Epstein Victims Compensation Program Opens Claims

In June 2020, the Jeffrey Epstein Victims Compensation Program (VCP) formally began accepting claims from survivors of Epstein’s abuse. The program was established by Epstein’s estate as part of negotiations with the U.S. Virgin Islands and multiple civil plaintiffs.

Fund administrator Jordana Feldman, a veteran of the BP Deepwater Horizon and other large-scale victim compensation programs, oversaw the claims process. The program was designed to offer survivors an alternative to continued civil litigation, providing awards based on documented abuse and its impact.

Participation in the program required survivors to release certain civil claims. Many survivors and advocates expressed frustration that the compensation came from a fund controlled by Epstein’s estate — the same entity they held responsible — rather than from specifically identified co-conspirators.

The program ultimately processed claims from approximately 136 survivors, distributing over $121 million in total. Individual awards ranged widely. Many prominent survivors who had ongoing civil litigation against third parties such as JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Ghislaine Maxwell’s estate opted not to participate.

The VCP represented the largest financial reckoning for the Epstein estate, though critics noted that no corporate or individual co-conspirator funded the program.