A federal judge in New York has denied the government’s bid to reveal grand jury transcripts from the sex trafficking case against the late financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The judge, who oversaw the case, maintained that the transcripts would remain sealed. Epstein, who passed away in detention while awaiting trial, had his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted on related charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in facilitating his abuse of numerous young girls and women.
In his ruling, Judge Berman stated that no victims had testified before the grand jury. The only witness who provided evidence was an FBI agent whose knowledge of the case was deemed indirect and primarily based on hearsay. The agent’s testimony was presented over two sessions on June 18 and July 2, 2019. During these sessions, the grand jury also viewed a PowerPoint presentation and a call log, which ultimately led to their decision to indict Epstein. Both the PowerPoint and call log will also be kept sealed, according to Berman’s ruling.
The Justice Department has chosen not to comment further on the judge’s decision.