Epstein Survivor to Newsmax: DOJ Must Protect Victims in File Release

Annie Farmer, whose testimony helped convict Jeffrey Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell on sex trafficking charges, told Newsmax on Wednesday that the Department of Justice must follow the law governing redactions in publicly released Epstein-related records.

Farmer testified that she accepted an invitation to Epstein's New Mexico ranch in 1996, hoping Maxwell and Epstein would help her with academic pursuits.

Instead, she said, Maxwell massaged her breasts and Epstein climbed into her bed without permission.

On "American Agenda," Farmer said she and other survivors were dissatisfied with the DOJ's release of about 3 million documents related to Epstein, who died in August 2019 in federal custody while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

She said the department did not comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which bars redactions "on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."

The law permits redactions of victims' personally identifiable information, certain medical and personal files, child sexual abuse materials, and information that could jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution.

"There were full pages of names of survivors that were completely unredacted or with one redaction, and some of these were minors at the time that these crimes were committed against them, who had remained Jane Does and never been exposed before," she said.

"In addition to that, we have learned that there were photos, actually nude photos, of girls and young women that were released by our government.

"And so, these kinds of things, I think it's hard for people to understand just how damaging that can be."

Farmer said that some survivors overseas have been harassed after their names became public when the documents were released and that "this is not how victims of crimes should be treated."

"There are protocols in place to protect them for a reason," she said.

"And we need answers about why that was allowed to happen. ... We felt so proud about the bipartisan legislation that we helped to pass and the support that we got on both sides of the aisle.

"And that Transparency Act was very clear in saying that predators should not be protected, but victims and survivors should.

"We really want the DOJ to follow the letter of the law here and to remove the redactions that are still in place for people that were involved in these crimes."

Farmer's sister, Maria Farmer, has alleged that Epstein and Maxwell also sexually abused her.

In a federal lawsuit filed in May, she said the FBI ignored her allegations of sexual abuse and her warning that they "committed multiple serious sex crimes" against girls, including Annie Farmer, who was a minor at the time.

The complaint further alleged that Epstein stole nude and partially nude photos of two of her minor sisters, whom he transported across state lines.

He and others also engaged in "possession, production, and distribution of sexually lascivious or exploitative images of children," which could constitute child pornography.

"We're looking for accountability, and that means individuals that were involved in criminal activities should be investigated and prosecuted, if appropriate," Annie Farmer said.

"We're also seeing that there are individuals that are facing more sort of social and professional losses at this time as their connections to Epstein are exposed.

"And I think that that's a really important piece as well because these are not people that I think any of us want to be trusting our children's education to or our healthcare decisions to if they were willing to look the other way on pedophilia.

"We were not only harmed by these perpetrators, but many of us feel like we were harmed by the system. And it's been decades long, as we've said, across administrations."

"And so that's why my sister Maria's lawsuit is so important, highlighting the negligence of the government so that we can make sure that this doesn't happen to survivors again in the future," she said.

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