Epstein survivor learns after 30 years from released FBI files what happened to her 1996 complaint

The release of tens of thousands of files from investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has confirmed that a former employee tipped off the FBI in 1996 – a decade before the agency investigated the financier, writes The Independent

“We've waited 30 years,” Maria Farmer told The New York Times after the Justice Department released the files on Friday. Among the documents was Farmer's report to the Bureau, which is believed to be the first time anyone made a complaint about Epstein to law enforcement.

Farmer, who accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of sexual assault in a 2019 lawsuit, said she faced threats and accusations that she made up her own story for years.

The FBI has never publicly acknowledged the report. The Independent has contacted the FBI for comment.

The document reveals that Farmer, an artist, warned in 1996 that Epstein had stolen photos she had taken of her 12- and 16-year-old sisters and claims she may have sold the photos to buyers.

Farmer told the Times that the photos included nude images. The actress also alleged in the complaint that Epstein at one point asked her to take photos of young girls at swimming pools and later threatened to set Farmer's house on fire if she told anyone about the photos.

Farmer filed a lawsuit against the FBI in May in Washington, DC, claiming it did “absolutely nothing” to stop Epstein until it was too late. The bureau did not begin investigating the financier until 2006.

“The FBI, in violation of its mandatory obligations under Department of Justice regulations and policies, chose to do absolutely nothing,” the complaint states.

Farmer said he tried to urge federal officials to investigate Epstein's ties to powerful people such as former President Bill Clinton and President Donald Trump. While both are known to have socialized with Epstein — and been photographed with him — neither has been charged with wrongdoing.

Farmer claims she met Trump in 1995 in Epstein's Manhattan office and that the real estate mogul looked at her bare feet.

“President Trump has never been in office [lui Epstein]White House communications director Steven Cheung said of the claim. “The truth is the president kicked him out of his club because he was weird.”
Farmer's sister, Annie Farmer, claims she was invited to Epstein's ranch in New Mexico when she was 16, where she said Epstein climbed into bed with her to “cuddle” and Maxwell gave her a massage in which he stroked her bare chest.

Maxwell is serving 20 years in prison for sexual abuse. Dozens of Epstein survivors have pressed the government to release more documents, following Friday's tranche of heavily redacted material. Officials will release more documents in the coming weeks as part of the release, according to the Justice Department.