Epstein victims, attorneys file civil suits against estate
Just one day after a federal court judge dismissed the criminal case against accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, lawyers representing victims of the multimillionaire’s alleged crimes are gearing up for civil lawsuits, which have already been, or will soon be filed.
“The case did not end with Mr. Epstein's death because part of his legacy is what he did to these victims,” said longtime attorney Gloria Allred, who spoke to FOX Business earlier this week.
Allred represented five women on Tuesday at the Southern District of New York hearing, where more than 20 alleged victims read their own victim statements or had prepared testimonials read for them.
“I thank the judge for affording them that opportunity -- it was an extremely unusual situation, perhaps unprecedented,” Allred continued. “There had been no day in court for them, in terms of a trial. No conviction and there was no sentencing hearing, nor would there ever be for Mr. Epstein.”
The 66-year-old financier, who was indicted in July for sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, was found dead in his Manhattan Correction jail cell on the morning of Aug.10. On Thursday, Southern District of New York Judge Richard M. Berman disposed of Epstein’s charges.
Survivors and their attorneys have since turned their efforts to filing civil cases against his estate.
So far, lawyers Brad Edwards and Stan Pottinger have submitted suits on behalf of four women, who are choosing to stay anonymous, Edwards said.
Allred said she plans to file lawsuits “in the next two weeks” on behalf of at least five clients -- all of whom were children when they were sexually abused, she added.
When asked what she’s seeking, Allred explained, “the truth,” as well as “justice, which they were denied in the criminal justice system." Lastly, she said, accountability.
“They had to pay for their medical bills, therapy bills, lost wages and pain and suffering,” she elaborated. “The cost of the wrongs should be borne by the wrongdoer. And in this case, the wrongdoer was Jeffrey Epstein and his estate should bear the cost of the wrong and should compensate the victims for the very, very substantial harm.”
Some of her clients, she added, are still incurring costs related to the damage caused by Epstein’s sex abuse.
Epstein, who was worth more than $550 million, owned properties in Manhattan, New Mexico, Paris and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
His Upper East Side townhouse sits on East 71st Street near Fifth Avenue, and is worth a reported $55.9 million.
But despite the sprawling six-floor home’s tony location, experts told the New York Post the building “will be a difficult house to sell.”
“If you separate out what is alleged to have gone on, it is easily a $75 million house,” Douglas Elliman’s Richard Steinberg told the Post.
“But I don’t know what the ‘E’ factor will be.”
Investigators are still probing claims that Epstein worked with co-conspirators, including Ghislaine Maxwell, who is accused of supplying Epstein with child sex slaves.
Epstein's attorney, Reid Weingarten, did not immediately respond to FOX Business's request for comment.