75 Women Abused By Epstein Expected To Benefit From Bank Of America Settlement

Lawyers opportunity up to 75 women sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein since 2008 whitethorn beryllium eligible for a $72.5 cardinal fund, portion of a colony Bank of America reached pinch their ineligible representatives.

U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff gave preliminary support Thursday and scheduled a last proceeding for Aug. 27. He besides ordered lawyers to supply a broad database of publications to notify victims, ensuring “nobody is near out.”

The lawsuit alleged that nan slope ignored suspicious financial transactions linked to Epstein while he was abusing women and girls from 2008 until his 2019 apprehension connected national activity trafficking charges.

Epstein died successful a national jailhouse successful August 2019 arsenic he awaited proceedings connected activity trafficking charges. His decease was ruled a suicide. He was known for his connections pinch able and powerful men, and nan lawsuit said he utilized it to his advantage successful his attacks connected women.

The lawsuit, brought connected behalf of a female identified successful tribunal papers only arsenic Jane Doe and “all others likewise situated,” said nan female was surviving successful Russia erstwhile she met Epstein successful 2011 and was “coerced into a cult-like life.”

It said she was paid by Epstein done a Bank of America relationship arsenic she was controlled “financially, emotionally, and psychologically” by Epstein from 2011 done 2019 arsenic he sexually abused her connected astatine slightest 100 occasions, including raping her and forcing her to prosecute sexually pinch different women for his intersexual gratification.

At nan proceeding Thursday, lawyer David Boies said lawyers for nan victims believed betwixt 60 and 75 women will make claims that would make them eligible for payouts from nan colony fund.

He said “there whitethorn beryllium much we haven't identified.”

Rakoff said that “while it’s possibly highly apt that nan victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s monstrous acts tin ne'er beryllium afloat compensated, nan victims are entitled to person conscionable compensation from immoderate personification aliases entity that knowingly, recklessly aliases different unlawfully facilitated his intersexual trafficking.”

In a statement, nan slope said: "While we guidelines by our anterior statements made successful nan filings successful this case, including that Bank of America did not facilitate activity trafficking crimes, this solution allows america to put this matter down america and provides further closure for nan plaintiffs.”