What is document EFTA00029425?

This is an internal email chain from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York sent on November 28-29, 2021, the night before and morning of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial opening. It rallies SDNY staff to attend and support the prosecution team.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell as the defendant, references Prince Andrew's Plaza (the SDNY office location at One Saint Andrew's Plaza), and includes staff names like 'Drescher, Sunny' who appears to be a contractor. The sender and some recipients' names are redacted.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the internal culture and confidence of the SDNY prosecution team on the eve of the Maxwell trial. It contains a notable jab at Florida prosecutors who gave Epstein a lenient plea deal in 2008, declaring 'If you want to find' prosecutors afraid of old cases, 'you'll have to go to Florida.' It also shows the high-profile nature of the trial with multiple overflow courtrooms arranged for spectators.

What was the outcome of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial?

The trial ran from November 29 to December 29, 2021. Maxwell was convicted on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. She was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on June 28, 2022.

What is the significance of the Florida reference in this email?

The email's pointed reference to Florida is a direct criticism of the controversial 2008 plea deal that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to plead to state prostitution charges rather than face federal sex trafficking charges. That deal, negotiated by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, was later found to have violated victims' rights and became a major scandal when Acosta was nominated as Labor Secretary in 2017.

What is document EFTA00029425?

This is an internal email chain from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York sent on November 28-29, 2021, the night before and morning of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial opening. It rallies SDNY staff to attend and support the prosecution team.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell as the defendant, references Prince Andrew's Plaza (the SDNY office location at One Saint Andrew's Plaza), and includes staff names like 'Drescher, Sunny' who appears to be a contractor. The sender and some recipients' names are redacted.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the internal culture and confidence of the SDNY prosecution team on the eve of the Maxwell trial. It contains a notable jab at Florida prosecutors who gave Epstein a lenient plea deal in 2008, declaring 'If you want to find' prosecutors afraid of old cases, 'you'll have to go to Florida.' It also shows the high-profile nature of the trial with multiple overflow courtrooms arranged for spectators.

What was the outcome of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial?

The trial ran from November 29 to December 29, 2021. Maxwell was convicted on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. She was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on June 28, 2022.

What is the significance of the Florida reference in this email?

The email's pointed reference to Florida is a direct criticism of the controversial 2008 plea deal that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to plead to state prostitution charges rather than face federal sex trafficking charges. That deal, negotiated by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, was later found to have violated victims' rights and became a major scandal when Acosta was nominated as Labor Secretary in 2017.

EFTA00029425

An internal DOJ email from the eve of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial (November 28-29, 2021) rallying federal prosecutors and staff to support the opening day of United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell in the Southern District of New York.

This is an internal email chain within the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York sent the night before and morning of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial opening. An Assistant U.S. Attorney sent a rousing message to prosecutors, paralegals, and investigators encouraging them to attend the trial opening on November 29, 2021. The email contains logistical details about courtroom locations at 40 Foley Square, including overflow rooms, and reveals the prosecution team's confidence and determination to hold Maxwell accountable for crimes dating back to 1994.

Key Highlights

•Internal DOJ email sent hours before the historic Maxwell trial opening on November 29, 2021
•Contains a powerful internal rallying cry: 'There are prosecutors who would be afraid to charge a case that would require them to prove sex crimes that took place in 1994. If you want to find them, you'll have to go to Florida. This is the Southern District of New York.'
•References the failed Florida prosecution under then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta that gave Epstein a lenient 2008 plea deal
•Provides specific courtroom logistics at 40 Foley Square (main courtroom 318, overflow rooms 110, 506, 905, 906)
•Reveals trial was expected to begin at 8:30 a.m. with peremptory challenges followed by opening statements

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

The Spider: Inside the Tangled Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

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

Document Information

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EFTA00029425

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Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00029425

From: To: ' Subject: RE: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell -- Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2021 01:55:11 +0000 opens Thanks,M From: Sent: Sunda November 28 2021 10:19 AM To: ; Drescher, Sunny (USANYS) [Contractor] Subject: RE: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell - opens Good Luck team!!! From: Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2021 9:59 AM To: USANYS-CRIMINAL AUSAS <[email protected]>• USANYS-CRIMINAL PARALEGALS <USANYS- CRI [email protected]>; USANYS-INVESTIGATORS<[email protected]> Cc: Subject: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell --'pens There are prosecutors who would be afraid to charge a case that would require them to prove sex crimes that took place in 1994. If you want to find them, you'll have to go to Florida. This is the Southern District of New York. It is never too late for justice. Sometimes, you just have to have faith in the power of the truth and hope twelve jurors will do the right thing. At this trial, brave women will take the witness stand and the truth will come out: Ghislaine Maxwell sexually exploited underage girls. She caused unspeakable harm to vulnerable kids. It is time to hold her accountable. will open in the morning. Please come support. Details below. Updates to follow. Main courtroom: 40 Foley, courtroom 318 Overflow courtrooms: 110, 506, 905, and 906. There is also a conference room on the first floor (room 130) that has a very small monitor with a live feed just for our office. Timing: we'll start at 8:30 a.m. with peremptory challenges, and we expect to go straight to preliminary instructions and opening statements. In order to get a seat, we'd recommend that you go over early. Assistant United States Attorney Southern District of New York One Saint Andrew's Plaza New York, NY 10007 EFTA00029425