The family of Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein who died by suicide earlier this year, has released a statement responding to President Donald Trump claiming this week that he had a falling out with Epstein because Epstein “stole” Giuffre and other young women employed at Mar-a-Lago’s spa.
“It was shocking to hear President Trump invoke our sister and say that he was aware that Virginia had been ‘stolen’ from Mar-a-Lago. It makes us ask if he was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey ‘likes women on the younger side … no doubt about it,’” Giuffre’s family said in a statement provided to The Atlantic.
“If our sister could speak today, she would be most angered by the fact that the government is listening to a known perjurer, a woman who repeatedly lied under oath and will continue to do so as long as it benefits her position,” the family added, referring to Ghislain Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice. The Justice Department met with Maxwell last week, and Trump has not ruled out pardoning the convicted sex trafficker.
Trump’s friendship with Epstein has been under the microscope since the Justice Department announced it will not be releasing any additional materials pertaining to the disgraced financier’s case. Trump has long talked about having a falling out with Epstein, and said this week that it was due to Epstein stealing his employees, including Giuffre.
“He took people that worked for me. I told him don’t do it anymore, and he did it. I said stay the hell out of here,” Trump said before calling the reporter who asked the question “fake news.”
When asked if the people Epstein took from him were young women, Trump said “yes” and that they worked in the spa at Mar-a-Lago. When asked if one of the people was Giuffre, Trump said he thought she worked at the spa, adding: “He stole her.”
Trump claims Epstein “stealing” Giuffre and other employees led to their falling out, but Trump spoke glowingly of Epstein in an interview two years after Giuffre left the club. “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Trump said in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
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Giuffre first sued Epstein and Maxwell in 2009, alleging in civil court that Maxwell recruited her as a minor to be sexually trafficked by Epstein. The suit was settled for an undisclosed amount, later revealed to be $500,000. In 2010, Giuffre went public with allegations that she had been trafficked to powerful associates of Epstein, including former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and Prince Andrew, allegations which she reiterated in testimony and depositions at various times. She spent the final years of her life advocating for survivors of sexual assault and sex trafficking, and she died by suicide in April at the age of 41.
From Rolling Stone US
