More than 170 of Jeffrey Epstein’s associates to be named

Virginia Roberts Giuffre has hailed a judge’s decision to unseal documents containing the names of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s associates.

Jeffrey Epstein’s Australia-based accuser has spoken out after a judge ordered the release of hundreds of documents containing the names of more than 170 people with links to the convicted paedophile.

The sealed documents were part of the defamation lawsuit the Virginia Roberts Giuffre made against Epstein’s long-time confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. The case was settled in 2017 but The Miami Herald sued to get the documents made public.

New York federal judge Loretta Preska on Monday ordered hundreds of files be “unsealed in full” on January 1 meaning 177 individuals linked to the lawsuit previously referred to as “Jane Does” or “John Does” will likely be identified publicly.

They include material related to Johanna Sjoberg, who has accused Prince Andrew of groping her breasts at Epstein’s New York mansion in 2001. According to The Sun, 40 documents could reveal additional details of Ms Sjoberg’s encounters with Andrew.

Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein Picture: Handout / US District Court for the Southern District of New York / AFP

Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Picture: Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

On Monday night, Giuffre broke her silence by taking to X to declare “Merry early Christmas”.

She continued: “Dozens of Jeffrey Epstein associates, victims likely to publicly ID’d in court docs in coming weeks- thank you and many blessings for Judge Preska. A truth seeker & justice maker.”

In a separate post, Giuffre continued: “Finally we are hearing members of the US government senators about the need for transparency and a call to arms for accountability!! There’s going to be a lot of nervous ppl over Christmas and New Years, 170 to be exact, who’s on the naughty list? This would t be possible without the Honourable Judge Preska.”

The judge has given those individuals 14 days to appeal the decision, according to the order.

The ruling does not name anyone specific but it does refer to a number of individuals as being a “public figure”, including an individual who is referred to in Epstein’s notorious little black book.

Others are individuals that have previously spoken about their working relationships with Epstein – or how they were abused by him.

The judge spared the names of a number of underage individuals because they were alleged victims of sexual abuse.

The documents are set to shed more light on Epstein’s sex trafficking of women and girls in New York, New Mexico, the US Virgin Islands and elsewhere.

Giuffre alleged in her lawsuit that Maxwell recruited her at the age of 16 to serve Epstein sexually. She also accused Maxwell and Epstein of directing her, between 2000 to 2002, to have sex with a number of their prominent associates, most famously Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations and attacked Giuffre’s credibility and motives. He agreed to settle a sexual assault lawsuit from Giuffre last year for an undisclosed sum.

Maxwell was jailed for 20 years in 2021 after she was found guilty of sex trafficking and procuring for Epstein.

Epstein took his own life in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.