Prince Andrew has broken his silence over newly-released footage of him inside paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's New York home in 2010. Video / 9NEWS
When crossing oceans on his private jet, hosting friends in his Manhattan, Palm Beach, and New Mexico homes, or stopping by his private Caribbean island, Jeffrey Epstein was surrounded by businessmen and politicians, scientists and celebrities.
Some in Epstein's inner circle have been accused of helping run a sex-trafficking operation that brought dozens of underage girls through his doors. Others merely crossed his path at parties or scientific conferences, or accepted his donations for research or the arts. His address book, and the logs of his private jet, are filled with famous names. Many have sought to distance themselves from Epstein, and denied any wrongdoing, since his arrest and subsequent death in prison. Here are some of the people who traveled in Epstein's orbit and some of the institutions that received his donations.
ALLEGED FACILITATORS
The following people were named in a 2007 non-prosecution agreement as "potential co-conspirators" of Epstein's. Some of his alleged victims and former employees have claimed in court documents that those named below helped facilitate a child sex-trafficking operation by recruiting girls from the United States or abroad or scheduling their visits to his homes.
- Ghislaine Maxwell, British socialite, Epstein's ex-girlfriend
Several of Epstein's accusers also allege that Maxwell was his chief co-conspirator, helping to find and recruit underage girls for him.
Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of late British publisher Robert Maxwell. Photo / AP
Some women have said that Maxwell sexually assaulted them. Epstein once described her as his "best friend." She apparently lived in coastal Massachusetts in recent years and was photographed this summer in Los Angeles. She has not been charged with a crime.
In recently released court documents, one of Epstein's accusers, Virginia Giuffre, said she had initially been recruited by Maxwell at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when she was 16 or 17 and eventually became a "sex slave," traveling between Epstein's homes and being shared among his friends.
"My whole life revolved around just pleasing these men and keeping Ghislaine and Jeffrey happy," Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre said in a deposition. "Their whole entire lives revolved around sex."
Maxwell in a deposition called Giuffre "an absolute liar and everything she has said is a lie."
- Nadia Marcinkova, former personal assistant
Prosecutors identified Marcinkova as a "potential co-conspirator" in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement. The Miami Herald reported that Epstein brought her from the former Yugoslavia to live with him and he referred to her as his sex slave. Victims have told police that Marcinkova participated in group sex with them and Epstein. She later became an FAA-certified commercial pilot. She has not been charged with a crime. Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.
- Sarah Kellen, former personal assistant
Prosecutors identified Kellen as a "potential co-conspirator" in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement. The Miami Herald reported that Kellen scheduled massages for Epstein and warned girls not to talk to police. Kellen has not been charged with a crime. Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.
- Adriana Ross, former personal assistant
Prosecutors identified Ross as a "potential co-conspirator" in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement. The Miami Herald reported that Ross scheduled visits by girls for Epstein. Ross has not been charged with a crime. Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.
- Lesley Groff, former personal assistant
Prosecutors identified Groff as a "potential co-conspirator" in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement. The Miami Herald reported that Groff scheduled visits by girls for Epstein. Groff has not been charged with a crime. Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.
FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES
Epstein often hosted parties, invited people to travel on his private plane and hosted gatherings on his private island. Here are some of his well known friends and acquaintances.
Member of the British royal family, eighth in line to the throne. Prince Andrew spent time with Epstein in the United States and Britain. Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre said in a deposition that she was directed to have sex with Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts. Photo / Supplied
A photo reportedly from 2001 shows Prince Andrew with his arm around Giuffre's waist when she was 17 years old. Prince Andrew has denied her claims and a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said that "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue."
- Leslie Wexner, Ohio billionaire, founder and CEO of the L Brands Corporation
The billionaire behind Victoria's Secret hired Epstein as his money manager in the late 1980s. During their two-decade relationship, Wexner gave Epstein sweeping control over his financial and legal affairs. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Epstein made more than $200 million from Wexner. Wexner recently wrote in a letter that Epstein had "misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family." He noted that the alleged theft "clearly pales in comparison to the unthinkable allegations against him now."
- Jean-Luc Brunel, former owner of a modeling agency
Giuffre and a former bookkeeper for Brunel alleged in court documents that Brunel recruited girls and young women for Epstein from Europe and South America. Giuffre said Epstein directed her to have sex with Brunel. Brunel has denied the allegations and has not been charged with a crime. A French citizen, Brunel's current whereabouts are unclear; his lawyer has declined to comment.
- Marvin Minsky, MIT scientist
The late MIT scientist considered a pioneer of artificial intelligence was an associate of Epstein's. Minsky organized a gathering of artificial intelligence experts that visited Epstein's private Caribbean island in 2002. Giuffre said in a deposition that she was directed to have sex with Minsky while on the island. Minsky's family members did not respond to requests for comment.
- Stephen Hawking, physicist, cosmologist and author
Epstein cultivated many famous scientists and considered himself a "science philanthropist."
Lucy Hawking with her father Stephen. Photo / Supplied
Hawking was photographed visiting Epstein's Little St. James island in 2006 and taking a submarine cruise. Hawking died last year and his family did not respond to a request for comment.
The billionaire founder of the hedge fund Highbridge Capital Management, and his wife, Eva Dubin, knew Epstein for several years. Giuffre said in a deposition she was instructed to have sex with the billionaire hedge fund manager. "Glenn and Eva Dubin are outraged by the allegations against them in the unsealed court records and categorically reject them," Dubin's spokesperson said in a statement, according to the Harvard Crimson.
- Alan Dershowitz, Harvard law professor
A prominent lawyer, Dershowitz served on Epstein's legal team. Giuffre said in a deposition she had sex with Dershowitz on at least six occasions and a second woman also said Epstein instructed her to have sex with him. Dershowitz has denied the allegations and accused Giuffre of inventing the story for money. "I will proclaim my absolute innocence until the day I die," Dershowitz told the New Yorker.
CELEBRITIES AND POLITICIANS
Jeffrey Epstein was known to cultivate powerful and famous people as friends. Here are some of the well known politicians and celebrities who spent time with Epstein socially.
In 2002, Trump told New York magazine he'd known Epstein for 15 years and considered him a "terrific guy." He added: "It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."
Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein in 1992.
Last month, Trump said he was "not a fan" of Epstein's. The two men traveled in similar wealthy social circles in Manhattan and Palm Beach. NBC recently published a 1992 video from a party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort - about two miles from Epstein's home - with Trump and Epstein and Buffalo Bills cheerleaders. Epstein has also been photographed at Trump's resort in 1997 and 2000. Epstein's address book included phone numbers for Trump, his wife, Melania, and other family members.
- Bill Clinton, former president of the United States
Clinton flew on Epstein's private jet, and Epstein donated to the Clinton Foundation. In 2002, Clinton, through a spokesman, told New York magazine that Epstein "is both a highly successful financier and a committed philanthropist with a keen sense of global markets."
Last month, Clinton said in a statement that he knew nothing about Epstein's "terrible crimes." Clinton said he'd been on four airplane flights with Epstein in 2002 and 2003 to Europe, Asia and Africa.
His financial and personal relationship with Epstein has come under scrutiny during Israel's current election cycle. Barak has said he met Epstein in 2002 and has seen him a few dozen times, but never at "any party or event with women or anything like that." Epstein was an investor in a start-up run by Barak in 2015. "Like many respectable people in the US, in retrospect, I would have preferred never to have made contact with him," Barak said in a statement after Epstein's death.
- Woody Allen, film director
Allen and other celebrities dined with Epstein in 2010 at Epstein's Manhattan home. The two men were also seen together in New York in 2013.
Woody Allen, seen here with Scarlett Johansson. Photo / Supplied
Epstein kept a photo of himself and Allen in his Manhattan home, according to The New York Times. Allen could not be reached for comment.
- Naomi Campbell, model
The model flew on Epstein's private plane in 2002 along with Bill Clinton and others, according to a 2006 deposition by David Rodgers, one of Epstein's pilots.
Epstein was a political supporter of Richardson, who also served as Energy Secretary in the Clinton administration. Giuffre said in a deposition she was directed to have sex with Richardson while she worked for Epstein. A spokesman for Richardson denied the allegation and said Richardson never had contact with her.
- George Mitchell, former Democratic senator from Maine
In a 2002 New York Magazine story, the former senator and diplomat called Epstein "a friend and a supporter." Giuffre said in the deposition she was directed to have sex with Mitchell while she was working for Epstein. Mitchell told the Portland Press Herald in a statement this month he had never met or spoken to Giuffre and that in his contacts with Epstein "I never observed or suspected any inappropriate conduct with underage girls."
INSTITUTIONS THAT TOOK MONEY FROM EPSTEIN
Jeffrey Epstein donated money to many causes through his foundations, from the performing arts to major universities, tax documents show. He had a particular interest in scientific research, according to news reports. Here are some of the best known contributions he gave to major institutions, and how they responded when his alleged misdeeds came to light.
- Lawrence Krauss, former Arizona State University professor
Krauss attended gatherings of scientists with Epstein and reportedlyreceived $250,000 from Epstein for scientific research. Krauss said in 2011 that he hadn't seen Epstein around underage girls. Krauss could not be reached for comment.
Joichi Ito, director of MIT Media Lab, publicly apologized in an Aug 15 statement for accepting funds from Epstein for the lab and for his own investment funds. "Regrettably, over the years, the Lab has received money through some of the foundations that he controlled. I knew about these gifts and these funds were received with my permission. I also allowed him to invest in several of my funds which invest in tech startup companies outside of MIT," Ito said. He did not disclose the size of Epstein's donations and investments. Ito said he would raise a sum equivalent to what Epstein gave the lab, and donate the funds to nonprofit groups "supporting survivors of trafficking." Ito also said he would return the money Epstein invested in his funds.
- Harvard University
In a statement, Harvard University said it had "no plans" to return the $6.5 million Epstein donated. Epstein's donation was announced in 2003, and financed the work of the university's evolutionary dynamics program, the Harvard Crimson reported in 2006.
- George Church, Harvard geneticist
Epstein provided funding for Church's lab from 2005 to 2007, Church has disclosed on his Harvard website. The site does not say the size of the funding, only that it was for "cutting edge science & education." In an interview this month with the Boston Globe's STAT, Church apologized for his contacts with Epstein.
Epstein's foundation said it made multiple donations to Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine, which are part of the Mount Sinai Health System. The donations included a 2012 award for 3-D mammography, a 2013 gift for cancer metastasis research and 2014 funding for research into triple negative breast cancer, according to the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation. The health system said it does not comment on matters involving its donors.
- Jeanne Whalen and Sonia Rao contributed to this report.
