Executive Summary
- Files released by Judge Richard Berman include a report from Nashville-based Hope for Justice.
- A survivor detailed being trafficked at age 5 in Florida and age 17 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- The nonprofit validated the survivor’s evidence and submitted it to the FBI in New York in 2019.
- The account was part of the broader grand jury investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Newly released records from the 2019 Jeffrey Epstein grand jury investigation include a detailed report from Hope for Justice, a global nonprofit with its U.S. headquarters in Nashville, documenting severe allegations of human trafficking. The files were made public earlier this month following an order by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, shedding light on evidence provided to federal authorities regarding the late financier’s alleged sex trafficking network. The release of these documents marks a significant development in understanding the scope of the evidence presented to prosecutors.
The two-page document, dated August 1, 2019, outlines an account provided by a survivor who contacted the organization. According to Sarah Butler, the U.S. Programs Director for Hope for Justice, the nonprofit assisted the survivor in disclosing information specifically related to Jeffrey Epstein. The group validated the evidence before turning it over to the FBI field office in New York. While the document is heavily redacted, it details the victim’s statement that she was sex trafficked on two separate occasions: once at the age of five in Florida and again at 17 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Specific details within the records describe the survivor’s traumatic experiences. At age five, the victim recalled being forced to live in a crawl space under a house and observing other young children. Years later, at age 17, she reported being sold again in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory where Epstein owned a private island. The survivor described being taken to a room resembling a horse stall with other young girls, where they were forced to engage in sexual acts. The files indicate that the victim was unable to escape her traffickers until she was 30 years old.
Hope for Justice emphasized that their investigators, who are former law enforcement professionals, worked to bolster the survivor’s disclosure to aid the federal investigation. Butler stated that the survivor came forward with the intent of helping other victims, highlighting the necessity of believing survivors to combat human trafficking effectively. While the unredacted portions of the specific report do not explicitly name Epstein, the context of its inclusion in the grand jury files and the geographical links to the U.S. Virgin Islands align with the broader investigation into Epstein’s activities.
Investigative Impact
The inclusion of third-party NGO reports within the grand jury files underscores the critical role that specialized advocacy groups play in federal investigations. By vetting and corroborating survivor accounts before submission to agencies like the FBI, organizations such as Hope for Justice provide law enforcement with actionable intelligence that might otherwise remain unreported due to victim trauma or fear. The release of these documents not only provides transparency regarding the scope of evidence considered by the grand jury but also highlights the multi-jurisdictional nature of the alleged trafficking ring, spanning from Florida to the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is important to note that while these files document accusations and evidence gathered during the investigation, all individuals named or implicated in legal proceedings are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
