NEW YORK: Jeffrey Epstein’s estate was sued on Wednesday by the US Virgin Islands, which claimed that the late financier sexually abused and trafficked in dozens of young women and girls on his private Caribbean island.
The complaint expands the scope of alleged misconduct by Epstein, who died on Aug 10 at age 66 by hanging himself in a Manhattan jail cell.
Epstein had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of abusing women and girls between 2002 and 2005.
The Virgin Islands said his misconduct was much more extensive, continuing to as recently as 2018 and involving girls as young as 11 or 12.
Its lawsuit seeks to recoup damages from Epstein’s estimated US$577.7 million estate after he, with the help of alleged accomplices, “trafficked, raped, sexually assaulted and held captive underage girls and young women” at his Virgin Islands properties.
A lawyer for the estate and its executors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.