Victims of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein are furious that they will not get their day in court, after the millionaire financier’s death in a Manhattan jail cell on Saturday.
The 66-year-old was arrested in July and was being held without bail on dozens of charges relating to the trafficking of dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14.
He was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday morning and transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His apparent cause of death was suicide.
Since news of his death broke, a number of his accusers have spoken out, angry that they have been denied justice.
Jennifer Araoz, who accused the millionaire of sexually assaulting her at the age of 15 after “recruiting’ her outside a New York City high school, said in a statement:
“I am angry Jeffrey Epstein won’t have to face his survivors of his abuse in court. We have to live with the scars of his actions for the rest of our lives, while he will never face the consequences of the crimes he committed, the pain and trauma he caused so many people. Epstein is gone, but justice must still be served. I hope the authorities will pursue and prosecute his accomplices and enablers, and ensure redress for his victims.”
Civil rights lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents an unnamed accuser, released a statement on her client’s behalf,saying:
“I will never have a sense of closure now. I’m angry as hell that the prison could have allowed this to happen.”
Us Attorney General William Barr said he was “appalled” to learn of the situation, adding: “Mr Epstein’s death raises serious questions that must be answered.”
