- During a press conference on Tuesday, the lawyer Brad Edwards, who represents some of the women who have accused the wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, said Epstein continued to commit abuse during his 13 months in jail.
- Epstein’s 18-month sentence, which was the result of a lenient plea deal explored by the Miami Herald in an investigative series, allowed him out to work from a private office 12 hours a day, six days a week.
- A retired deputy told the Miami Herald that “it was not our job” to monitor what Epstein was doing during his work release, and Edwards said Epstein used that freedom to schedule improper sexual contact with women under the age of 21.
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During a press conference in New York on Tuesday, a lawyer representing some of the women who have accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual assault said the wealthy financier sexually abused women during his 13-month Florida jail sentence, during which he was permitted to work from a private office 12 hours a day, six days a week.
The lawyer Brad Edwards spoke alongside a woman named Courtney Wild, who says Epstein began abusing her when she was 14 years old. Epstein is facing charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy, and a federal judge will decide whether to approve or deny his bail request in court Thursday.
Edwards said during the press conference that he raised the accusation because outlets have purported claims that Epstein was a model citizen while in jail. Edwards also said Epstein was in his office most of the day during his sentence, and that he had female visitors under the age of 21.
Wow. Epstein accuser lawyer Brad Edwards drops bombshell saying Epstein, during his 13 month jail sentence in which he was allowed to spend 12 hours a day in his private office adjacent to his attorney, had office visitors and engaged in sexual abuse while in custody.
— Bryan Llenas (@BryanLlenas) July 16, 2019
Edwards said Epstein had sexual interactions with the women that constituted abuse, and were similar in nature to the abuses described in the indictment and charges Epstein currently faces in court, which are one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors.
Details of Epstein's plea deal, which included his jail sentence, were investigated in a 2018 series by the Miami Herald. A retired deputy told the Herald that "it was not our job" to monitor Epstein during his work release, giving him additional freedom for the purported sexual abuse Edwards says he committed during that time period.
Edwards also said he thinks it is very likely that Les Wexner, the owner of L Brands, the parent company of Victoria's Secret, is telling the truth about not knowing about Epstein's criminal behavior. Wexner was one of several high-profile businessmen that have ties to Epstein, who prized his "collection" of famous friends and associates.
Edwards did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
- Read more:
- L Brands CEO Les Wexner said he 'regretted' crossing paths with Jeffrey Epstein
- Jeffrey Epstein claims he's worth $559 million in court documents
- From Hershey's bars to hand lotion, here's what wealthy convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein purchased in commissary while serving time in Florida
- Here's everything we know about wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged sex-trafficking operation