More than 150 names linked to the notorious Jeffrey Epstein are set to be revealed following a New York judge's decision to unseal a new batch of documents in a lawsuit against his long-time associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
This decision, set to take effect on January 1, comes from Judge Loretta A. Preska and offers those mentioned a chance to appeal, USA Today reports.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2015 by Virginia Giuffre, alleges that Maxwell played a key role in Epstein's extensive sexual abuse network, which reportedly began when Giuffre was just 16.
The case was settled in 2017, and the court later agreed to a Miami Herald motion to unseal the documents. Judge Preska has spent years reviewing these files to determine which can be publicly released, though some will remain sealed to protect the identities of minor victims who haven't been publicly identified.
Maxwell, sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year, was found guilty of sex trafficking and related charges.
Testimonies from four women, most of whom were minors when Maxwell recruited them for Epstein, describe how she enticed them with gifts and promises of career advancement, leading to sexual abuse by Epstein.
The unsealing of these documents is part of the broader legal aftermath following Epstein's arrest and subsequent death in 2019. Epstein, who faced charges of sex-trafficking and abusing minors, was found dead in his prison cell, fueling various conspiracy theories and questions about the circumstances of his death.
His 2007 sentencing to 13 months in custody for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, along with a controversial non-prosecution agreement, had previously drawn scrutiny and criticism.
