Deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was assisted by the former first lady of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) in his alleged sex trafficking operation, a new set of court filings claim.
Epstein’s emails with former USVI first lady Cecile de Jongh were released by banking giant JPMorgan as part of its legal battle against the USVI about Epstein’s connections to both parties, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Thursday.
My latest: New documents released Thursday night provide more details about disgraced sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s behavior leading up to his death in a New York City prison @DailyCaller https://t.co/QyBwK5Ww4g
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) June 2, 2023
“Plaintiff Government of the United States Virgin Islands (‘USVI’) is complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein could have lived anywhere in the world. He chose USVI. Discovery obtained in this case reveals why. For two decades, Epstein maintained a quid pro quo relationship with USVI’s highest ranking officials,” the filings assert. (RELATED: Jeffrey Epstein’s Behavior In Prison Leading Up To His Death Revealed By New Documents)
De Jongh is being accused of facilitating visas and English classes for Epstein’s alleged victims and the territory’s government is accused of being aware of Epstein’s alleged crimes. She allegedly worked for the disgraced financier in as early as 2000 and got paid more than $100,000 annually to handle his business operations and navigate immigration law, the court filings show.
De Jongh allegedly sought political donations from Epstein and helped him navigate the island’s political landscape. She convinced him to donate money to her husband and his political allies, including a $15,000 donation to then-USVI Governor De Jongh’s “Special Events Fund,” the filings outline.
“It is important to me that you know that I take this job, my management of your team and our implementation of your requests very seriously and that they be done in the most confidential of ways,” she allegedly wrote to Epstein in 2014. (RELATED: Why Hasn’t Anyone From Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Little Black Book’ Been Arrested Yet?)
USVI filed a lawsuit against the bank in December 2022 for allegedly aiding Epstein’s sex trafficking by keeping him as a client. JPMorgan also settled a lawsuit in June with Epstein victims who accused the bank of enabling Epstein.
“JPMorgan Chase has cherry-picked and mischaracterized Epstein’s interactions with U.S. Virgin Islands officials and residents in an attempt to distract and shift blame away from its role in facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous crimes,” a spokesperson for the USVI attorney general told WSJ. De Jongh did not respond to WSJ’s request for comment.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution in Florida and left prison a year later. He relocated to the USVI in 2010 and registered as a sex offender, the filings read.
He was charged by federal prosecutors for sex trafficking in July 2019 and found dead in his prison cell a little over a month later. Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022 for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
Epstein’s infamous Little St. James island was taken by the territory in a $105 million settlement with his estate announced in December 2022. The island was later sold to an investor who hopes to turn it into a resort.