Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton named in second round of Epstein court documents

4 January 2024, 23:47 | Updated: 5 January 2024, 01:42

The second batch of names listed in court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has been released.

A New York court released the second tranche of Epstein files on Thursday. The latest cache of legal files features 19 documents, totalling around 300 pages.

The fact that people are named in the documents does not mean they are accused of any wrongdoing.

It comes after the first batch of names were released on Wednesday evening. The names of some associates of Epstein, previously referred to as John Doe or Jane Doe, were revealed from the 934 pages of documents.

A US judge, Loretta Preska, ordered that materials connected to Virginia Giuffre's 2015 defamation case against Maxwell be released. The case was settled in 2017 but the names have remained a secret up until now. Judge Preska said that some individuals should be named because they had already spoken to the media.

The latest tranche of documents show Virginia Giuffre claim that former US president Bill Clinton threatened Vanity Fair not to write articles about his “good friend” Epstein.

In an email exchange with a journalist in May 2011, Ms Giuffre said Clinton “walked into VF [Vanity Fair] and threatened them not to write sex-trafficking articles about his good friend J.E”.

Ms Giuffre had been discussing an interview to promote her planned book with the journalist.

The Clinton Foundation has been approached for comment. Following the release of the first batch of documents, a spokesman for the former president referred to his 2019 statement, where he said he "knows nothing" about Epstein's crimes.

Read more: What does the release of the Epstein documents mean for Prince Andrew?

Read more: Prince Andrew accused of having 'underage orgy' in newly released Jeffrey Epstein court files

The documents also show accuser Jane Doe 3 repeat previous claims against Prince Andrew.

The accuser said she was "forced to have sexual relations with this Prince when she was a minor in three separate geographical locations".

This included Ghislaine Maxwell's flat in London, New York, and Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands during an orgy with other underage girls.

They say she was ordered to "give the Prince whatever he demanded" and that Maxwell, who is serving a 20 year jail term, "facilitated Prince Andrew's acts of sexual abuse by acting as a 'madame' for Epstein".

She claims Epstein instructed her to "give the prince whatever he demanded and required".

In Wednesday's release of files, Andrew is also accused of taking part in an "underage orgy" on Jeffrey Epstein's island.

A spokesperson for the prince has said the claims are "categorically untrue".

Jane Doe 3 claims in the new files she was also trafficked "to many other powerful men, including numerous prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister, and other world leaders".

Virginia Giuffre is accused by Maxwell of “concocting” sexual assault claims against Andrew with the help of a journalist, the documents show.

Maxwell’s lawyers said that journalist Sharon Churcher should be made to give evidence, claiming that she was “aware” allegations against the Duke of York were “false”.

Chucher is accused by Maxwell’s lawyers of helping “manufacture some of the stories that have been denied”.

The lawyers also claim a handwritten diary by Ms Giuffre was a "completely fabricated document".

The court files come from a 2015 defamation case brought by his accuser Virginia Giuffre against Maxwell. That case was settled two years later.

A number of famous people are mentioned in the papers, which a judge chose to release because a number of individuals have spoken to the press.

Bill Clinton, US president between 1993 and 2001, appears in several of the forty documents.

He has previously denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity but acknowledged being a former associate of the paedophile.

Donald Trump, the former president and leading Republican nominee for the 2024 election, was also named in the files.

Other political figures named include former Vice President under Clinton, Al Gore.

Many well-known actors are also included: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Cameron Diaz, and Bruce Willis. Epstein has been labelled a 'name-dropper', however, by alleged victim Johanna Sjoberg in the released evidence.

The inclusion of the names in the court documents does not suggest that any of the individuals have been accused of wrongdoing. Some of the names include those cited as associates, friends of victims of the convicted paedophile - while others have been named in passing at legal proceedings.