U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida granted a motion for summary judgment filed by two Jane Does in their suit against the United States for violating the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA) by agreeing to a nonprosecution agreement (NPA) with billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein without notifying his victims. Epstein sexually abused more than 30 minor girls, including the two Jane Doe plaintiffs, at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, and elsewhere. Because he engaged in interstate travel to sexually abuse the girls, his conduct violated federal law. Epstein also paid others to find minor girls. According to the court's opinion, "Epstein worked in concert with others to obtain minors not only for his own sexual gratification, but also for the sexual gratification of others." Eventually, the FBI learned of the abuse and interviewed Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, who were abused by Epstein. Epstein engaged in discussions with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (USAO) to try to dispose of the matter short of indictment. During that time, the USAO notified potential victims about the investigation and their rights under the CVRA. Ultimately, the parties agreed Epstein could enter into an NPA. According to Judge Marra, "From the time the FBI began investigating Epstein until September 24, 2007—when the NPA was concluded—the [U.S. Attorney's] Office never conferred with the victims about a[n] NPA or told the victims that such an agreement was under consideration." In fact, "Epstein's counsel was aware that the Office was deliberately keeping the NPA secret from the victims and, indeed, had sought assurances to that effect." Judge Marra explained that compounding the problem, "[a]fter the NPA was signed, Epstein's counsel and the Office began negotiations about whether the victims would be told about the NPA."

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