Farmer says that Epstein flew her to New Mexico for an ‘educational trip,’ where he tried to molest her.
Annie Farmer and her attorneys are suing the estate of the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell after being accused of child sex trafficking.
The Associated Press reports that Annie Farmer—who confronted Epstein at his bail hearing—filed the suit on Tuesday. She claims that Epstein inappropriately touched her when she was 16 years old. Her sister, Maria Farmer, is also suing the Epstein estate.
Another claim from an Ohio woman, Teresa Helm, was also recorded in court Tuesday.
Epstein, recounts the A.P., was arrested in July. Charged with sex trafficking, prosecutors claimed that Epstein had repeatedly assaulted numerous young women and teenage girls from the early 2000s onward. He used his money and influence to procure often-underage adolescents for various illegal, sexual services, with crimes taking place at his $77 million Manhattan mansion and another ‘opulent’ property in Palm Beach, Florida.
And it wasn’t the first time Epstein had been accused of targeting underage girls. He’d previously been accused and convicted of procuring a 14-year old for prostitution in Florida. Epstein was convicted and placed on a sex offender registry but only served 13 months behind bars. During that time, he was provided extensive work release.
At Epstein’s bail hearing, Farmer described the billionaire as predatory and unrepentant. Now in her 40s, Farmer says she first met Epstein in New York when she was 16 years old and in a financially difficult situation. After being introduced to Epstein, he flew Farmer to New Mexico, where the two spent some time together. Farmer claimed then that the liaison was inappropriate but did not elaborate.
Her lawsuit, though, provides some added information. Once, it says, Epstein took Annie Farmer and her sister, Maria, to a movie in New York. Epstein sat between the two women so that Maria couldn’t see that he was molesting her sister.
And when Epstein invited Annie to New Mexico, he posited it as an educational trip. Only after she arrived did she learn that she was the only student there. Her suit alleges that, one morning, she woke up to find Epstein trying to crawl into her bed, saying he wanted to “cuddle.” With Farmer reluctant, Epstein tried to pin her against the bed, thrusting his body at hers.
Farmer eventually freed herself and ran to the bathroom.
Other women suing the Epstein estate have recounted similar stories. Juliette Bryant—described as ‘an aspiring model from South Africa’ by the New York Daily News—first met Epstein in 2002, when she was 20 years old. An acquaintance of Epstein, then working as a model and actress, invited Bryant to meet the man, who she described as the “King of America.”
After being introduced to Epstein, Bryant was provided some assistance to move to New York and start her career. But instead of being given work, she was quickly flown to Epstein’s home in the Virgin Islands and repeatedly raped.
Epstein allegedly controlled Bryant—and others—with threats of violence and incarceration. Bryant’s suit says that, days after arriving to the U.S., Epstein “told her that when another woman had accused him of rape, he planted drugs in the woman’s apartment and had her sent to prison.”
The Associated Press and New York Daily News both say that attorneys for Epstein’s estate declined or otherwise did not respond to requests to comment.
Sources
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