(NewsNation) — Newly released files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein shed light on plans to interview victims and assistants as part of an organized effort to prosecute him in 2008.
A memo published in a batch of files released by the Justice Department on Friday discusses “Operation Leap Year,” the agency’s plan to prosecute Epstein, which involved targeting five of his assistants. All but one of those assistants’ names were redacted, aside from Lesley Groff, who has been called to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
“The targets would arrange ‘sexual massages’ for Epstein when he would travel to Palm Beach or New York, and many of those ‘sexual massages’ were performed by minor females,” the memo reads.
The memo discussed prosecutors’ desire to “flip” assistants against Epstein. It stated Groff was “the most likely to flip if we have sufficient evidence to charge her.”
Epstein assistant recommended for immunity
The memo included an immunity recommendation for one assistant — whose name was redacted — and said the best way to flip assistants was to prosecute them and gain their cooperation through a plea bargain, but noted its evidence against the assistant was “weak.”…