Short Answer
Julie K. Brown’s 2018 “Perversion of Justice” investigation for the Miami Herald catalyzed the reopening of the federal case against Epstein. She received multiple journalism awards, published a book expanding on her investigation, and continued covering Epstein-related developments, including the Maxwell trial.
In Detail
The Investigation
Brown spent roughly three years investigating the Epstein case, tracking down and interviewing more than 80 women who said they had been abused, obtaining documents related to the 2008 NPA, and reconstructing the prosecutorial decisions that led to the deal. The series published in November 2018 brought mass public attention to a case that had been largely forgotten since 2008.
Journalism Awards
The investigation and its follow-up reporting earned Brown and the Miami Herald numerous recognitions, including a George Polk Award, the IRE Award, and other honors for investigative journalism. The series was widely credited with singlehandedly relaunching serious public and prosecutorial attention to the case.
The Book
Brown published Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story in 2021, expanding significantly on the newspaper investigation with additional context, victim accounts, and analysis of the institutional failures that allowed Epstein to operate for decades. The book became a bestseller.
The Netflix Documentary
Brown participated in and was a key source for the Netflix documentary Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020), which brought her investigation to a streaming audience and featured direct testimony from survivors.
Continued Coverage
Brown continued covering Epstein-related stories, including the Maxwell trial, the bank settlements, and congressional investigations into the handling of the case, remaining one of the leading journalists on the story.