Nearly three decades after she first went to authorities, Maria Farmer says newly released government records have finally confirmed what she has long maintained: that she reported Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes in the 1990s, and that federal authorities failed to act.Farmer, an artist who once worked for Jeffrey Epstein, is among the earliest known accusers to alert law enforcement about his alleged sexual crimes. Her account appears in newly released Justice Department files, which has attracted a lot of scrutiny.
‘I feel redeemed’: Files confirm 1996 FBI complaint
According to a BBC report, Farmer’s name is redacted in the files, but she has confirmed that one of the complaints described is hers. The FBI document dates back to 1996 and outlines a report in which Farmer said Epstein stole personal photographs she had taken of her underage sisters, aged 12 and 16 at the time.She told investigators that Epstein “stole the photos and negatives and is believed to have sold the pictures to potential buyers.””Epstein at one time requested to take pictures of young girls at swimming pools,” the document states.Another passage in the file reads: “Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down.”Farmer has said that seeing her account reflected in official records has been deeply validating. “I feel redeemed,” she told the BBC.Her lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, also released a statement noting that the released document confirms that Farmer reported Epstein’s crimes nearly 30 years ago.
Speaking on CNN, Freeman read a statement from Farmer responding to the release of the files. “Thank you for believing me. I feel redeemed. This is one of the best days of my life,” the statement said. “Of course, it’s mixed with the fact that I’m devastated about all the other girls … who were harmed because the FBI didn’t do their job … I’m shedding tears of joy for myself, but also tears of sorrow for all the victims.”“Maria Farmer reported Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes in 1996,” Freeman said further. “Had the government done their job, and properly investigated Maria’s report, over 1,000 victims could have been spared and 30 years of trauma avoided.”While, the partial release marked a moment of vindication for Farmer and her sister Annie, it has also caused frustration among other Epstein survivors. Multiple sources told CNN that the Justice Department’s online “Epstein Library” was difficult to navigate, making it hard for survivors to locate records related to their own cases.Another Epstein survivor Jess Michaels told CNN she was unable to find her own victim statement or records of calls she made to the FBI tip line. “I can’t find any of those,” she said. “Is this the best that the government can do? Even an act of Congress isn’t getting us justice.”Farmer’s sister Annie has previously said she was 16 when Epstein and Maxwell abused her. Speaking emotionally to CNN’s Jake Tapper after seeing the document, Annie Farmer said: “Just to see it in writing and to know that they had this document this entire time, and how many people were harmed after that date? We’ve been saying it over and over, but to see it in black and white that way has been very emotional.”
