The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has released a critical report on the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The document calls, among other things, for key witnesses to be re-interviewed and for the investigation into possible crimes committed by people in Epstein’s circle to continue. CNBC reports, writes UNN.
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Committee Chairman, Republican James Comer, said that the federal government had failed for decades to provide adequate protection for the victims.
For decades, the federal government failed the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes
In the report, the committee called on the U.S. Department of Justice to re-interview key witnesses who possess information about Epstein’s sex trafficking of young women and girls.
Lawmakers also recommended conducting an additional investigation into possible crimes involving his accomplices and granting victims full access to the materials in their cases without concealing information.
Separately, the committee called on Congress to pass James Comer’s bill, which would allow victims of sexual violence to speak publicly about what they experienced, even if they had signed nondisclosure agreements.
Criticism of financial institutions
The report also criticized financial institutions, including American Express, for their role in Epstein’s activities.
According to the committee, U.S. and other countries’ government agencies failed to detect signs of human trafficking and immigration fraud. In particular, financial institutions allowed Epstein to use fictitious reserve flights and false itineraries to transport foreign women across borders to his residences.
The committee also stated that banks possessed substantial information about Epstein’s criminal past and repeatedly detected suspicious transactions, but failed to take appropriate action.
Lawmakers called on the U.S. Treasury Department and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to check whether banks are fulfilling their obligations to report transactions that may be linked to money laundering and human trafficking.
The committee has been investigating the Epstein and Maxwell case and their connections since last year. Epstein himself died in prison in August 2019 after being arrested on charges of sex trafficking minors.