective into grooming and how abuse can happen and how systems fail people. Dani was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in 2004 and 2005 when she was just 17 years old and working as a dancer in New York City.

(32:57)
She has since spoken out about the government's handling of the case and it's pursued legal action. And of course, the amount of courage is incredible and I want to thank, of course, Dani for being here. We'll also hear from Rosa. Rosa's testifying under her first name and under that name only, just for her own safety. She was recruited in Uzbekistan by a modeling agent, co-conspirator, and brought to the US with promises of a career. She met Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 and was abused over several years. With her immigration status used to keep her from leaving, Rosa is a fighter, a coach, a wife, and a stepmother. And he courage, of course, is immense and we want to thank Rosa for being here. We're going to hear from Courtney Wild who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach beginning at the age of 14. Courtney is a mom, advocate and survivor.

(34:02)
She later brought a lawsuit against the federal government over the non-prosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges and she will speak about its lasting impact on survivors. We're also going to hear from Jena-Lisa Jones who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Florida when she was 14 years old. She has spoken publicly about her experience and about her disappointment with the failure to fully release information related to this case. She is a mom, a wife, and a founding survivor of Survivors Inc. We're going to also hear from Spencer Kuvin, who is an attorney who represented some of the earliest survivors to come forward against Epstein and he has spent years advocating on behalf of victims. He will speak about the failures in the original prosecution and the impact those failures have had on survivors. We'll also hear from Lauren Hirsch, who's a former prosecutor and an advocate working to combat trafficking and exploitation. She will discuss the ongoing efforts by survivors and advocates to seek accountability and justice.

(35:09)
We will also hear from Maria Farmer by video, who's the first person to report Jeffrey Epstein's abuse to authorities in 1996. She'll be providing video testimony. Finally, Sky and Amanda Roberts are here. We all, of course, know their incredible courage and they'll be reading a brief statement as well. We will continue, of course, to honor Virginia's memory, her legacy, and her tireless fight for justice. I want to especially thank the witnesses for being here and for your enormous courage. You are doing obviously a service not just to all of the women and girls that have suffered, but to every single American woman and American girl in this country who need to be believed and who need to know that when they report a horror against them, that their government is going to believe them and is going to stand up for them. And so thank you for your courage today. And now we're going to hear a video that Maria Farmer wanted to... She wanted folks to hear about, and so we're going to go ahead and play that. Ms. Farmer-

Maria Farmer (36:28):

My name is Maria Farmer. I am the whistleblower who reported Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Les Wexner, and others to the FBI 30 years ago in 1996. Today I apologize for my appearance, I was not well enough to attend this hearing in person and have recently been released from the hospital. That's the result of 30 years of fighting. For three decades I've carried a weight that no survivor should ever have to bear. I reported what I believed were heinous crimes against children and these individuals responsible were involved in an international pedophile ring. I reported their crimes in real time and the government continues to ignore me to this day. In 1996 I reported Epstein and his co-conspirators to my local New York City Sixth Precinct. The commanding officer told me local police could only address the local arts and crimes and he instructed me to immediately report the whole story spanning several states to the FBI.

(37:26)
He told me that it was vitally important that I tell the whole story to the FBI, which I did. The FBI asked me questions, said they were familiar with some of the perpetrators I identified and gave me every reason to believe they would respond. That failure, that single moment when law enforcement refused to take action, set off a cascade of injustice and grave repercussions to my sisters, my family and so many others and to me personally, including my health and wellbeing. The FBI's decades of failure in inaction led to countless more girls and young women suffering abuse and trauma that could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia Giuffre, Anouska De Georgiou, Chauntae Davies, Marijke Chartouni, Dani Bensky, Jena-Lisa Jones, Ashley Rubright, and Jennifer Araoz, among others. Each survivor represents a life change forever. Suffering that could have been spared if the FBI had done their job in 1996.

(38:27)
The failures did not stop there. In 2006 the FBI tracked me down stating that they searched for me because they knew I had reported Epstein 10 years earlier and no one else had. They urged me to testify in a federal criminal trial against Epstein and his co-conspirators and they promised that they would get him this time. I trusted them again, relied upon them again, and they betrayed me again. Rather than following through with their promises, the government offered Epstein a sweetheart deal and shielded powerful individuals from accountability and they persist in granting special treatment to certain people to this day. I have received death threats from Maxwell and her associates, including one instance where they threatened to burn my apartment down and those threats have not stopped. I have been subjected to more than three decades of ongoing harassment, vicious challenges to my truthfulness and real danger from internet instigators' trolls and more.

(39:28)
Meanwhile, my numerous efforts to obtain my 1996 report from the FBI had been rejected time and again. In 2023 I wrote a letter to the government asking for an investigation of the government's actions or inactions in response to my 1996 report. The Inspector General replied saying they were busy with other things, would get back to me and they never did. I sent multiple FOIA requests for my FBI report records. In January 2025 in response to my most recent request, the government said that they would give back to me in November of 2027, a delay of three years. I finally received a letter saying they looked at my complaint, took some kind of action, and the matter was addressed, but what they did was a secret. With no other choice, I filed an administrative claim against the government and then a lawsuit. Since then virtually nothing has happened and I'm left waiting and wondering what is next.

(40:27)
With the passage of the Epstein File's Transparency Act after years of efforts to get my records, an FD71 form was released for the first time confirming just a small part of my 1996 whistleblower report and vindicating some of what I had said for years. However, the full extent of what I told the FBI was not in that document so the release of the Epstein files provides only partial relief for me. Where is the evidence I provided of my sexual assault and that of my sister Annie? Why won't the FBI release my full report? The failures of those sworn to protect us have overwhelmed me. Doing my civic duty has caused me dearly. The stress of this trauma, the government hiding and refusing to turn over written confirmation of my '96 report along with the ongoing harassment and death threats have contributed to me developing serious health issues, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, a brain tumor, and recently Addison's disease.

(41:32)
In the last month I have spent 23 nights in hospitals, including multiple nights in the ICU. Along with my health, it has robbed me in my career. In 1996 I was fresh out of graduate school and living a life that I had always dreamed creating and selling art in New York City. When I was assaulted, threatened, held captive, my career was halted and the trajectory of my life was thrown off course. So many others had their dream shattered by these crimes and they could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia Giuffre, who is the backbone of this case and remains the inspiration behind this fight. She's the reason my sister and I came forward publicly so we could stand together. She faced also relentless attacks to her credibility online, yet she fought. While Virginia may no longer be physically beside us, she's been our shining star and guiding light and remains so today.

(42:27)
The rest of humanity owes it to her legacy to continue this quest. We are still walking down the trail that Virginia blazed for us, so let me be direct about what we need. The federal government owes us explanations, accountability for injuries caused and a promise of systemic change when crimes against children are reported. Accountability should start with the government's acknowledgement and responsibility for their repeated failures to act in response to my 1996 report. The government needs to take responsibility for endangering and injuring girls and young women. The government needs to start telling the truth, face my lawsuit and be held to account to me and to all others who've been harmed. Had the FBI done their job, 30 years of child sex abuse and trauma could have been avoided. I want my full FBI file, including the '96 and 2006 reports, including my art. We also need the FBI and the Department of Justice to fully investigate every lead in this case.

(43:34)
We need investigation and prosecution of everyone responsible, both men and women. This includes the officials who enabled the 2008 sweetheart deal, the other perpetrators and the many co-conspirators and anyone who is currently shielding powerful individuals from justice. No more protection for the guilty. There must be no pardoning or commuting the sentence of Maxwell who sexually abused me, my minor sister, hurt so many girls and other young women and personally threatened to kill me, has shown no remorse and has demonstrated no basis on which to believe she would ever be truthful. As the Epstein case whistleblower, I have waited three decades for justice. It's a miracle I'm still fighting, especially considering what the stress of three decades of this case has done to my health and wellbeing. I will keep fighting for justice and transparency for a better, safer future for the next generation. Thank you.

Mr. Chair (44:35):

Well, thank you. And obviously I know we don't often get to hear from Ms. Farmer and we're just very grateful that she chose to address obviously us and the country. I also want to thank her sister, Annie Farmer, who has been an incredible advocate, a survivor, of course, herself, and has really worked to share her sister's story and her own story whenever possible. We're going to hear some opening remarks also from Sky and Amanda Roberts. And so I would ask them to join us here at the podium and I want to thank them also for their courage and for being here.

Sky Roberts (45:21):

Thank you, Representative Garcia and all members here today. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to be here. Obviously wish Virginia was here to do this herself, but I will do my best to keep it together and to get through this. My name is Sky Roberts and I am the younger brother of Virginia Roberts Giuffre. I'm here today because without Virginia's courage and her story, we would not be having this conversation about accountability. In the summer of 2000, just steps away from this courtroom at Mar-a-Lago, Virginia was recruited by convicted trafficker, Ghislaine Maxwell. She was only 16 years old, a child who had just finished 10th grade when she began being trafficked. Before her passing Virginia gave sworn testimony exposing this for what it truly was, a global sex trafficking operation enabled, protected, and funded by powerful people. For years, survivors have been asked the same question. Who were the names? The truth is many survivors stay silent because many of these individuals still hold power, wealth, and influence in our society. Point-blank, period, that is dangerous.

(46:40)
No survivor should have to risk their own safety just to be believed. But Virginia, she did it anyway. She stood up when others were afraid, told the truth under oath and faced people she knew were powerful. Today we lean on her courage once again because she believed accountability should reach everyone involved no matter their status or influence. If Virginia were here today she would say these words herself. Since she cannot, I will say them for her as her little brother. And with that, I'd like to share Virginia's own words from her sworn deposition dated May 3rd, 2016.

(47:30)
"They trafficked me to many people." "Okay, please name a person that Glen Maxwell directed you to have sex with." "Prince Andrew." "Okay, who else?" "As a whole, they both trafficked me to many people." "Okay, so can you please tell me when Ghislaine Maxwell asked you to have sex with another person?" "Glenn Dubin." "Who else?" "Well, redacted is another one." "Ghislaine Maxwell asked you to have sex with redacted?" "And Glenn Dubin and Steve Kaufman were like I said, the first people I was sent to after my training." "And where does Alan Dershowitz fit into this group of people?" "Same. I can't tell you piece by piece by piece who. I know Glenn Dubin was first." "Okay." "And I know Steven Kaufman was the one of the first that I was sent to. Alan Dershowitz could have been between there, sorry, between Glen and Steven."

(48:50)
This is only a small sample of the thousands of stories that still remain untold, but the question today is no longer whether names exist. The question is, what will Congress and the Department of Justice do about it? Even if only a handful of names are publicly known, will there finally be investigations and accountability? With that, I'd like to turn it over to my wife, Amanda Roberts.

Amanda Roberts (49:20):

First, I want to thank this committee and Representative Garcia and everyone here who continues to fight with us for accountability, but most importantly, standing with survivors. Virginia's story was harrowing and as you heard my husband speak, she wasn't afraid to say the names. We are talking about millions of files, sworn testimony, depositions, emails, flight records, bank records, photographs, videos, and evidence collected over decades. Evidence that points to a network, not just two people who trafficked and abused over 1200 victims, girls, children, women and boys. Epstein and Maxwell did not act alone and Palm Beach was the blueprint. It was the center for expansion, so when this Department of Justice says, "There is nothing to see here," survivors know exactly what that sounds like, a coverup. Virginia wrote in Nobody's Girl, "Don't be fooled by those in Epstein's circle who said they didn't know what Epstein was doing."

(50:29)
That sentence should guide this committee's work because, I don't recall, is not enough. When people like Les Wexner are asked about Epstein's finances and alleged connections to his network, the public deserves real answers and investigations. When Howard Lutnick has given changing accounts about his association with Epstein, that deserves scrutiny, resignations and investigations. When former Prince Andrew denied knowing Virginia, despite evidence and testimony surrounding that encounter, that deserves scrutiny and investigation. And when Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex traffer accused of perjury and shortly after was moved to a minimum security prison, that demands answers and investigations. Today we ask for four things. First, Congress must hold this Department of Justice accountable, including contempt proceedings as the record has shown that this DOJ has violated the law. Second, state investigations must continue and expand in New Mexico, New York, Florida, the Virgin Islands, and everywhere this network operated.

(51:46)
Third, this committee must issue further subpoenas and required alleged co-conspirators, enablers, financers, and witnesses to testify under oath. Fourth, follow the money. Financial records are not secondary. They may be the key to exposing the full network, suspicious payments, shell entities, possible tax violations, money laundering, and transactions connected to trafficking and abuse must be investigated aggressively because financial crimes can open the door and lead to real prosecutions. And finally, the Epstein and Maxwell investigations must be reopened, not partially, not quietly, but fully. Survivors and the public deserve the truth and enablers must no longer hide behind wealth, power, or silence. Thank you.

Mr. Chair (52:44):

Thank you both very much for those words. We are going to begin and hear some opening statements from our witnesses, so I want to just start by thanking Ms. Wild, who's going to be recognized now for our opening five-minute statement, Ms. Wild.

Courtney Wild (53:05):

Hello, my name's Courtney Wild. When I was 14 years old I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein. He abused me until I was 17 years old. What happened to me was terrible, but what happened after that by our own government changed my life just as much. I came here today to ask for one simple thing, to make sure this never happens again. I filed a case under the Crime Victims Rights Act because government secretly made a deal with Jeffrey Epstein. They signed a non-prosecution agreement. They made the deal behind closed doors. They never told me and they never told any of us. Instead, they sent letters telling me to be patient even though they knew the case was already over. For years I believed there was an investigation happening. There wasn't. When I found out the truth, I went to my lawyer, Brad Edwards. He took my case in 2008 and he fought for me against the government for over a decade. We wanted to do the right thing for all victims. Together we wanted answers to a simple question. How could this happen?

(54:17)
We had to fight all the way to the 11th circuit, which took years to get the emails between the government and Jeffrey's lawyers to help us understand what happened. When we finally got them they showed something I will never forget, the government wasn't trying to negotiate with Epstein's lawyers, it looked like the government was trying to make him happy. They were trying to make sure that the punishment they were going to give him was okay with him. It seemed like they had forgotten that there were 40 of us kids who had been abused by him. I was so confused because where I come from, if you commit a crime, you go to jail. I have never heard the feds of letting you help them decide which crimes they're going to charge you with or if you're cool with how long you're going to spend in jail. But I thought, what do I know? Maybe that's how it works for rich guys. That's how it did work for Jeffrey Epstein.

(55:20)
Finally, after 10 years of fighting in 2019 a federal judge finally ruled that my rights and that the rights of other victims were violated by the non-prosecution agreement, but there was nothing that could be done about it. There was no remedy. I just want to say it again. I'm sorry, I have to. The court found that the government violated the law and nothing happened. That means the law, the Crime Victims Rights Act 18 USC 3771 does not matter. And if the law has no consequences it doesn't protect anybody. I was lucky to have a lawyer willing to fight for me for almost a decade. A lot of victims won't find that, especially in this case where everybody made us feel like we were crazy, so I'm asking you to fix that. Please fix the Crime Victims Rights Act so it could actually help victims in the future. I have my own ideas and my lawyers have more ideas, but I really hope that if nothing comes with this, we can finally get the legislation right. There needs to be a clear definition of what it means to meaningly confer with victims.

(56:43)
I'm still not sure what that actually means, but I know it never happened for me. There must be real consequences and penalties in the statute that apply automatically when a court determines that a victim's rights have been violated. The answer after years and years of litigation cannot be nothing happens when you finally win and prove that your rights have been violated. If prosecutors choose to ignore victims, those victims' voices must be put on the record, memorialized and preserved, especially when a deal is made behind closed doors. There needs to be attorney's fees provisions so victims can find lawyers who will stand up for them. If those changes had existed back then, maybe what had happened to me and so many others would have not happened. My case against the government for violating the rights of at least 40 of us Palm Beach kids was happening from 2008 to 2019.

(57:45)
Do you know how many other girls Jeffrey abused in that time period? I bet the FBI knows. But the point is that Epstein continued to abuse other girls in New York, New Mexico, around the world, and even still here in Florida after he was released in 2009 and everybody knew it. There were lawsuits. There were so many new articles. He was a registered sex offender and still nothing was done by the government, not until 2019 when he was finally arrested. None of those girls should have ever been abused. Jeffrey Epstein should have been in jail. If he had been in jail like any other man who did the same thing as him, he would have been and there wouldn't have been a single victim after 2009, but he wasn't and he did. He abused so many girls after 2009 at the same exact time that I was asking the government why he got the deal and why they violated my rights. That is the real injustice here. That is the real thing we need to prevent from ever happening again in this country. I was there for his bail hearing in 2019 and I spoke to the judge right in front of him about how dangerous he was. The bail was denied and for the first time I thought we might finally get justice. A month later he was dead. Once again, the system failed us. Someone let him die in a secure prison ensuring that he would never be held accountable for what he did to me as a kid. Since then there have been prosecutions, there have been civil cases, there have been settlements, but none of that changes what was lost and none of that fixes what was allowed to happen in the first place. We fought for years to get Jeffrey Epstein arrested. We fought to hold people accountable. We did not fight so that this could turn into something political or so that our rights would be violated once again. I lost years of my life fighting this and so did many others. We did that so the next victim wouldn't have to, so don't let this work be in vain. Make the Crime Victim's Rights Act matter. Thank you so much.

Mr. Chair (01:00:11):

Thank you very much, Ms. Wild. Ms. Jones, you are now recognized for your opening statement.

Jena-Lisa Jones (01:00:21):

Ranking member and members of Congress, my name is Jena-Lisa Jones. I was 14 years old when I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach. It has taken me many years to find my voice. For a long time I stayed silent because I was afraid and because I did not understand why this happened to me. When I finally came forward I made a commitment to use my voice responsibly. I'm here today to do exactly that. Last September I went to Washington DC along the other survivors with a simple request, transparency and accountability. We asked you to help us understand how Jeffrey Epstein was given a non- prosecution agreement, even though the government had evidence that he had sexually abused dozens of children, including me. We asked how he was allowed to leave jail in 2009 and continue harming young girls. We asked for answers, answers that would hold our government accountable for its actions. We still do not have those answers. Instead, what we received caused harm all over again, including too many of our survivor sisters who had never come forward before and who never wanted their names or abuse to become public.

(01:01:37)
The Department of Justice released documents that exposed our names, our social security numbers, and deeply personal information. Survivors and identities were made public. Husbands learned about their wives' abuse for the first time. Children learned about the abuse of their mothers from reporters, from strangers on the internet, and in some cases from other kids at school. Some survivors learned that friends had also been abused only because they saw their names in those documents. Others saw the most intimate details of their own trauma publicly exposed. Our privacy was violated. The government promised us over and over again that our information would be protected and properly redacted. Those promises were broken again. We came to you seeking answers for why our rights were violated in 2007 and in the process of asking for those answers, our rights were violated again. I want to believe that each of you in this room is listening because you truly care, not just about us, but about every child in this country who survives sexual abuse. If Congress and the Department of Justice truly want to do right by the survivors, the path forward is not complicated.

(01:03:20)
Acknowledge the failures. When Jeffrey Epstein was set free in 2009 and again when our privacy was shattered earlier this year, take responsibility and provide meaningful remedies to the women who have been harmed over and over again. Please do not force us to relive this through more litigation. Pass a law requiring the Department of Justice to compensate victims for the harm that they had caused by releasing the names and information. That would show that this is truly about helping victims. Second, with respect to our ongoing investigations, please remember this. Jeffrey Epstein is dead.

Jena-Lisa Jones (01:04:00):

Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison. Do not pardon Maxwell. If there are other men who hurt women, hold them accountable, but please leave the survivors alone. If you subpoenaed someone to testify before your committees and she tells you she is a victim, listen to her. Believe her. Respect her trauma.

(01:04:25)
Jeffrey tried to paint his victims as bad guys to avoid responsibility for himself. Please learn and understand that. Sharing our stories should be a choice, the choice I was able to make today. It should never be something survivors are forced to do. The girls who were groomed by Ghislaine Maxwell and abused by Jeffrey Epstein should not be treated like criminals. Please learn the stories of the women who have been harmed before you force them to testify in a room full of strangers about the worst moments of their lives.

(01:04:56)
Jeffrey Epstein destroyed so many of our lives, and Ghislaine Maxwell helped him do it. Do not blame their survivors for the crimes of the abusers. That is not how the story should end. Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein, to allow survivors and this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day, and I pray soon, Jeffrey Epstein's name is no longer something we are forced to hear every single day.

(01:05:21)
And my last point, I'm not here today only to talk about the past. I am here for the children who are sitting in the classroom today, children who may be vulnerable, confused, and unsure of what is happening to them. When I was a teenager, I did not have the language to understand what was happening to me. I did not know who to tell. I did not know where to go. Many of us didn't. We were young and we were manipulated. We were left without the tools or the support we needed. That is something Congress can change.

(01:05:51)
Every middle school and high school student in this country should receive education on the signs of sexual abuse and exploitation. What it looks like, how to recognize it, and how to safely report it. Schools should have trained adults, accessible resources so that no child feels as lost or as alone as we did.

(01:06:13)
I have worked with other survivors to start a nonprofit called the Survivors Inc. because not everyone who has been abused has access to strong legal representation, therapy, or support systems. I became a certified life coach. I believe in giving others the support I wish I had. Though the survivors, we are able to provide these services to people who have been abused so they can begin their healing journey too.

(01:06:42)
I'm proud of that work, but individual efforts are not enough. Real change requires leadership at a national level. You have the power to make sure that happens to us does not happen again on this scale. I believe one of the most important places to begin is in our schools. Train teachers, educate students, give children a place to turn when they feel they have nowhere else to go. Together we can do better for the next generation.

Mr. Chair (01:07:17):

Thank you so much. [inaudible 01:07:18]. Ms. Bensky, you are now recognized for your opening statement. Thank you.

Dani Bensky (01:07:20):

Thank you. Hello. My name is Dani Bensky. I was abused by Jeffrey Epstein in 2004 and 2005. That was eight years after Maria Farmer first reported Jeffrey to the FBI. Although discussing my abuse is far from easy, I live with diagnosed PTSD from that experience, my story is actually one of the safest stories to tell.

(01:07:49)
The key abuser who caused me physical harm is dead. It's imperative to understand that the stories you are hearing today are a tiny fraction of the whole. I am one of more than 1,200 girls and women. I don't face the same level of threats of defamation lawsuits and serious risks to my safety as some of my survivor sisters do. While there are co-conspirators who do need to be held accountable for the parts that they played in the operation of my own abuse, I was trafficked only to Jeffrey, which really, unfortunately, is not the case for so many others.

(01:08:29)
I was groomed prior to meeting Jeffrey. I grew up in the dance world where perfectionism, body image issues ran rampant, in a world that was built on hierarchy and secrecy. I would have my body criticized, critiqued, and manipulated, not so different from what I initially experienced with Jeffrey.

(01:08:51)
I was trafficked to Jeffrey. I had two recruiters. One was a late teen, and the other was only 15 years old just trying to escape her own abuse. Jeffrey weaponized my aspirations and dreams by speaking the language of dance and making false promises. My mom had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I had seen the name Epstein listed on a donor wall and believed that his wealth and power had come from the medical profession.

(01:09:21)
I brought him her scans, hoping to understand her diagnosis. Instead of helping her, he used my mother's brain scans over me, giving me an ultimatum: Either recruit more girls or do more for him. I didn't end up recruiting anyone and instead just endured the abuse.

(01:09:41)
In May of 2005, my mother had a successful operation at Mount Sinai to remove the tumor, and I finally extricated myself from Jeffrey's web. The Epstein case demonstrates that institutional systems have failed survivors time and time again. I was first subpoenaed in 2008 for an interview. I was just 20 years old, and without a victim's rights advocate or a lawyer, I didn't know that I was entitled to those protections.

(01:10:13)
No one told me I was safe, and for many parts of my interview, it felt like an interrogation. Jeffrey had already threatened my friend, and he had told me that I would be charged with prostitution if I ever interacted with law enforcement. He made it clear that he held the cards.

(01:10:33)
The passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act was a moment in which survivors hoped and believed that we might see some reckoning, but the system yet again failed survivors. Before the first document dump by the DOJ, my lawyer teamed up with another law firm representing survivors. Together they submitted 350 victims' names to the DOJ as names that needed to be redacted prior to the deadline on December 19th.

(01:11:08)
In the first round of documents, I saw my name in two places. Then in the January dump, there were more, and the redactions were far, far worse. These files displayed my name, my phone number, my old address, where I worked at the time, where I was studying, and other identifying information.

(01:11:29)
What's important to understand is that these documents weren't just somehow overlooked and not redacted at all. On one document, my nickname, Dani, redacted, while Danielle Hannah Bensky is left completely unredacted. I am just one of the hundreds of survivors exposed like this.

(01:11:50)
A few weeks ago, a legal analyst reached out to share that yet again, my name appeared in a third batch of only 20 documents. After my lawyer continued to contact the DOJ on multiple occasions for protection, my name and information remained attached. These documents hold disturbing and yet incomplete accounts of my abuse, and they were viewable not only by the entire world but my child, my students, my students' parents, my friends, my employers, my colleagues, my family and public.

(01:12:31)
However, in my FBI 302, a Jane Doe who has never, ever wanted to be revealed was exposed. This outing of survivor names does real irrevocable damage. The passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act was meant to be a moment when survivors could regain their power and finally obtain the truth. It was a time for our institutions created to protect the American people to for once stand on the side of survivors.

(01:13:06)
As survivors, we have said time and time again, "This is not political." This requires coming together and prioritizing coming together, not political showmanship. I'm always asked, what does accountability look like? Accountability means removing perpetrators from power, seeing arrests be made and legislators pass laws like protecting victims' rights, like Virginia's Law, which would remove the statute of limitations for victims civil claims against their abusers.

(01:13:43)
Our entrenched, systemic failures have allowed powerful people like Jeffrey to thrive. When institutions prioritize protecting the powerful and their enablers over protecting victims, abuse becomes normalized. If we continue down this path, the question isn't whether abuse will happen again, but who will be the next Jeffrey Epstein? This moment is critical. It is time to reform our system to protect our survivors, not the perpetrators, and to ensure the truth can come to light. Thank you.

Mr. Chair (01:14:31):

Thank you so much. Thank you. Ms. Rosa, you are now recognized for your opening statement.

Ms. Rosa (01:14:37):

In 2008, I just turned 18 when I met MC2 Model Management owner named Jean-Luc Brunel. Coming from a financial and stable background, I was the perfect target for coercion. I was promised modeling career beyond my dreams. In less than six months, MC2 obtained an 01 visa for me, a feat nearly impossible for a teenager with almost no experience.

(01:15:04)
I did not have the documentation to earn that visa. By May of 2009, I was in New York City. I was isolated, controlled in a manner I've never experienced before. Within three months, the agency claimed I owed them over $10,000. I had no family, no friends, or no money. MC2 controlled every aspect of my life, where I went, how I dressed, and how I looked. They provided me enough of allowance to keep me afloat, but never enough to be independent.

(01:15:34)
Less than a month after I arrived to United States, my agency sent me to a home of a registered sex offender. I was introduced to his girlfriend under the guise that she was a photographer who helped me build my portfolio. Now I know that Jeffrey Epstein was supposed to be in jail cell in June of 2008.

(01:15:55)
I met him at his house right here in West Palm Beach. He was not in a jail. Jean-Luc Brunel brought me to West Palm Beach to have dinner with Epstein in July. Epstein used the names of powerful politicians to demonstrate his influence. He told me he's an investor of the very agency that promised me a career. He also spoke of his arrest, that it was a game, bragging about girls visiting his cell, and his friendships with authorities. Jeffrey offered me a position at the Florida Science Foundation to handle phone calls to help me with my financial troubles. One day his masseuse called me into his room where I was molested for the first time by Jeffrey.

(01:16:46)
For the following three years, I was subject to ongoing rape. Jeffrey Epstein was under house arrest for the molestation of underage girls at the exact time he was abusing me. The fact that he could commit those acts made justice feel impossible to me, and it took my ability to seek for help.

(01:17:25)
I was summoned to his residence right here in West Palm Beach. My agency relocated me to Miami to keep me closer, and only after he was released from the house arrest, I was allowed to go back to New York City, where my nightmares continued. Those years of abuse turned into a decade of fear that I still carry today. I eventually found the courage to reach out for help. I stepped forward, along other survivors, hoping those who allowed this to happen will be held accountable. I kept my identity protected as Jane Doe. I woke up one day with my name mentioned over 500 times.

(01:18:17)
While the rich and powerful remain protected by redaction, my name was exposed to the world. Now reporters across the globe contact me. I cannot live without looking over my shoulder. I can only imagine the long-term impact this mistake will have on my life.

(01:18:38)
I wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid. So I want to end this statement with a story. In 1800, a doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis discovered something lifesaving. He realized that the doctors who were performing autopsies and then immediately delivering babies without washing their hand were carrying cadaverous particles, causing women die in agony. He had evidence; he had solution. He begged the medical establishment to wash their hands to save lives, but the doctors were offended. They found it easier to protect their own reputation and maintain the status quo than to admit they were the ones causing harms. They chose their pride over the life of women, and Dr. Semmelweis was ignored, ridiculed, and eventually cast out.

(01:19:35)
I see the same patterns happening today with handling of these files. Releasing my name while redacting the name of other powerful is not a mistake; it's a choice. It's a choice to prioritize the comfort of institution over the safety of the survivors. The evidence is right here, yet those in power rather us die socially, emotionally, and physically than admit their own complicity. I am no longer a Jane Doe hidden in the files. I'm a woman, I'm a fighter, and I'm a witness, and I'm begging you: Please wash your hands.

Mr. Chair (01:20:39):

Thank you, Ms. Rosa. Obviously, I think one of the true horrors of this investigation has been the way so many survivors continue to be traumatized. And I think this is one just really horrific example of how, even through the Transparency Act, so much horror and re-traumatization continues to happen. So thank you for the testimony.

(01:21:06)
Mr. Kuvin, I'm going to recognize you for your opening statement.

Spencer Kuvin (01:21:13):

Thank you. Truly moved by her strength. Ranking members of Congress, my name is Spencer Kuvin. I've represented numerous survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking over the years, including the first victim to come forward in the Epstein investigation here in Palm Beach.

(01:21:39)
I'm here today because what happened during the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein was not simply a failure of judgment; it was a systemic failure of justice. In Palm Beach County, credible evidence of widespread sexual abuse involving minors was presented to state prosecutors, including my client.

(01:22:02)
Law enforcement initially identified dozens of victims. The conduct was organized, repeated, and devastating. Yet instead of a prosecution that matched the scale of the harm, what followed was a secret agreement, as we know, that minimized the abuse and insulted the children that had been abused. Despite the efforts of some of the federal agents at the time, the US Attorney's Office and the Southern District decided to have these secret meetings with Epstein's attorneys.

(01:22:32)
The US Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office at the time, colluded in secret to quietly shelve this case, with minimal state charges that branded a 15 and 16-year-old child victim as prostitutes. They gave a sweetheart deal to Jeffrey Epstein and four named as well as unnamed co-conspirators.

(01:22:57)
The Southern District US Attorney at the time, Alex Acosta, spearheaded what every attorney advocate saw as the worst non-prosecution agreement ever executed by a US attorney. This sent a message. It told victims that even when the evidence is strong, accountability is negotiable if you are rich and powerful. This awful non-prosecution agreement completely shut down further federal charges for the events they were investigating here in Florida. As I mentioned, that tragic deal was negotiated and signed in secret. Not only was it kept secret from the world, it was kept secret from me. Calls were made repeatedly to the US attorneys investigating this at the time by myself, an advocate for multiple victims at the time, and of course, it was kept secret from those victims. I was forced to file motions with the court to compel its ultimate disclosure, even after it had been executed. And finally, after obtaining court orders, they turned it over to us, a full year after it had been signed.

(01:24:08)
The victims were not consulted. Their advocates, like me, were not consulted. Victims were never given an opportunity to be heard. This was not just a moral failure. We believed it was a violation of law under the Crime Victims Rights Act. Originally passed in 2004, subsequently amended by Congress in '06, '08, and '15, victims have had the right to confer with prosecutors and the right to be treated with fairness and respect, yet those rights were ignored at the very moment that it mattered most, when decisions were being made that would determine whether justice would ever be pursued.

(01:24:49)
The result was predictable. Survivors, as you've heard, were re-traumatized, not only by the abuse they endured, but by a system that excluded them from the process designed specifically to protect them. And the public was left questioning whether justice can trust be trusted when powerful interests are involved. This failure by the Department of Justice at the time was a subject of litigation brought, as you heard, by Ms. Wild. That case ultimately exposed a gap in the law, one that must be closed by you.

(01:25:26)
Today, I want to offer that clear path forward. First, Congress should amend the Crime Victims Rights Act to make it explicit that victims must be notified and given a meaningful opportunity to confer before any non-prosecution agreement or deferred prosecution agreement is finalized.

(01:25:44)
Second, as you've heard, there must be enforceable remedies, not just suggestions. Victims should have standing to challenge agreements reached in violation of the act, and courts must have the authority to review and, where appropriate, void those agreements.

(01:26:03)
Third, transparency must be the rule, not the exception. Secret agreements that extinguish criminal liability, particularly in cases involving multiple victims, should not exist in our system of justice.

(01:26:19)
And finally, there must be accountability. When prosecutors fail to uphold victims' rights, there must be consequences sufficient to ensure that those failures are not repeated. This is not about re-litigating the past; it's about ensuring what happened here never happens again. The survivors in this case have showed extraordinary courage coming here today. They told the truth, and they trusted the system, and the system failed them. Congress now has the opportunity, and I would suggest the responsibility, to fix it.

(01:26:53)
Thank you. We look forward to your questions.

Mr. Chair (01:26:57):

Thank you very much. I'd like to go to Ms. Hirsch, please, who's now recognized for her opening statement.

Lauren Hirsch (01:27:05):

Thank you so much, Ranking Member, members of Congress. I'm Lauren Hirsch, the CEO of World Without Exploitation, the largest anti-trafficking coalition in the country. We have nearly 200 member organizations across the country. Many of those organizations are survivor-led.

(01:27:22)
It is an absolute honor to sit beside each one of you. You are the reason this moment of reckoning is happening. What we have witnessed in the handling of the Epstein case is not simply a bureaucratic misstep; it is a deeply horrific failure to protect the very people the system is meant to serve.

(01:27:45)
Survivors have repeatedly been promised dignity, confidentiality, and care. And instead, we have seen a systemic breakdown in their protection at nearly every step of the way. We have watched those with power and privilege manipulate the system, shielding themselves from accountability while survivors have suffered in silence. Every one of these failures sends a devastating message, not only to Epstein survivors, but to survivors everywhere, that accountability is optional for the powerful.

(01:28:24)
Survivors have had enough, and frankly, the American public has had enough of this too. We are now in a moment of reckoning that requires a thorough examination of all of the things that have gone horribly wrong, but it also requires a serious course correction.

(01:28:43)
Survivors have been repeatedly harmed: first, by Epstein and his associates, and then by law enforcement, who refused to bring adequate cases, who didn't notify victims when secret sweetheart deals were made, who allowed abuse to continue even after pleas were entered in. And then they were again abused by the DOJ.

(01:29:04)
When the federal government fails to provide protection under the Crime Victims Rights Act, survivors cannot be left without remedy. We need a legislative fix immediately to provide compensation and recourse for violations of the Crime Victims Rights Act. And this is urgent. I think everyone in the room has heard the survivors and understands the profound harm caused by the DOJ in releasing hundreds of names of survivors and their personal information in the aftermath of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, so I'll keep this part brief.

(01:29:42)
As a former prosecutor, I understand that mistakes happen. We're human. But when hundreds of names are released repeatedly, including nude photos of a survivor, this can no longer be dismissed as human error. Something has gone horribly wrong inside the DOJ, and the American public deserves clear answers about how this failure has occurred. This requires a recorded deposition of Pam Bondi on May 29th, not a transcribed interview.

(01:30:24)
Survivors also deserve meaningful legislative recourse, including a private right of action so that they can be compensated for the exposure of their private information to the public. Accountability cannot end with an examination of process failures or even legislative fixes. These files demand further examination.

(01:30:50)
Assertions that there are no credible investigative leads are deeply concerning. From my perspective, both as the CEO of World We and a former prosecutor, that conclusion is not only premature, it is inconsistent with the available record. There is an abundance of potential investigative leads that warrant serious independent review.

(01:31:17)
For three decades, countless men operated with complete impunity. Sex trafficking does not happen in a vacuum; it is driven by the demand for commercial sex, and it is enabled by systems and people who are willing to look the other way. That is exactly what we're looking at here, likely the largest sex trafficking operation the United States has ever seen.

(01:31:43)
The files are clear, and the files name names. When individuals and institutions surface repeatedly in the files, it's a pretty strong indicator that there's some there, there. When there are millions and millions of dollars flowing between an individual and Epstein and there doesn't seem to be a business relationship, but instead allegations of sexual abuse, that's not noise to ignore; that is an investigative lead. And this is just one of many examples. And the examples are not just limited to individuals.

(01:32:22)
Major hospitals took money from Epstein and provided questionable care, and that's putting it nicely. Hospital systems, academic institutions, modeling agencies, and the list goes on, they all require careful independent examination of investigative leads.

(01:32:47)
The burden should not fall on the survivors to name names or drive investigations. Survivors should be given safe, voluntary spaces to speak, but they should not be compelled. The responsibility lies with investigative bodies, prosecutors, the DOJ on relevant authorities to do their jobs thoroughly, transparently, and with integrity.

(01:33:13)
Survivors have already carried far too much of the burden. They should not have to carry the failures of our institutions as well. What is needed now is not defensiveness but accountability.

(01:33:27)
And finally, for survivors and for World Without Exploitation, this is not and has never been political. I'm sure that it will be twisted into us entering the political fray by being here today, but we have been absolutely clear, we will and have worked with anyone who is serious about getting to the truth. The era of silence and inaction must end here. Thank you.

Mr. Chair (01:34:06):

Thank you. Obviously, just thank you to all of our witnesses for those opening statements. We're going to be moving on to questions and some comments from the members of this committee.

(01:34:19)
I do want to uplift and recognize, particularly, the survivors and your courage again, and how we got to this moment. I want to start just by again, just commenting that we're here because of the horrific crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and numerous others and the failure caused by our own government.

(01:34:41)
In my line of questioning, I just want to hone down on one thing which I think is really important. Last July, the administration's FBI and DOJ released a two-page document saying, and I quote, "We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties." In other words, the current administration, through its DOJ, believed that this investigation was over, that no one else could be investigated for perhaps the worst sex trafficking ring in American history, that no other person could be held accountable or there could be further convictions of the horrors made and against 1,200 women and girls.

(01:35:42)
Now, we here, and some of our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle, have worked together to file motions, to file laws and to push this investigation forward. And I want to be very clear, the DOJ,

Mr. Chair (01:36:01):

... This administration, the president and the attorney general made it clear that this investigation, in their opinion, was a hoax, was a lie, and there was nothing else to do to move forward. The DOJ tried to close this case. Through our investigation, we have learned that many of the witnesses that we have been going through through deposition, through transcribed interviews were never questioned by law enforcement. And this is something that we learned only by forcing these interviews and by sitting asking these questions.

(01:36:43)
How could Les Wexner have never been interviewed by our own government? Who was the source of most of Jeffrey Epstein's wealth and was never questioned. How can some of the folks on this document the FBI had in their possession not ever have been questioned by our own government or law enforcement? How could Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, who you can see in this chart and were essentially the brain trust of Jeffrey Epstein's organization, how could they never have been questioned? That is not a mistake. That is a coverup. And what I think we want to make very clear is this is not just about the mistakes and the ongoing harm of the Trump administration. This has been harm posed by numerous administrations led by both Republicans and Democrats. And when folks come and ask, "Well, why wasn't the former administration, Attorney General Garland more engaged on this issue?" I asked the same question. Why wasn't Merrick Garland more engaged and focused on prosecutions and more focused on getting out the truth?

(01:38:07)
This is not just about partisan politics. This is a continued pattern of abuse and not seeking justice. But we're here now at this moment, in this Congress, with this administration. And this coverup must end. I want to briefly ask the survivors if you believe that this investigation should continue, if your government should continue this investigation. Ms. Bensky?

Dani Bensky (01:38:45):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:38:46):

Rosa?

Rosa (01:38:48):

Absolutely, yes.

Mr. Chair (01:38:49):

Ms. Wild?

Ms. Wild (01:38:50):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:38:52):

Ms. Jones?

Ms. Jones (01:38:53):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:38:54):

Thank you. And we agree. It's unacceptable that folks have been not questioned, that there haven't been criminal prosecutions and that our own former attorney general continues to be engaged in this coverup. They want to end this investigation, but what we are saying today is we need to come together with our bipartisan allies on the other side and especially some Republican women who have stood and continue to push for truth and justice. We welcome their support in this investigation.

(01:39:32)
At a hearing back in March, former Attorney General Bondi told one of my colleagues, "I'm stunned that you want to continue talking about Epstein." That was her quote. Ms. Bensky, you were there. So was Skye Roberts on behalf of Virginia. Attorney General Bondi didn't spend one minute talking to you but instead wanted to end the Epstein investigation. Today we're here to tell the former Attorney General that we are demanding that she come in for her date with the subpoena that she testify under oath and that it's videotaped and released to the American public and the survivors deserve nothing less.

(01:40:20)
And I want to again ask the survivors. We know that approximately 2.5 million documents are still hidden and we also understand that anything that's released in the future needs to be redacted with care and properly. Do you all support this Congress in the continued release of the files if redactions are done properly and with care? Ms. Bensky.

Dani Bensky (01:40:54):

Of course. Yeah.

Mr. Chair (01:40:55):

Rosa?

Rosa (01:40:57):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:40:57):

Ms. Wild?

Ms. Wild (01:40:58):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:40:59):

Ms. Jones?

Ms. Jones (01:41:00):

Yes.

Mr. Chair (01:41:01):

Thank you. I think it's important for the Attorney General, for Mr. Blanche, and for others to hear directly that the survivors don't think this is a hoax or that the investigation is over. Everyone in this room is committed to making the truth and justice a part of our legislative work. We have to pass laws and do the right thing. What we're facing right now is a systemic government agencies and administration that is trying to end this work and we have to push back on it. We have sworn testimony. We've seen emails from the Epstein estate, from many others, even about the relationship and the friendship between the current president and Jeffrey Epstein.

(01:41:59)
We continue to demand that the president force his DOJ to do the right thing by their survivors and to ensure that we get truth and justice. We're just a few miles away from Mar-a-Lago where we know Ghislaine recruited and harmed and abused women where Virginia herself was recruited.

(01:42:25)
And we also know that the president or his residence is just a few miles from here is the one man in America that has the power to do the right thing and force the DOJ to release the files, protect the survivors and demand and ensure that the American public get the truth and that's why we're here today. And with that, I yield and I want to turn it over to Representative Krishnamoorthi. Thank you.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:42:56):

Thank you, Mr. Ranking Member. Thank you to all the witnesses. Thank you for your bravery, your conviction and your determination. Today I want to ask you first about Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms. Wild, in a written victim impact statement that was filed in court, you said that the abuse you suffered was "Deliberate and systematic, designed by Epstein and facilitated by his staff and associates including Ghislaine Maxwell," correct?

Ms. Wild (01:43:27):

I don't think that's my ... I never had any relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell. Can you repeat that?

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:43:32):

In a victim impact statement in Jane Doe one and Jane Doe two versus the United States.

Ms. Wild (01:43:38):

Oh, yes.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:43:38):

Okay.

Ms. Wild (01:43:38):

Yes. I'm sorry. I've never met Ghislaine Maxwell, but yes, that's what the other Jane Doe had.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:43:46):

Ms. Bensky, at Maxwell's trial, survivors testified that Maxwell participated in the sexual abuse of girls. Maxwell recruited victims for Epstein, including at schools and that Maxwell once told a 14-year-old girl that she "Had a great body for Epstein and his friends." Isn't that what was testified to?

Dani Bensky (01:44:10):

Yeah. Also, my experience was not with Maxwell, but I am sure that that is true.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:44:16):

Ms. Jones, after Maxwell was found guilty of unconscionable acts, Politico reported that Maxwell's lawyer, this guy right here, said that there's a good chance and for good reason that Maxwell would get a pardon. You have publicly stated that, "Clemency would be a slap in the face to all survivors," right?

Ms. Jones (01:44:39):

Yes.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:44:40):

I agree with that wholeheartedly. I think everyone on this panel agrees probably. Maxwell hasn't shown any guilt, hasn't shown any remorse, hasn't shown any ounce of accountability for what she did. I've introduced the House resolution condemning clemency for Maxwell. I hope everyone here will join me because we have to do everything in our power to block a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell.

(01:45:10)
Ms. Hirsch, I want to turn to another topic, following the money. You're aware of Epstein-related financial records called Suspicious Activity Reports, SARS reports that have not been produced, correct?

Ms. Hirsch (01:45:21):

Yes.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:45:22):

And just to level set, a suspicious activity report is a report produced by a bank anytime a customer performs a questionable transaction. It turns out there were numerous such reports filed by banks with the Treasury Department for Jeffrey Epstein, including large cash withdrawals and even requests that Epstein made for the creation of bank accounts and credit cards for teenagers and people who had nothing to do with his family. Isn't that right?

Ms. Hirsch (01:45:52):

It is.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:45:52):

The Senate Finance Committee has found Epstein made wire transfers that are detailed in these suspicious activity reports, SARS reports to the tune of $1.5 billion with a B and include the names of women and girls he may have trafficked as well as the names of his potential clients. I believe that this is paramount to the investigation of the sex trafficking ring. Would you agree with that?

Ms. Hirsch (01:46:16):

I do agree with that.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:46:18):

If we're serious, if we're serious about following the money, I believe that these SARS reports must be disclosed by the US Treasury Department now immediately today. Last topic. Last topic, 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?

Ms. Hirsch (01:46:50):

I absolutely agree with you.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:46:51):

They may be among us today, perpetrating a continuation of a sex trafficking ring. Now, Mr. Kuvin, DOJ has not released all of the raw interviews and transcripts from the more than 40 victims of the DOJs that were investigated in the DOJ's 2008 investigation, right?

Mr. Kuvin (01:47:10):

Correct.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:47:11):

And DOJ has not released all of the video footage collected at Epstein's properties, correct?

Mr. Kuvin (01:47:18):

Absolutely. Not only that, I've actually walked through the home of Jeffrey Epstein after the incidents occurred and saw where the video cameras were located and no longer existed.

Ms. Hirsch (01:47:30):

Wow.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (01:47:32):

Epstein tried to maintain his power over those he abused by taking away their chance at justice. We cannot let that happen. Donald Trump, I'm calling on you to listen to survivors, release all of the documents, un-redact all these people, prosecute the rest of these people and investigate the remaining. In addition, Ghislaine Maxwell should never, ever, ever receive clemency. That monster should not be given pardon and ensure every enabler of Epstein faces consequences no matter who they are or their political affiliation. Thank you, and I yield back.

Mr. Chair (01:48:13):

Thank you. Now we'll have Representative Stansbury.

Rep. Stansbury (01:48:16):

All right. Well, good morning, everyone. And I just want to start out by acknowledging our survivors who are here with us and to those of you who spoke. People tell you all the time that you're brave and you are, but I know that it comes at great cost to yourself, great cost to your families, but I want you to know and part of why I ask the staff to hold up this picture is because you are literally changing the face of the planet by standing up and telling your stories.

(01:48:48)
And even though the system is failing you again right now in Congress, you are changing the world by helping people who are survivors, who are victims, who have never had their stories told publicly to know that they're not alone. So I want to say thank you for everything that you are doing and I know that it's hard, but what you're doing is changing the planet right now. So thank you for holding that up.

(01:49:18)
I got in early yesterday and I went for a walk. I walked to downtown here in West Palm Beach and then I walked across the bridge. I think like millions of people across the country, I've seen of course the documentary that documents what happened here in West Palm Beach and I wanted to walk across the bridge that survivors had told the story themselves of literally having been driven across. But I don't think that I truly understood the power, the wealth, the abuse that has happened in this community until I saw the mansions and the estates, the private clubs, and how inequality is literally written into the landscape here. And the reason why I wanted to start there is because there has been a lot said about the system of abuse that Epstein and Maxwell perpetrated. There has been a lot said about how grooming occurred, how recruitment happened, and how he psychologically threatened, abused, and used all these different tactics to abuse girls and women.

(01:50:37)
But I want to make one thing clear here today and I want to ask some questions about this, is we talk about the system failing. The system didn't fail. The system was designed to protect the wealthy. The system was rigged from the beginning when those mansions were built. The system was built on inequality. The system was built on exploiting people. It's written into the landscape here in West Palm Beach. It's written into the landscape in New Mexico where Jeffrey Epstein went to Santa Fe with his rich friends and recruited girls that he exploited and then trafficked to other rich friends that he flew to New Mexico.

(01:51:21)
This wasn't failure, this was a system. It was a system of exploitation. It was a system of abuse and it was a system of power. And that's one of the things that I want to really dive into here with my short time today because the officials, the federal, the state, the local, the attorney generals didn't just fail to investigate these cases. They chose not to investigate them. They chose to take bribes and kickbacks and campaign donations. The police department here in West Palm Beach chose to take a donation from Jeffrey Epstein. The police and sheriffs and others in other cities and states chose to take donations.

(01:52:12)
And right now, while this is not a partisan issue, this administration is choosing to not investigate the crimes that are in these files. This administration is choosing to release the names of survivors and not perpetrators. This administration is choosing to not investigate or indict a single man who committed rape of a child or woman that is in the files and this administration is choosing to gaslight the American people while all over the world, foreign officials are arresting, investigating a prince has been taken down and here in the United States, our Department of Justice, which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act.

(01:53:06)
That is not a failure. That is a choice. That is a system built on wealth inequality and exploitation of women, of girls, of children, and a system built to protect the powerful. That is a system and it is a system that Jeffrey Epstein developed here in West Palm Beach and then it is a system that he exported to places like the Virgin Islands to New Mexico and to all of the places that he operated. And so I want us to think about as we're moving forward with this investigation, we can investigate all the hundreds or even thousands of micro decisions that were made by local police, by sheriffs, by state police, by the Department of Justice, by AGs who chose to turn a blind eye and not prosecute these crimes. But the only way we are actually going to get justice in this case is by changing the system itself.

(01:54:09)
And that's exactly what you guys are doing, and it's powerful. You're literally taking on the entire world right now and a system of wealth and inequality. I want to ask the survivors because I feel like you get asked all the time to retell your stories. And I've read your stories. Anyone can go in the files and read your stories. But I want to hear from you what justice would look like in this case. So maybe starting here on the end.

Ms. Wild (01:54:42):

It's always a sore subject because I'm just like, at this point, honestly, I don't think justice will ever be served in this case. And that's just my experience of the past 20 years that I've dealt with it. If I were really optimistic and it did, I think it would be for one, the Crime Victims Rights Act, we have to fix that law. Also, education in the school systems, maybe like with the sex ed or just there has to be more education on what grooming is, on what sex trafficking is. I think a lot of people have a picture in their head that is just not reality.

(01:55:35)
And for me, being that this happened in Palm Beach County, I think there needs to be a building. I think that the first 72 hours that a survivor tells their story and comes forward and says, "Okay, I'm ready to tell this. " And it's such a crucial time. I think there needs to be something dedicated in Palm Beach County to all of our childhoods that were lost and taken. When we came forward and we told our stories, man, I was treated like a criminal by the federal government and I just think I guess justice would be change.

Ms. Jones (01:56:21):

I don't know what justice looks like anymore. I'm just blown away that this is our government that is handling this, but justice would be, like Courtney said, accountability, these people that did wrong should be held accountable for what they did to us. Of course, we know that, but do I think that is going to truly happen? Probably not. Look at how this has gone on, but education is so very important. Our kids are listening, they're watching this, they're hearing and for the first time for a lot of children, this is the first time they're even hearing about something like this. And so education is important. If we can't take these bad guys off the streets, let's teach our kids how to protect themselves in this, but I hope the government gets it together. So maybe we get some justice.

Dani Bensky (01:57:22):

I think justice starts with passing Virginia's law. I think that's a really great place to start because justice shouldn't have a time limit. I know at almost 40, like I'm about to turn 40 this year and 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 are a lot of survivors who have never come forward, that would be a start passing Virginia's law, changing the statute of limitations. There's a culture shift that really needs to happen where the blame needs to be placed on the perpetrator and not on the victim similar to Courtney's experience.

(01:58:01)
In my experience with law enforcement, I was so terrified and I did feel like I was being interrogated the entire time that I was there. I thought that I was going to go to jail that day. I was like, "My life is over." It didn't really make me want to talk to anybody, but the FBI came back to my home in 2019. Anyway, I'll just say it was a very threatening feeling. So having an advocate in those spaces would also be really important. But yeah, just elevating survivor rights and making sure that we start with that baseline of Virginia's law.

Rosa (01:58:37):

So I come from a different country and I have a job. And if you come to me and you ask me what should I do and ask question about my job, I'll give you an answer. I appreciate you asking that question, but I don't know. That's your job. You guys have to figure out how to make justice, not me. And you can't give me justice.

(01:59:09)
When I came to this country, I thought something's going to be different and I am shocked that this is happening here in United States. You keep on saying this is the worst case in United States, but it's not. It's the worst case in the world. This never happened to me in other places and I traveled as a model all over the world. This didn't happen to me there. It happened to me here. You need to figure it out and I hope you do and I hope this never happens again to anybody. Keep it in the history books. Don't stop fighting. Don't let it go away. I wish one day we all can sit there and never hear the name, but I also hope that we will forever so this never happens again. Good luck.

Rep. Stansbury (02:00:08):

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I think that says it all. It's our job. So thank you.

Mr. Chair (02:00:14):

Thank you so much. Representative Frost.

Rep. Frost (02:00:18):

Thank you so much. I want to talk about something very specific. As we know, Jeffrey Epstein trafficked and abused women and girls, not just in Florida and New York, but internationally across the globe. This case shines a light on the truth of sex trafficking and it informs us as members of Congress of the changes and the reforms we need to pursue in many different areas that sometimes seem different but are all connected. I want to first thank you all for coming here today, especially the survivors and sharing your stories. In many instances, we have seen that traffickers and sexual predators control employment opportunities for the people that they abuse. This happens everywhere, from working communities to the wealthiest and the most powerful pockets of society. Right here, this is from documents produced to the committee. It appears to show copies of passports in Epstein's possession belonging to young women. We believe many of these are survivors. Epstein's network is bigger than what many people understand. It's stretched across the entire globe and we know that Epstein did not act alone. Him and his associates exploited financial and immigration systems, broken immigration systems to traffic women and girls. Epstein helped women enroll in English language schools, facilitated their admission into American universities to help them get visas and help them secure jobs all as a premise for getting the women into the United States.

(02:01:44)
We questioned Epstein's lawyer about this and his accountant about the sham marriages, which they helped arrange for immigration purposes. And many of these women, sadly, became survivors of Epstein's abuse. Thank you. Rosa, thank you so much for your very powerful testimony. Why did you come to the United States? You spoke a little bit about this.

Rosa (02:02:08):

I was a model. I came here thinking that my modeling career is going to be continued here. I traveled before United States and I was very successful. When I was able to escape the ring of Jeffrey Epstein, I was a successful model afterwards, but only after. During it, I couldn't.

Rep. Frost (02:02:33):

So you came for opportunity?

Rosa (02:02:36):

Yes.

Rep. Frost (02:02:37):

And we told you, right? We told the entire world, we've told the entire world, come to the United States for opportunity. This is a land of opportunity where you can be anyone, where you can do anything, right?

Rosa (02:02:48):

Yes. New York City was a top of a list for any model traveling and getting a contract.

Rep. Frost (02:02:56):

Rosa, can you help us understand how Epstein, Brunel, and their associates use the promises of modeling jobs to recruit you and other women?

Rosa (02:03:09):

When you enter in modeling, you have a dream of ending up and walking Victoria's Secret show or on a cover of Vogue magazines. So when you are a teenager and somebody approaches you saying that they can be there to help you and be your word ally, I hate that word really, because that was used many, many times in trying to make me believe that they are my ally in order to get those jobs.

(02:03:41)
So naturally it comes across like these people care, and you believe them. Why? Because you were just a teenager. It doesn't look really scary to begin with, so they get your trust. And then they put you in a situation where financially you can't leave. The ticket back home cost $1,300 round trip. I was given $100 a week in New York City to survive. And if any of you go to New York City today and try to live off $100, good luck.

Rep. Frost (02:04:21):

Oh yeah. Rosa, we also know that you're an immigrant and we know that Epstein and his network also manipulated and threatened women using their visas or immigration status. Can you talk about your experience with this?

Ms. Jones (02:04:35):

Every time I came to my agency or Epstein, which I didn't know why I came to him, I begged them to let me go back to other places I used to model before, on which they said, "Why? You are not going to do well there so stay here. What do you need?" I would say job. And then they offered me "job". They didn't give me money to purchase a ticket and I didn't have a credit card. I didn't have my parents sending me money. I couldn't afford a ticket back. So they used my dreams against me saying that it's just the time and everything's going to be okay. And if I trust them, all my dreams are going to come true.

Rep. Frost (02:05:26):

We know that he weaponized people's immigration status and the fact that they were immigrants against them to manipulate them, to force them into his horrible crimes and the horrible things he did to them. There are so many changes that need to come from this investigation and I think it's important that we also remember immigrant women are disproportionately impacted by sex trafficking in the United States. Epstein exploited this broken immigration system to do these crimes. I think your story and your testimony shows that and many of the other stories and testimonies that we've heard. This investigation shows us that we have to fix this system, not just demonize immigrants.

(02:06:04)
And in a moment where the same people that are obstructing this investigation, the same people who are engaged in the coverup of this investigation are also the one demonizing immigrants across this country, shows us the real truth that if we spent a modicum of the money and energy that this government is using to go terrorize our communities and round up innocent people, to go after the billionaire pedophiles and sex traffickers and people who have exploited this broken immigration system, maybe we'd had some justice here. And so just thank you so much for being here and sharing your testimony. I yield back.

Speaker 2 (02:06:43):

And now I'll recognize Ms. Lee from Pennsylvania.

Rep. Lee (02:06:48):

Thank you, ranking member. I want to start like many by just grounding us in the people who have too often been ignored, survivors like Dani Bensky, who was just 17 when she was lured to work for Jeffrey Epstein with false promises, and then threatened with her mother's illness. Rosa who was trafficked across borders and abused for years, Courtney Wild, who not only survived abuse, but then had to lead a legal fight for recognition by a Department of Justice that was supposed to protect her. And Jena-Lisa Jones, who has sounded the alarm that a paltry release of DOJ files hints at a possible probable coverup.

(02:07:31)
I just want to thank you all for being here, for continuing to show up, for your continued courage and your commitment to justice. We recognize that you are fortunately four of very, very many, many more survivors. And I hope you know that your presence today means to survivors across this country, how important it is to them. For decades survivors have worked in good faith with law enforcement to try to expose Epstein and his co-conspirators only to have their interests and their needs ignored. From a bogus non-

Rep. Lee (02:08:00):

... a prosecution agreement way back in 2008 to the inexcusable release of personal identifying information from Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche's DOJ. The DOJ seems perfectly capable of concealing the names of these rich and these powerful folks in the files that have been released, but they did not give that same level of care to the actual survivors. And here in Florida, Alex Acosta spent more time cutting a deal with Kenneth Starr, Alan Dershowitz, and other well-connected lawyers working for Epstein and with Epstein than he did actually listening to survivors.

(02:08:36)
This sweetheart deal enabled Epstein to continue abusing survivors while he was out on work release as we've heard. The DOJ has failed to indict any other perpetrator of sex trafficking beyond Epstein and Maxwell, despite all the complaints and the reports that other individuals were implicated and involved, including from survivors themselves who have named these people. They seem to have no plans to do so. So Todd Blanche stating that the Epstein files, quote, "Should not be a part of anything going forward," unquote, is where we need to spend a little time.

(02:09:07)
This is a glaring proof of a two-tiered system of justice in this country. Mr. Kuvin, this saga began with a failure at the state level when prosecutors declined to fully pursue justice against Jeffrey Epstein, right?

Spencer Kuvin (02:09:19):

Correct.

Rep. Lee (02:09:20):

You represented one of the first survivors in Florida. We saw a non-prosecution agreement that shielded Epstein and protected his associates. Can you explain why that agreement was so unusual and how harmful it was?

Spencer Kuvin (02:09:32):

So first of all, as I said before, it was unusual because ordinarily, US Attorney's office would consult with counsel for the victims and talk about the potential charges that they're going to bring, and they never did that. They kept it secret. They would not answer phone calls. When I was able to get through to the US attorney at the time, who was Maria Villafaña, she said, "I can't talk to you."

(02:09:53)
Second, it was so unusual because it not only gave immunity to Jeffrey Epstein, who was the target of their investigation, but it gave immunity to co-conspirators without prosecution of those co-conspirators or even a hint of prosecution of four specifically named co-conspirators.

(02:10:08)
Lastly, the most unusual part of that deal was that they added the phrase "unnamed co-conspirators". I have never in 30 years doing this ever seen a non-prosecution agreement so broad as to say that they're giving immunity to unnamed individuals. It was a gift.

Rep. Lee (02:10:29):

Ms. Wild, really quickly, can you tell us more about those emails between Epstein's lawyers and the prosecutors and what made them seem different from what you would think a typical plea negotiation would look like?

Ms. Wild (02:10:40):

Yes, ma'am. When me and Brad Edwards were able to, we got the emails, it was literally friends. Hey, they were meeting at Starbucks. They were meeting off the record, wherever they wanted. These were friends literally negotiating how much time, what it would look like, what the charges were going to look like, what they were going to say during the grand jury. It was all scripted. It was all set up, cover up.

Rep. Lee (02:11:09):

I just want to say really quickly, does any survivor feel, have you felt protected or seen or heard by the government?

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