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| US Attorney General William Barr has said "serious irregularities" have been uncovered at the prison Jeffrey Epstein died while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges (AFP Photo/MANDEL NGAN) |
US Attorney General William Barr has said "serious irregularities" have been uncovered at the prison Jeffrey Epstein died while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges (AFP Photo/MANDEL NGAN)
New York
(AFP) - US Attorney General Bill Barr said Monday there were "serious
irregularities" at the jail where Jeffrey Epstein died of an apparent
suicide, and pledged to pursue any co-conspirators in the sex trafficking case.
"I was
appalled and indeed the whole department was, and frankly angry, to learn of
the Metropolitan Correctional Center's failure to adequately secure this
prison," Barr told reporters.
"We
are now learning of serious irregularities at this facility that are deeply
concerning and demand a thorough investigation.
"The
FBI and office of the inspector general are doing just that. We will get to the
bottom of what happened and there will be accountability," he added.
Barr's
comments came after media reports said Epstein, 66, had been taken off suicide
watch following an apparent attempt to take his own life last month.
US
newspapers also reported that prison guards were working overtime due to major
staff shortages at the facility and that Epstein had been left without a
cellmate, which was against protocol.
Epstein, a
convicted pedophile who hobnobbed with countless politicians and celebrities
over the years, was found dead in his cell Saturday while awaiting trial on
federal charges he trafficked underage girls for sex.
The
discovery came a day after a court released documents in which one of Epstein's
alleged victims said she was forced to have sex with well-known American
political and business personalities.
Even though
Epstein's death ended his criminal prosecution, Barr said prosecutors would
pursue cases against anyone else involved in his alleged crimes.
"Let
me assure you this case will continue on against anyone who was complicit with
Epstein. Any co-conspirators should not rest easy. The victims deserve justice
and they will get it," he said.
Epstein had
been charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of
conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
Sexual
massages
Prosecutors
said Epstein sexually exploited dozens of underage teens, some as young as 14,
at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, between 2002 and 2005.
The young
women were paid hundreds of dollars in cash to massage him, perform sexual acts
and to recruit other girls, prosecutors alleged.
Epstein,
who faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted, denied the charges.
In
testimony released Friday, alleged victim Virginia Giuffre said she was used as
a "sex slave" by Epstein and farmed out to some of his high-profile
associates.
Giuffre,
now 36, has alleged she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew, former US
Senator and architect of the Northern Irish peace deal George Mitchell, ex-New
Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and American celebrity lawyer Alan Dershowitz.
They have all
strenuously denied the allegations.
Giuffre
says she was recruited and abused by Epstein's friend Ghislaine Maxwell, an
English socialite whose father was former British newspaper baron Robert
Maxwell. Maxwell has accused Giuffre of being a liar.
Giuffre
also says she was sent to a French businessman. Two French government ministers
called for an investigation Monday.
Epstein,
whose friends also included Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, had been convicted
in 2008 in a Florida state court of paying young girls for sexual massages at
his Palm Beach mansion.
Epstein
served just 13 months in jail over the Florida charges a decade ago under a
plea deal struck by the then federal prosecutor in the state, Alex Acosta, who
was forced to resign as US labor secretary last month over the issue.
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