New documents reveal sordid life of Jeffrey Epstein

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Newly released documents are shedding light on the sordid life of billionaire and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents are from transcripts of grand jury testimony.

Tampa attorney Todd Foster said it’s extremely rare for grand jury proceedings to be revealed to the public.

“Traditionally the grand jury proceedings are sealed in order to encourage people to be honest and come forward to speak to the grand jury,” said Foster, who is a former Federal Prosecutor and was a special agent for the FBI.

Foster said a state law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis is narrowly focused to allow these documents to become public.

“In this case here, Mr. Epstein is no longer alive, so his reputation could not be damaged by the release of these documents,” Foster said.

The law stipulates that grand jury documents can be released, if the subject of the grand jury inquiry is dead, the investigation was about sexual activity with a minor, the testimony was previously disclosed by a court order and the state attorney is notified.

Foster said this is a very narrow set of circumstances and he does not believe it will open the door for the release of other grand jury proceedings.

“I think because of this, the flood gates have been further closed because the exception is so narrow, it’s like the eye of a needle,” Foster said.

The grand jury documents reveal Epstein and women working for him recruited and then groomed high school girls to perform massages on him at his home and that the massages often led to sex.

The testimony goes into graphic detail of the actions of the girls and Epstein during these encounters.

Epstein has socialized in the past with Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Prince Andrew and other celebrities, but none of the documents released implicate any of those individuals in the sexual activity.

However, the documents do show that prosecutors attacked the young victims, pointing out to the grand jury that the victims had accepted money for their actions, took drugs, drank beer and even that some had piercings.

Foster said it’s rare for prosecutors to undermine the testimony of their own witnesses.

“I do know that the credibility of the witness is important to the grand jurors who are hearing the testimony, just as the credibility of the witness would be important to a trial jury,” Foster said.

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