Systematic Victim Recruitment Operation Begins in Palm Beach
By 1994, Epstein and Maxwell had established a systematic operation to recruit young women and girls — often from vulnerable backgrounds — under the pretext of modeling or massage opportunities. Recruiters were paid cash bonuses for each new victim they brought in.
People Involved
By approximately 1994, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had developed and begun operating a systematic victim recruitment scheme, centered initially in Palm Beach and extending to New York, and later to other locations including Zorro Ranch in New Mexico.
The operation worked on a referral model: existing victims were paid cash bonuses — reportedly $200 or more — for each new girl they recruited. Recruiters were told to target girls from disadvantaged backgrounds who needed money, or girls from troubled home environments.
Victims were typically invited to Epstein’s properties under the pretext that they would be giving him a massage, or that they might have modeling or other opportunities. Many were teenagers from the Palm Beach area, often 13–17 years of age.
Ghislaine Maxwell served as a key recruiter in social settings, using her charm and social credibility to put young women at ease. Maxwell was also described as directly participating in the abuse of some victims.
The scale and systematization of this scheme was central to the SDNY’s 2019 indictment of Epstein. The recruitment operation continued through the early 2000s and was the subject of extensive testimony during Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 trial, where she was convicted of sex trafficking and related charges.
Survivors who testified included women identified as “Jane,” “Kate,” “Carolyn,” and Annie Farmer — all of whom described being recruited as minors and abused at Epstein’s properties.