In the ongoing legal saga surrounding the late Jeffrey Epstein, a new batch of unsealed court documents has brought forth startling allegations. Sarah Ransome, an accuser of Epstein, claimed that the financier possessed tapes showing high-profile figures, including former President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Richard Branson, engaged in sexual activities.
These revelations, part of the extensive Epstein case, have added a new layer of controversy to the already complex matter.
Ransome, in a series of emails dated 2016, made explosive allegations about her friend having "sexual relations" with Trump at Epstein's New York mansion and mentioned Epstein's recordings of such encounters involving various prominent individuals.
She wrote, "She confided in me about her casual 'friendship' with Donald. Mr. Trump definitely seemed to have a thing for her and she told me how he kept going on about how he liked her 'pert nipples.' I also know she had sexual relations with Trump at Jeffrey's NY mansion on regular occasions."
However, in a subsequent email dated Oct. 23, 2016, Ransome retracted her claims, stating, "I would like to retract everything I have said to you and walk away from this. Only bad things and pain for my family will come from going public." In a 2019 New Yorker article, Ransome further admitted she "invented the tapes to draw attention to Epstein's behavior."
Responses to these allegations have been varied. Trump advisor Steven Cheung commented, "These baseless accusations have been fully retracted because they are simply false and have no merit." Representatives for Clinton and Branson declined to comment or denied the allegations.
Business Times also received an email from FTI Consulting that denies Ransome's claims on behalf of the Virgin Group. A Virgin Group spokesperson said, "In a New Yorker report published in 2019, Ransome admitted that she had 'invented' the tapes. We can confirm that Sarah Ransome's claims are baseless and unfounded."
The emails were disclosed as part of a defamation lawsuit filed by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015. Lawyers for Maxwell argued that Ransome's emails should be made public, stating, "The deposition transcript standing alone leaves an incomplete and, thus, false impression of Ms. Ransome and her outrageous claims."
The unsealing of these documents has shed light on the murky waters of Epstein's criminal network and the alleged involvement of various high-profile individuals. While the authenticity of Ransome's initial claims remains disputed, the revelations have intensified the scrutiny on Epstein's connections and the extent of his illicit activities.
Update: we add an statement from the Virgin Group.
