1 00:00:02,133 --> 00:00:05,300 JUDY WOODRUFF: Jeffrey Epstein, a politically connected financier, is now facing up to 45 2 00:00:07,233 --> 00:00:10,900 years in prison on charges that he was running a sex trafficking ring in the early 2000s 3 00:00:12,333 --> 00:00:15,833 that included underage girls as young as 14 years old. 4 00:00:15,833 --> 00:00:20,833 Epstein pleaded not guilty and has said any sex was consensual with women he believed 5 00:00:21,933 --> 00:00:24,500 were 18 or older. 6 00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:28,666 The charges were announced as part of an indictment unsealed today by federal prosecutors in New 7 00:00:28,666 --> 00:00:30,800 York. 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,666 As Lisa Desjardins tells us, Epstein has pleaded guilty before to lesser charges and has more 9 00:00:35,366 --> 00:00:37,300 on this story. 10 00:00:37,300 --> 00:00:41,466 LISA DESJARDINS: Epstein allegedly abused dozens of minors at his homes in Manhattan 11 00:00:41,466 --> 00:00:43,166 and Palm Beach, Florida. 12 00:00:43,166 --> 00:00:47,000 He enlisted girls to recruit other minors to his trafficking ring. 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,833 And prosecutors said they seized scores of photos of fully or partially nude girls. 14 00:00:51,833 --> 00:00:56,200 Epstein, who has been seen in the past as a friend of President Trump and former President 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,166 Clinton, first faced other sex crime charges back in 2006 and 2007. 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,566 At the time, he could have faced life in prison for allegations with underage girls. 17 00:01:06,566 --> 00:01:11,566 But the prosecutor in the case, Alex Acosta, now President Trump's labor secretary, struck 18 00:01:12,300 --> 00:01:13,833 a more lenient deal. 19 00:01:13,833 --> 00:01:17,433 Epstein served just 13 months in a county jail for these charges. 20 00:01:17,433 --> 00:01:22,233 A Miami Herald investigation earlier this year raised new questions about this deal 21 00:01:22,233 --> 00:01:24,333 and brought forward new victims. 22 00:01:24,333 --> 00:01:28,600 U.S. attorney Geoffrey Berman of the Southern District of New York said it was important 23 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,666 to bring new charges now. 24 00:01:30,666 --> 00:01:32,700 GEOFFREY BERMAN, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York: Beginning in at least 2002 and 25 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:37,033 continuing until 2005, Epstein is alleged to have abused dozens of victims by causing 26 00:01:39,033 --> 00:01:43,866 them to engage in sex acts with him at his mansion in New York and at his estate in Palm 27 00:01:45,700 --> 00:01:46,966 Beach, Florida. 28 00:01:46,966 --> 00:01:50,633 The alleged behavior shocks the conscience. 29 00:01:50,633 --> 00:01:55,600 And while the charged conduct is from a number of years ago, it is still profoundly important 30 00:01:57,033 --> 00:02:02,000 to the many alleged victims, now young women. 31 00:02:02,866 --> 00:02:04,900 They deserve their day in court. 32 00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:08,900 And we are proud to be standing up for them by bringing this indictment. 33 00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:13,133 LISA DESJARDINS: For some perspective on all of this and the decisions to bring new charges, 34 00:02:13,133 --> 00:02:17,533 I'm joined by Elie Honig, a former federal prosecutor with the Southern District of New 35 00:02:17,533 --> 00:02:18,800 York. 36 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:19,933 Elie, let's start right away with these charges. 37 00:02:19,933 --> 00:02:21,600 They are very serious. 38 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,866 They include allegations of mistreating and abusing dozens of girls. 39 00:02:25,866 --> 00:02:29,300 But they are dating back 14 years and more. 40 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:32,366 How unusual is it to have such a delay in bringing charges? 41 00:02:32,366 --> 00:02:34,400 And how can prosecutors do that? 42 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,366 ELIE HONIG®MD+IMD-I, Former Federal Prosecutor: It is quite unusual to see charges 43 00:02:36,366 --> 00:02:38,433 that are this old. 44 00:02:38,433 --> 00:02:41,933 The reason that the Southern District of New York was able to charge this case so many 45 00:02:41,933 --> 00:02:46,800 years after the fact is, there is actually no statute of limitations on the sex trafficking 46 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,466 of minor charges that we see here. 47 00:02:49,466 --> 00:02:52,633 Most federal crimes have a statute of limitations, meaning the time from when the crime is committed 48 00:02:52,633 --> 00:02:54,966 until you have to charge it, of five years. 49 00:02:54,966 --> 00:02:59,633 But this happens to be one of the few very serious statutes that actually does not have 50 00:02:59,633 --> 00:03:01,800 any statute of limitations. 51 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,766 But I can tell you, the age of these charges will provide some obstacles and some difficulties 52 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,966 to prosecutors in proving their case. 53 00:03:08,966 --> 00:03:10,200 Memories fade. 54 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,233 Evidence disappears. 55 00:03:12,233 --> 00:03:14,933 So I think these are going to end up being strong charges, but the age here could be 56 00:03:14,933 --> 00:03:16,966 an impediment. 57 00:03:16,966 --> 00:03:19,333 LISA DESJARDINS: Also, of course, of note is the fact that Epstein face that massive 58 00:03:19,333 --> 00:03:21,333 indictment back in 2006. 59 00:03:21,333 --> 00:03:25,866 But, ultimately, that was sealed as part of that plea deal that many call highly unusual. 60 00:03:27,833 --> 00:03:31,933 My next question is, why isn't this double jeopardy, if he already signed a plea deal 61 00:03:31,933 --> 00:03:34,466 in a case about sexual misconduct with minors? 62 00:03:34,466 --> 00:03:37,200 ELIE HONIG: So first of all, I would call the plea deal that he got in Florida, the 63 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,466 non-prosecution agreement, more than -- more than highly unusual. 64 00:03:39,466 --> 00:03:41,600 I would call it completely unprecedented. 65 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,600 I don't know that I have ever seen a deal that lenient in a case like this. 66 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:46,966 So why isn't it double jeopardy? 67 00:03:46,966 --> 00:03:48,433 A couple reasons. 68 00:03:48,433 --> 00:03:51,600 First of all, Epstein only played to state-level charges. 69 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,633 These are now federal charges. 70 00:03:53,633 --> 00:03:55,700 And that's not double jeopardy. 71 00:03:55,700 --> 00:03:59,233 If the state charges, and then the federal government charges, or vice versa -- the Supreme 72 00:03:59,233 --> 00:04:03,200 Court actually just clarified this a couple weeks ago -- that is not double jeopardy. 73 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,300 Second of all, the non-prosecution agreement that Epstein entered into with the Southern 74 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:12,300 District of Florida, which was headed by Alex Acosta, is only binding on that one district, 75 00:04:13,366 --> 00:04:15,433 the Southern District of Florida. 76 00:04:15,433 --> 00:04:18,200 It is not binding on the other U.S. attorney's offices, including the Southern District of 77 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,733 New York. 78 00:04:20,733 --> 00:04:22,100 And the U.S. attorney for the Southern District, Geoffrey Berman, said that today during his 79 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:23,100 press conference. 80 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:25,200 And he's correct. 81 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:26,933 LISA DESJARDINS: The Miami Herald has been reporting on this for many months. 82 00:04:26,933 --> 00:04:30,266 And so far, Secretary Acosta really has not commented on it. 83 00:04:30,266 --> 00:04:33,066 And we asked again also if he had any comment today. 84 00:04:33,066 --> 00:04:36,866 Do you think there will be fallout for him because he was the prosecutor in this case? 85 00:04:36,866 --> 00:04:39,366 ELIE HONIG: Politically, there certainly could be. 86 00:04:39,366 --> 00:04:44,366 Look, it's already being investigated, sort of what went into his decision-making process. 87 00:04:46,266 --> 00:04:49,233 I don't see how he, in any sort of good faith or with a straight face, manages to remain 88 00:04:49,233 --> 00:04:52,100 as a Cabinet secretary in this administration. 89 00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:54,833 That said, he's not shown any signs of resigning. 90 00:04:54,833 --> 00:04:59,166 President Trump just today sort of reaffirmed his support for Secretary Acosta, which I 91 00:04:59,166 --> 00:05:01,533 think is completely inexplicable. 92 00:05:01,533 --> 00:05:06,533 This deal that Acosta gave to Epstein years ago is completely indefensible. 93 00:05:08,566 --> 00:05:12,100 It's unusual and unprecedented in several respects, in how short a term of prison Epstein 94 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,500 faced, 13 months he ended up serving, and most of it on work release. 95 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:21,233 The fact that Acosta didn't notify the victims violates federal law, and is something even 96 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,066 a first-year prosecutor would know better than to do. 97 00:05:25,066 --> 00:05:30,066 So I have to think Acosta knew that and intentionally disregarded that obligation. 98 00:05:31,966 --> 00:05:35,000 And the fact that Acosta signed a deal that immunized the co-conspirators, the people 99 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,933 around Epstein, is very strange. 100 00:05:37,933 --> 00:05:42,466 Why would he want to do that unless he was protecting powerful people who he was afraid 101 00:05:42,466 --> 00:05:44,000 of? 102 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,066 So I think he's got some very difficult questions to answer. 103 00:05:46,066 --> 00:05:48,333 I also think Congress needs to do its job here and dig in deep on what happened. 104 00:05:48,333 --> 00:05:52,000 LISA DESJARDINS: I need to ask about those potential ripple effects, about the politicians 105 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,366 associated with, of course, Mr. Epstein. 106 00:05:54,366 --> 00:05:57,333 We know, for example, Donald Trump knew Mr. Epstein. 107 00:05:57,333 --> 00:06:00,700 Here's a quote from the president, then not president, of course. 108 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:04,400 Donald Trump in 2002 said of Epstein: "He's a lot of fun to be with. 109 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,966 It's even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do. 110 00:06:07,966 --> 00:06:11,800 And many of them are on the younger side," President Trump acknowledging that at the 111 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,366 time. 112 00:06:14,366 --> 00:06:17,233 And also, of course, we know that former President Clinton flew with Epstein on his private jet 113 00:06:17,233 --> 00:06:19,700 reportedly dozens of times. 114 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:24,366 Do you think -- or how would we learn if any of these individuals, others he's associated 115 00:06:24,366 --> 00:06:26,300 with could get caught up in this case? 116 00:06:26,300 --> 00:06:28,400 ELIE HONIG: Good question. 117 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,166 So, the number one way we will learn who else was involved in any respect is if this case 118 00:06:32,166 --> 00:06:34,266 goes to trial. 119 00:06:34,266 --> 00:06:37,500 When a case goes to trial, all the evidence comes out, names get named, and we will learn 120 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,933 everything, if it comes to that. 121 00:06:39,933 --> 00:06:44,833 Now, if Epstein pleads guilty before a trial, then we're going to end up in a gray area. 122 00:06:44,833 --> 00:06:49,500 And, traditionally, what federal prosecutor do is, they don't name other people who've 123 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:51,566 not been indicted. 124 00:06:51,566 --> 00:06:55,333 You will give them sort of generic labels, like we saw in the indictment today, employee 125 00:06:55,333 --> 00:06:58,066 one, employee two, perhaps customer one. 126 00:06:58,066 --> 00:07:02,000 Famously, we saw Individual 1, which everyone - - in the Michael Cohen case, which everyone 127 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,966 could pretty easily tell referred to President Trump. 128 00:07:04,966 --> 00:07:08,600 So we may see some sort of generic reference to other people involved. 129 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,466 And, look, we could have more indictments, in which case we could see other people charged. 130 00:07:12,466 --> 00:07:14,533 And we certainly will know who they are. 131 00:07:14,533 --> 00:07:17,500 LISA DESJARDINS: Elie Honig, former federal prosecutor from the Southern District of New 132 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:18,700 York, thank you for joining us. 133 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:18,833 ELIE HONIG: Thanks for having me.