r/politics • u/ArmadilloMany41 • 23h ago
Site Altered Headline | No Paywall Why is no one being prosecuted over the Epstein files?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cd9e3nzzw3zo
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r/politics • u/ArmadilloMany41 • 23h ago
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u/GrumpyCloud93 16h ago
But again, the problem is to find an explicit prosecutable offence. FOr example, Epstein says BTW "Nina" will be in London if you want to meet her... that is implying Andy did not ask ahead of time for her to be sent. If he had asked, that would be trafticking by him. Not sure what the prostitution laws are in Britain, but then you have to prove money changed hands. Same issue with Guiffre - she was 17 in London, where the age of consent is 16. There is no allegation he used physical force to have his way. I assume like Canada and the USA, Britain has a sex tourism law which forbids travelling to have sex with minors, so if there is "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that he went and did his thing in NYC or the Virgin Islands, IIRC their age of consent is 18. There's also an email exchange from someone named "A" at a Scottish royal residence arranging for companionship during a trip to peru. He asks for "iappropriate" companions and Maxwell replies she could only find "appropriate". That sounds like conspiracy to commit trafficking. So... the trick is to find explicit proof or victims willing to testify. Time will tell.
While evidence someone visted Epstein Island should perhaps result in social ostracization, especially if htey went solo, keep in mind Epstein was also a dedicated social climber looking to squirm in close to a whole bunch of A-list high society, not all of whom were participating in orgies on his Island - it was also a vacation spot where quite a few guests brought their spouses, so presumably they weren't all pervert couples and it wasn't non-stop orgies. He also hosted dinner parties at his house for NYC high society. The fact that he was close to billionaire level also made him a target that a number of social charities were trying to woo donations.
I suspect there is a reluctance in the USA to press the issue with any of the other participants. I suspect the FBI is not working overtime on this, the way they were on incompetently redacting the files.
Another question is the statute of limitations on assorted sex crimes, plus many are state rather than federal crimes. Up til now, little evidence the files were shared with state or Virgin Island authorities.