Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Jeffrey Epstein (referred to as a 'serial predator'), Safe Horizon (the victim services organization hosting the event), and references 'Ariel' who appears to have introduced the speaker. The speaker is Geoffrey Berman, then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals that as of January 2020, the SDNY was actively continuing its investigation into Epstein's co-conspirators following his August 2019 suicide. Berman emphasized that the prosecution relied on the courage of victims who came forward years after their abuse, and that the new Child Victims Act would help law enforcement identify and prosecute predators.

What was the Child Victims Act mentioned in this speech?

The Child Victims Act (CVA) was enacted in New York on January 28, 2019. It extended the statute of limitations for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, allowing criminal felony charges until age 28 and civil lawsuits until age 55. It also created a one-year 'look-back window' starting August 14, 2019, allowing survivors to sue regardless of when the abuse occurred.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Jeffrey Epstein (referred to as a 'serial predator'), Safe Horizon (the victim services organization hosting the event), and references 'Ariel' who appears to have introduced the speaker. The speaker is Geoffrey Berman, then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals that as of January 2020, the SDNY was actively continuing its investigation into Epstein's co-conspirators following his August 2019 suicide. Berman emphasized that the prosecution relied on the courage of victims who came forward years after their abuse, and that the new Child Victims Act would help law enforcement identify and prosecute predators.

What was the Child Victims Act mentioned in this speech?

The Child Victims Act (CVA) was enacted in New York on January 28, 2019. It extended the statute of limitations for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, allowing criminal felony charges until age 28 and civil lawsuits until age 55. It also created a one-year 'look-back window' starting August 14, 2019, allowing survivors to sue regardless of when the abuse occurred.

EFTA00020574 - EFTA00020575

This is a transcript of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman's speech at a Safe Horizon press conference on January 27, 2020, discussing the Child Victims Act and the federal prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.

Document EFTA00020574 contains remarks delivered by Geoffrey S. Berman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, at an event hosted by Safe Horizon—the nation's largest victim services organization. The speech commemorates New York's Child Victims Act, which extended statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors. Berman explicitly references the SDNY's criminal sex trafficking charges against Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a 'serial predator,' and confirms that while Epstein committed suicide before trial, the investigation into his co-conspirators continues.

Key Highlights

•Geoffrey Berman confirms SDNY's investigation into Epstein's co-conspirators was ongoing after Epstein's death
•Speech given at Safe Horizon, the country's largest victim services organization
•Berman calls Epstein a 'serial predator' in official remarks
•The Child Victims Act gave survivors new opportunities to pursue justice regardless of how long ago abuse occurred

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

The Little Mermaid: The Story of Ariel

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00020574 - EFTA00020575

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00020574

Thank you, Ariel. As a result of this new law, victims of childhood sexual abuse whose voices were never heard and whose stories were never told have now been given a new chance to come forward, to share their experiences, and to vindicate their rights; All of these goals are wholeheartedly shared by our Office, which is committed to using the federal criminal law to the maximum extent possible to investigate and prosecute those who sexually abuse and traffic minors. As many of you know, several months ago our Office brought criminal sex trafficking charges against Jeffrey Epstein, a serial predator. To bring that prosecution, we relied on the courage of many young women who were victimized as minors and who were willing -- years after their abuse — to share their stories. And while Epstein committed suicide before he could face trial, our investigation into his co-conspirators continues. I have said publicly before, we can only do the work we do with the assistance of victims willing to come forward. By providing victims of childhood sexual abuse with a new opportunity to be heard, this law marks not only an important step for victims' rights but will help facilitate the work of law EFTA00020574

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enforcement in identifying and prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable. I want to thank Safe Horizon for inviting me to this important event. As the country's largest victim services organization, Safe Horizon provides support on a daily basis to victims of human trafficking, sexual assault, and child exploitation. This work is incredibly important -- and incredibly challenging. Our Office knows that it takes great courage for victims of trafficking and assault to report their experiences to law enforcement. It also takes coordination, trust, and partnerships between service providers like Safe Horizon and prosecutors. For years, our Office has received case referrals from Safe Horizon and we look forward to continuing our partnership to hold traffickers and predators accountable and to seek justice for victims of violence. EFTA00020575