TDF
60 Minutes Australia tackles one of the most disturbing stories of recent times with Exposing Jeffrey Epstein, a sobering examination of the billionaire rapist and the ocean of questions that remain unanswered in the wake of his suspicious death.
A highly successful financier, Epstein lived a grand life of private jets and private islands. But there was a side of Epstein that he couldn’t keep private – a sinister predilection for young girls and an underground operation in which he freely engaged in sex trafficking. In some circles, these nefarious crimes were essentially an open secret, and are alleged to have involved other members of the elite billionaire club, including British royalty.
The victims of Epstein are claimed to be in the thousands. In August 2019, Epstein was found hanged and dead in his prison cell, which effectively closed the criminal case against him. But what about the others who have been implicated in his decades-long spree of sexual abuse crimes?
The film is driven by a raw set of interviews with two of his accusers. Their accounts contain a seemingly irrefutable degree of specificity and commonality. The emotional and psychological trauma they endured as teenagers under Epstein and others is still evident in their testimonies.
A significant portion of the film points a finger at one of Epstein’s highest profile cohorts – Prince Andrew. The women in the film detail their lascivious interactions with the prince when they were clearly underage. “At some point, he’s going to have to face the music,” says one interview subject.
At the heart of Exposing Jeffrey Epstein is the central question that defines much of the Epstein saga: to what extent do wealth and power shield you from prosecution and accountability? The system itself seemed to be designed to protect Epstein and his criminal operation from meaningful legal action for many years. But the victims refused to remain voiceless, and their public outcries led to charges of underage sex trafficking.
As a prisoner, Epstein was the ultimate “man who knew too much”. Following his curious suicide, has he closed the book on not only his own accountability, but the ability to prosecute those who aided and conspired in his criminal enterprise?
