Jeffrey Epstein kept a fake passport in a safe filled with diamonds and piles of cash, prosecutors have claimed, as they argued before a judge on Monday to keep the registered sex offender behind bars ahead of his trial.
Epstein, 66, will find out on Thursday whether he will be granted bail. His lawyers argue that he can remain under house arrest in his $77 million (£62m) Upper East Side mansion, on a $100 million bail, as he awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking of minors. They have offered to forfeit his passport and private jet.
Prosecutors argue that Epstein, a well-connected financier who counted Prince Andrew, Donald Trump and Bill Clinton among his former friends, poses a significant flight risk.
They presented the expired passport, featuring Epstein’s photo, a fake name and a given home address in Saudi Arabia, as evidence of his likelihood of escaping.
They also brought forward two of his accusers to testify of their fears of him being released.
Annie Farmer said she was 16 when she “had the misfortune” of meeting Epstein, and later went to spend time with him in New Mexico. She tearfully told the court that he behaved inappropriately, but did not give details.
Courtney Wild said she was abused by Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida, from the age of 14.
She described him as a “scary person” and urged detention “for the safety of any other girls” out there.
In the bail memorandum, prosecutors said a search of his New York residence uncovered “an extraordinary volume of photographs of nude and partially nude young women or girls,” some of which “appear to be of underage girls.”
Prosecutors said their case is getting “stronger by the day” after several more women contacted them in recent days to say he abused them when they were underage.
They also said they believe Epstein might have tried to influence witnesses after discovering that he had paid a total of $350,000 to two individuals, including a former employee, in the last year.
Judge Richard Berman said he needed more time to make a decision during a hearing Monday in New York.
Since his arrest on July 7, Epstein has been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Manhattan – a jail currently housing Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who will be sentenced on Wednesday.
Source: Jeffrey Epstein had fake passport with Saudi Arabian address
