Grand jury documents are normally never made public in Florida – but a judge has released them and says they show the notorious paedophile’s depravity.
Prosecutors knew Jeffrey Epstein sexually assaulted girls two years before they struck a deal long criticised as a missed chance to stop him, according to newly released transcripts.
The grand jury investigation began in Florida in 2006 – 13 years before he was charged with federal sex trafficking crimes in one of the most notorious cases in recent times.
The surprise release of the transcripts came on Monday, after a new law covering such cases was approved in February.
Normally, Florida grand jury transcripts are kept secret forever.
The documents show the jury heard evidence that Epstein – then in his 40s – had raped girls as young as 14 at his Palm Beach mansion.
The victims said they were often paid – and received extra cash and rented cars if they brought him more girls.
« The testimony taken by the Grand Jury concerns activity ranging from grossly unacceptable to rape – all of the conduct at issue is sexually deviant, disgusting, and criminal », said circuit judge Luis Degado on Monday.
He said the transcripts showed why Epstein was « the most infamous paedophile in American history ».
