New Mexico legislators launch investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's secluded ranch

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State legislators successful New Mexico launched an probe Tuesday into past enactment astatine a secluded godforsaken ranch wherever financier and enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein erstwhile entertained guests, and whether section authorities looked the different way.

A bipartisan, four-member sheet of authorities House representatives are investigating allegations that the ranch whitethorn person facilitated intersexual maltreatment and enactment trafficking. New Mexico lawmakers besides accidental they privation to cognize wherefore Epstein was not registered arsenic a enactment offender aft pleading blameworthy successful 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage miss and whether determination was corruption among nationalist officials.

Democratic authorities Rep. Marianna Anaya of Albuquerque, a subordinate of the information commission, urged radical to travel guardant with accusation astir immoderate maltreatment astatine the ranch linked to Epstein and different radical who made it possible, astatine a quality league Tuesday.

“That perpetrator could not enactment alone. They could not tally a enactment ringing alone, they could not perpetrate these types of fiscal crimes alone. So we cognize arsenic a committee that enablers indispensable besides beryllium held accountable, including the authorities itself, if needed,” said Anaya . "If you bash privation to share, we’ll beryllium present and we volition beryllium operating with confidentiality.”

Revelations of ties to Epstein person led to the departure oregon ousting of aggregate high-profile radical successful caller days.

Epstein purchased the sprawling Zorro Ranch successful New Mexico successful 1993 from erstwhile Democratic Gov. Bruce King and built a 26,700-square-foot (2,480-square-meter) hilltop mansion with a backstage runway. The spot was sold by Epstein’s property successful 2023, with proceeds going to creditors.

Epstein killed himself successful a Manhattan jailhouse portion awaiting proceedings successful 2019 connected charges that helium sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.

Truth committee chairwoman and authorities Rep. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe has said that respective survivors of Epstein’s maltreatment person signaled that enactment trafficking enactment extended to the ranch, which is astir 35 miles (56 kilometers) southbound of Santa Fe.

“We’ve heard years of allegations and rumors astir Epstein’s activities here. But unfortunately, national investigations person failed to enactment unneurotic an authoritative record,” Romero said Tuesday. “This information committee volition yet capable successful the gaps of what we request to know.”

Commission members besides see retired FBI cause and Republican authorities Rep. William Hall of Aztec and erstwhile territory lawyer and Rep. Andrea Reeb of Clovis. State House legislators who were contiguous voted unanimously connected Monday to make the committee with subpoena powerfulness and a fund of implicit $2 million.

While Epstein ne'er faced charges successful New Mexico, the authorities lawyer general’s bureau successful 2019 confirmed that it was investigating and had interviewed imaginable victims who visited the ranch.

In 2023, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez ordered an probe into fiscal businesses utilized by Epstein and their ineligible obligations, resulting successful agreements with 2 banks that dedicate $17 cardinal to the prevention of quality trafficking, according to a spokesperson for Torrez's office.

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