Lois Frankel asks for investigation<\/strong><\/p>\nAs evidence, his attorney, Jack Scarola, pointed out that Congress is now eyeing the unprecedented deal federal prosecutors gave Epstein in 2009.<\/p>\n
At a press conference after the settlement was announced, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, said she and 11 of her colleagues have asked the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether any policies were violated when federal prosecutors agreed not to pursue Epstein, who was then represented by various celebrity attorneys, including Alan Dershowitz, Jay Lefkowitz, Roy Black and Ken Starr. If Inspector General Michael Horowitz declines to investigate, Frankel said she would ask a House committee to do so.<\/p>\n
The investigation, Frankel said, would focus on former South Florida U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, who signed off on the so-called non-prosecution agreement. Acosta is now U.S. Secretary of Labor.<\/p>\n
Instead of facing federal charges that could put him behind bars for years, Epstein was allowed to plead guilty to two state charges \u2014 solicitation of a minor for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution. He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence in a vacant wing of the county stockade \u2014 a cell he was allowed to leave 16 hours a day, six days a week.<\/p>\n
Barry Krischer, who was Palm Beach County State Attorney when the deal was cut, said he allowed federal prosecutors to take the lead on Epstein\u2019s prosecution. \u201cThe case we had was not as serious as the one the feds had developed with him transporting young women in a plane across state lines,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Still, he voiced frustration that the case was still coming back to haunt him. \u201cThe case is 15 years old. The feds handled it,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankel said she wants answers. Epstein could have provided information in another federal case, she said. In a decade-old confidential memo made public in May, the FBI hinted as much. \u201cEpstein has also provided information to the FBI as agreed upon,\u201d it wrote, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Frankel summed up her questions this way: \u201cDo we have what I call a serial child molester because of his wealth and his connections and that\u2019s the reason for the cover up or did he in fact provide some type of serious information on some other ongoing investigation?\u201d<\/p>\n
Even without Congressional help, Edwards and Scarola said pending litigation could force federal prosecutors to reopen the long-closed investigation.<\/p>\n
In a lawsuit filed in 2008 in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, Edwards accused Acosta\u2019s former office of violating the federal Crime Victims Right Act by not telling Epstein\u2019s victims about the plea deal before it was inked.<\/p>\n
For months, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra has been considering final arguments from Edwards and federal prosecutors. It is unknown when he might rule.<\/p>\n
Court papers show Epstein paid 3 women $5.5M<\/strong><\/p>\nIn court papers, prosecutors have said the deal was the best way to assure Epstein was punished. The women, who changed their stories, weren\u2019t reliable witnesses, they said. Most importantly, they said, as part of the agreement, they forced Epstein to agree to pay roughly 30 young women who sued him over the alleged abuse.<\/p>\n
While the settlements were confidential, in court papers Edwards revealed that Epstein paid three of the women he represented a total of $5.5 million.<\/p>\n
The case that was set for trial on Tuesday had a circuitous history. It began in 2009 as a clash between two of the players in the biggest scandals to rock South Florida in a decade when Epstein sued convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.<\/p>\n
In the lawsuit, Epstein claimed Rothstein and Edwards, who worked for Rothstein\u2019s Fort Lauderdale law firm, represented the young women as part of the $1.2 billion swindle. Rothstein, who is serving a 50- year sentence, admitted he concocted phony settlements in celebrity-studded cases to lure investors.<\/p>\n
After Rothstein was sentenced, Epstein dropped his suit against Edwards. However, Edwards responded by filing a malicious prosecution suit against Epstein. He claimed Epstein was using the court system to punish him for seeking justice for the young women.<\/p>\n
In his apology, Epstein admitted as much.<\/p>\n
Epstein apologizes in a statement<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThe lawsuit I filed was my unreasonable attempt to damage his business reputation and cause Mr. Edwards to stop pursing cases against me,\u201d Epstein said in the statement that was read by his attorney Scott Link. \u201cIt did not work. Despite my efforts, he continued to do an excellent job for his clients and, through his relentless pursuit, he held me responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am now admitting that I was wrong and that the things I said to try to harm Mr. Edwards\u2019s reputation as a trial lawyer were false,\u201d Epstein said. \u201cI sincerely apologize for the false and hurtful allegations I made and hope some forgiveness for my acknowledgement of wrongdoing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Epstein\u2019s absence was no surprise. Spending most of his time at his private island in the Virgin Islands or in his New York City penthouse, he long said he would never appear for the trial.<\/p>\n
Still, Scarola said, he hopes Epstein days of luxury living will soon end either as a result of a federal investigation or a federal judge. \u201cThe contract was illegal from the start,\u201d he said. \u201cIt needs to be set aside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palm Beach Post staff reporter Christine Stapleton contributed to this story.<\/em><\/p>\n___
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