Twelve alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, accusing the FBI of “repeated and continued failures, delays and inaction” that allowed Epstein to operate his s*x trafficking scheme for over two decades.
The suit, filed in the Southern District of New York against the United States, claims that the FBI’s negligence enabled Epstein to s*xually abuse scores of children and young women.
The lawsuit asserts that the FBI neglected its duty to investigate reports, tips, and evidence of Epstein’s s*xual abuse and s*x trafficking, thereby failing to protect the victims.
Women Placing Charges Against The FBI (Credits: Los Angeles Times)
The plaintiffs, who are not named in the lawsuit, are seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial. They also advocate for the unredacted release of FBI documents related to Epstein, alleging that the files remain largely sealed.
According to Jennifer Plotkin and Nathan Werksman, attorneys for the Jane Does, the lawsuit aims to uncover the truth behind the FBI’s alleged negligence, which they argue led to significant harm to their clients. Epstein, a convicted pedophile, died in jail before facing trial on federal s*x-trafficking charges.
In response to the lawsuit, the FBI declined to comment, citing its policy of not commenting on ongoing litigation. CNN has reached out to the Department of Justice for a statement regarding the lawsuit.
