What the files show and what it may mean for those named
– Where have the court documents come from? The documents were used as evidence as part of Virginia Giuffre’s civil claim against Ghislaine Maxwell, a case that was settled in 2017.
– Why have the files been released?
The documents were published following an order by a US judge, who ruled in favour of the media that it was in the public interest for the names of associates, friends and victims of Jeffrey Epstein to no longer be anonymised.
– What is contained in them?
The documents show interviews given under oath by Maxwell, Ms Giuffre and a woman named Johanna Sjoberg. Also included in the files are emails between Epstein and Maxwell, Ms Giuffre and the FBI, and Maxwell and her UK lawyers.
– Who are the key figures named?
The Duke of York features heavily in the documents, as well as former US president Bill Clinton.
Other famous faces include Michael Jackson, Donald
Trump, Stephen Hawking and David Copperfield.
– What was said about the Duke of York?
Court filings from 2014 resurfaced about Prince Andrew allegedly having sex with an underage girl during an “orgy” with other underage girls on Epstein’s private island, named Little St James.
In Ms Sjoberg’s interview under oath she claimed Andrew touched her breast while she and Ms Giuffre were in Epstein’s Manhattan apartment in 2001. Prince Andrew denies any wrongdoing.
– How will the files affect the Duke of York’s reputation?
He was seen on Christmas Day walking from Sandringham to church with members of the royal family, and appeared at the coronation.
He reached a multi-million-pound settlement with Ms Giuffre in 2022 after she claimed he sexually assaulted her when she was 17, but the resurfacing of the allegations are likely to be seen as a setback, potentially jeopardising future public appearances with the royal family.
– What was said about former US presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump?
Mss job erg can be seen saying Epstein had told her mr clinton “likes them young, referring to girls” during her interview under oath. In 2019, Mr Clinton’s spokesman said he knew “nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to” and the pair had not spoken “in over a decade”.
Mr Trump also featured in Ms Sjoberg’s evidence after she said Epstein had called him and visited one of his casinos due to his private plane being diverted.
– What was said about other celebrities in the documents?
Epstein sent an email to Maxwell saying he would be content with rewarding Ms Giuffre’s friends to counter her allegations of wrongdoing after she filed her civil claim – including that Stephen Hawking participated in an underage orgy.
According to Ms Sjoberg, US magician David Copperfield asked her if she was “aware that girls were getting paid to find other girls” and that he performed magic tricks over dinner at one of Epstein’s properties.
– Are more documents expected to be released?
There are still a number of documents yet to be released, with only 40 of about 250 published so far.