Newly unsealed documents reveal that Jeffrey Epstein's defense team attempted to undermine the credibility of a witness by disclosing her claims that the billionaire had "sex tapes" involving prominent figures, including Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Sir Richard Branson. The allegations were made by Sarah Ransome and were presented to question her credibility, emphasizing her retraction of the claims shortly after making them.
Ransome, who provided a victim impact statement during Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking sentencing, accused Epstein in emails of filming the mentioned individuals engaging in sexual activities. The court received no evidence of the tapes' existence. Ransome also made serious accusations against former US President Donald Trump.
Prince Andrew, facing controversy over his association with Epstein, stepped down from public life and settled a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre accused him of sexual assault, which he denies. The unsealed documents were part of Giuffre's previously settled civil claim against Maxwell.
The documents also included images, including a resurfaced photo of former Labour minister Peter Mandelson with Epstein on Little St James, Epstein's private island. Other pictures featured Maxwell with Jean Luc-Brunel and girls posing for photos on the island in 2006.
Ransome's claims in the emails stated that sex tapes were filmed during separate occasions involving Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Branson. However, her claims were later withdrawn, and she apologized for her statements. A firm representing Epstein's lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, emphasized the lack of credibility in Ransome's testimony, categorically dismissing the allegations.
Virgin Group, representing Branson, called Ransome's claims baseless and unfounded, citing her admission in a 2019 New Yorker report that she had "invented" the tapes. Ransome's emails also targeted Hillary Clinton and Trump, expressing intentions to release the footage and photos to WikiLeaks.
Epstein, who faced sex-trafficking charges, died in jail in 2019, ruled as suicide. Maxwell has been imprisoned since July 2020 on sex trafficking charges.