The FBI’s truncated investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein found no evidence that he trafficked women or girls to other people, and only showed he procured them for himself, bureau Director Kash Patel told Congress on Tuesday.
He said the FBI’s probe was limited to only a few years around the turn of the century, based on a deal led by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, who oversaw the case that led to Epstein pleading guilty to a sex trafficking and sex solicitation charge in state court in exchange for a deal that he not face federal prosecution.
The evidence the FBI developed during that probe didn’t show Epstein procured women for others.
“There is no credible information — none, if there were, I would bring the case yesterday — that he trafficked to other individuals,” Mr. Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He was responding to a question from Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, who asked whom Epstein trafficked “young women” to besides himself.
“Himself,” Mr. Patel said.
Epstein would later be charged again, in 2019, with trafficking juveniles for sex.
He was found dead in his New York City jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial. Investigations have found he took his own life.
His behavior has become a major political flashpoint, with those across the ideological spectrum demanding more information about a hypothesized Epstein “client list.” Some believe it would expose major figures as complicit in his trafficking.
The Justice Department this summer said there is no such client list.
