(CNN) - Alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, many of whom were underage girls at the time, may now file claims to be compensated for enduring his abuse.
After months of negotiating between counsel for the executors of Epstein's estate and the alleged victims, a probate judge in the US Virgin Islands gave the compensation program the green light in early June. Claims can be filed starting Thursday.
Epstein allegedly transported underage girls to his homes in the US Virgin Islands and forced them into sex work from 2001 through 2018, according to a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands. At the time of his death, the multi-millionaire was charged in a federal criminal case alleging that he ran a sex trafficking enterprise at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida.
Epstein was found dead in a federal detention facility in August 2019 before he could be brought to trial. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Attorneys for Epstein's estate executors first filed a request that November to pursue a victim compensation fund to avoid litigation. Attorneys for several victims negotiated over the fund for months.
"There is no reason not to pursue justice for the victims through the Victim Compensation Program," Brad Edwards, an attorney for multiple alleged victims, told CNN. "If the Program is administered fairly, which we have great confidence it will be, then the victims will finally gain closure to this chapter, which they all want and deserve."
The program will be spearheaded by Jordana Feldman, known for her work as the former deputy special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Feldman will vet the claims and how much each victim is awarded is at her discretion, according to court documents.
There is no cap on the amount of funds available to compensate eligible victims as long as the estate funds last.
If victims accept compensation, they wave their right to future litigation against Epstein's estate, but they can reject or withdraw their claim at any time before they sign a release.
The suit filed in the US Virgin Islands in January alleged that Epstein used a system of private planes, helicopters, boats and vehicles to bring young women and girls to his island residence on Little St. James. There, the victims were "deceptively subjected to sexual servitude, forced to engage in sexual acts and coerced into commercial sexual activity and forced labor," the lawsuit said.
The scheme led to the molestation and exploitation of "numerous" girls between 12 and 17 years old, the suit alleged.
The federal case also said Epstein worked with employees and associates to lure the girls to his residences and paid some of his victims to recruit other girls for him to abuse.
Spirit Medicine Healing Song -in Lakota (with Lyrics & translation) 18,437 views Oct 27, 2019 Blue Lunar Night Heart Healing 193 subscribers Please share this beautiful song. Music in this video Learn more Listen ad-free with YouTube Premium Song Peyote Healing Artist Robbie Robertson Album Peyote Healing Licensed to YouTube by UMG (on behalf of EMI); LatinAutor - Warner Chappell, BMI - Broadcast Music Inc., UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA - UBEM, LatinAutor - UMPG, UMPG Publishing, LatinAutorPerf, ASCAP, Warner Chappell, UMPI, Polaris Hub AB, BMG Rights Management (US), LLC, ARESA, and 12 Music Rights Societies
Beyond batteries: How new technologies are fueling energy storage | HPE Exploring what’s next in tech – Insights, information, and ideas for today’s IT leaders SUBSCRIBE All AI Analytics Careers & Culture Cloud & Hybrid IT Data Center DevOps Digital Transformation Edge & IoT Emerging Tech Security Storage Topics & Search September 17, 2020 Beyond batteries: How new technologies are fueling energy storage Batteries lead the way for the rise of energy storage, but other innovations are helping energy storage technologies reach their full potential. Here are three that are creating a promising future. The growing climate crisis has put a spotlight on alternative energy sources: the sun, the wind, the waves, geothermal heat. But the focus is shifting from how to harness these sources for energy generation to how this generated energy can be stored, enabling renewable energy to reach its full potential. ...
Impacts of historical trauma on Native Americans today Impacts of historical trauma on Native Americans today Impacts of historical trauma on Native Americans today Volume 90% By Alexus Davila | Posted: Wed 5:36 PM, Feb 26, 2020 | Updated: Wed 11:44 PM, Feb 26, 2020 RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA TV) - Imagine being told suddenly to pack a few of your belongings and leave everything you know. It's this type of forceful removal back in the 1830's that still affect Native Americans to this day. A workshop at the School of Mines and Technology Monday night aims to talk about the modern effects historical moments like these have on the Native American community. "For anybody that's a descendant of any type of indigenous or Native lineage, we are all direct products of historical trauma. It's affecting our lives here and n...
Comments
Post a Comment