Epstein survivors sue his estate over child pornography collection

MEXICO CITY: Two women whose images as girls were found in pornography seized from Jeffrey Epstein filed a class action lawsuit on Wednesday seeking damages from the late sex offender's estate for individuals featured in his collection of thousands of pictures and videos of child sexual abuse material.

The lawsuit seeks at least US$6 million on behalf of more than 40 people, some of whom were in Epstein's so-called "modeling book," a collection of sexualised images of children seized by federal investigators in 2019 from his New York home, according to the filing in Manhattan federal district court.

Others were shown in over ten thousand downloaded videos and images of child sexual abuse material and other pornography taken from the late financier's properties, according to the action.

Epstein was convicted of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008 and charged with sex trafficking of minors in 2019. He was never prosecuted for creating, obtaining and distributing child sexual abuse material for himself and others.

The lawsuit was filed against Epstein's former attorney Darren Indyke and his former accountant Richard Kahn, the co-executors of the Epstein estate. Daniel Weiner, a lawyer representing Indyke, declined to comment. An attorney for Kahn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe, alleges Epstein stole partially nude photographs of her taken when she was 12. The other, using the pseudonym "Amy," says she is featured in child sexual abuse material seized from Epstein's properties in 2019 that is still being traded.

The lawsuit asks the court to create a programme to notify people pictured in Epstein's collection and order his estate to pay class action members US$150,000 each, as well as other financial penalties.