'Operated with impunity' — US lawmakers urge new Epstein investigations in scathing report

Résumé détaillé

Republican-led House Oversight Committee urges Justice Department to interview or reinterview key witnesses and pursue allegations against two prominent men who associated with disgraced American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

US lawmakers have called for further criminal investigations into associates of notorious sex offender and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, in a scathing report blaming prosecutors, financial institutions and powerful connections for allowing his abuse to continue for years.

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee on Tuesday urged the Justice Department to interview or reinterview key witnesses and pursue allegations against two prominent men who associated with the disgraced financier.

Former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine and French celebrity hairstylist Frederic Fekkai both deny allegations of sexual assault — referred to federal prosecutors by the committee in June — from Epstein's longtime assistant Sarah Kellen.

The report also called for further questioning of another longtime Epstein assistant, Lesley Groff, over her possible knowledge of his crimes.

Groff maintained she had never suspected Epstein of sexually abusing women and girls — testimony the Republican investigators described as not credible.

The recommendations emerged from a 15-month congressional investigation involving testimony from prominent figures in Epstein's financial and social circle and an extensive examination of government and banking records.

"Epstein operated with impunity, shielded and enabled by powerful connections and a justice system that repeatedly failed his victims," committee chairman James Comer said.

The report concluded that Epstein's crimes after 2005 could have been prevented had federal investigators and prosecutors pursued the original allegations against him more aggressively.

Instead, prosecutors in Florida reached a controversial agreement in 2007 allowing him to escape federal charges in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser state offences.

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