The 2018 Breakthrough: Julie K. Brown
Investigative reporter Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald published her landmark series “Perversion of Justice” in November 2018. The series:
- Located and interviewed dozens of Epstein’s victims who had never spoken publicly
- Reconstructed the full 2008 plea deal and its unprecedented secrecy
- Documented how the NPA violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by excluding victims from negotiations
- Named victims, recruiters, and detailed the systematic nature of the trafficking operation
This investigation directly led to the Department of Justice reopening the Epstein case, culminating in his July 2019 federal arrest by SDNY.
Earlier Coverage
Prior journalism about Epstein was less comprehensive but significant:
- Vicky Ward (Vanity Fair, 2003) wrote about Epstein’s mysterious wealth but her piece was edited to remove victim accounts at the magazine’s direction
- The Palm Beach Post covered the 2008 plea deal locally
- Sharon Churcher (Mail on Sunday) reported on Epstein and Maxwell’s UK connections in 2011, featuring Virginia Giuffre’s account
- Mike McIntire and William Rashbaum (New York Times, 2019) contributed significant coverage after Brown’s series broke the story
ABC News Killed the Story
Notably, ABC News reporter Amy Robach recorded an interview with Virginia Giuffre in 2015 that was never broadcast. Internal discussions concluded the story “didn’t have enough” to air. The recording was leaked in 2019highlighting how major outlets had failed to pursue the story earlier.