Unsealed Jeffrey Epstein documents: What this means for his friends

On Thursday, a federal judge in Manhattan ordered documents from an old lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell unsealed. These documents have to do with a civil suit brought against Maxwell by Virginia Robers-Guiffre, one of Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. 

Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly ran a sex trafficking ring, along with Jeffrey Epstein. According to victims, she and Epstein recruited underage girls to perform massages on Epstein and his rich & powerful friends. Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial, but there’s speculation that he was murdered in prison. 

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently awaiting trial in a New York detention facility for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. Her attorneys argue that releasing the depositions to the public will impact her chances at a fair trial. Let’s take a look at who the documents will implicate and what they can do. 

Where did the documents come from? 

The depositions being released are mainly from a lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell by one of her victims, Virginia Roberts-Guiffre. Guiffre claims she was sexually abused by Maxwell & Jeffrey Epstein, escaping after they tried forcing her to be a surrogate. 

Ghislaine Maxwell called Guiffre a liar when the allegations were made, so Guiffre filed a defamation suit against Maxwell. The case was extensive but very secretive. The records of the case were sealed and it ended up being settled out of court. 

Which documents will be unsealed? 

There are thousands of pages of legal documents and testimony from the lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell. Currently, the ones the judge is ordering released are the depositions against Maxwell and one concerning the identity of John Doe 1, presumably one of the many people alleged to be Jeffrey Epstein’s clients. 

Who is John Doe 1? 

The biggest speculation from the Ghislaine Maxwell unsealed documents is who John Doe 1 is. Given Virginia Guiffre’s allegations against Prince Andrew, Duke of York, people are guessing it’s him. 

Another possibility for John Doe 1 is Harvard professor emeritus, legal scholar, and attorney Alan Derschowitz. Virginia Roberts-Guiffre implicated him in her testimony as one of Epstein’s clients. Derschowitz fired back, saying the allegations were untrue. Both Derschowitz and Roberts-Guiffre sued each other in court for libel. 

So far, only two people have been notified about the release of the documents in the Ghislaine Maxwell case. 

Will the documents impact Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial

Ghislaine Maxwell’s attorneys are appealing the release of the testimony. They’re arguing it will impact their client’s chances of a fair trial. They’re concerned if the public sees it, finding an impartial jury for Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial will be nearly impossible. 

According to experts, this is a common claim defense attorneys use when they’re spearheading a high profile case. Public opinion can sway jurors. However, it’s rarely admissible because there are people out there who don’t follow cases like Ghislaine Maxwell’s closely. 

Will they impact people named in the deposition? 

Currently, the release of the documents are being appealed, so they won’t be available anytime soon, or even ever. If they are released, they could ruin the reputation of rich, powerful men who previously didn’t come forward. They could also uncover if any of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s named associates were truthful. 

Even if they’re not released, the people named in the deposition could be called to testify in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial. There’s already controversy and speculation about whether or not Prince Andrew will appear to testify in the US if he is summoned. 

Of all the reputations this could sink, Ghislaine Maxwell has the most to worry about. While her reputation is already stained by being involved in sex trafficking, it could get worse. The deposition details Ghislaine Maxwell’s private sexual history. It also uncovers that she was married a few years ago and reveals her mystery spouse’s identity.