INDIA TODAY
Former US President Bill Clinton is amongst the nearly 200 people named in the confidential court papers, connected to the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking probe, which are likely to be made public this week, according to a report by ABC News.
The documents are likely to expose the identities of dozens of associates of the late Jeffrey Epstein who until now have only been known as John and Jane Does in court papers.
According to ABC News, Clinton was identified as “Doe 36” in the confidential documents and is mentioned in more than 50 of the redacted filings.
The unsealing of the court document comes nine years after Virginia Giuffre, a victim, filed a case against Ghislaine Maxwell, accusing her of being involved in the alleged sex trafficking activities of Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender.
Giuffre, who was then a 40-year-old mother living in Australia, accused Maxwell of defaming her by publicly denying Giuffre’s claims of sexual trafficking and abuse that she suffered as a minor during 1999-2002.
The case gained significant public attention in later years, particularly in 2019 when Epstein was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors.
Epstein died by hanging in his jail cell in Manhattan, where he was being held pending trial on charges of child sex trafficking and conspiracy.
In July 2020, Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested by federal authorities in the United States on charges related to her alleged role in recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein’s sexual exploitation. She was sentenced to a 20-year prison sentence in December 2021.
BILL CLINTON’S CONNECTION TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN
ABC News reported that a witness, referred to as “Jane Doe 162”, claimed she was present at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York residence at the age of 17 along with Britain’s Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Virginia Giuffre.
Bill Clinton has been designated in court documents as “Doe 36” and is mentioned 50 times in the sealed documents. While Giuffre did not accuse Clinton of any misconduct, she asserted that she encountered him on Epstein’s island, an allegation Clinton denies, insisting he never went there.
However, detailed flight records maintained by one of Epstein’s pilots reveal that after his presidency ended in 2001, Clinton frequently used Epstein’s aircraft for international travel, including trips to cities like Paris, Bangkok, and Brunei.
The connection between Clinton and Epstein became public knowledge in 2002 when journalists uncovered information about Clinton’s travels on Epstein’s jets for a philanthropic tour across several African countries. At that time, through a spokesperson, Clinton praised Epstein in New York magazine, highlighting his financial acumen and philanthropic dedication, noting his understanding of global markets and modern science. Clinton expressed gratitude for Epstein’s insights and support during their trip focused on various initiatives, including democratisation, poverty alleviation, civic engagement, and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
