The SDNY Team That Brought the 2019 Epstein Case
The 2019 federal prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein was handled by the Southern District of New York, one of the preeminent federal prosecutor’s offices in the United States. The case was assigned to a small team of experienced assistant US attorneys with backgrounds in white-collar complex cases and, in some cases, civil rights matters.
The 2019 Indictment
The SDNY indictment returned on July 8, 2019, charged Epstein with:
- Count 1: Sex trafficking of minors (18 U.S.C. § 1591)
- Count 2: Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors (18 U.S.C. § 1591)
The indictment described conduct occurring between 2002 and 2005 in New York and Florida, focusing deliberately on conduct within SDNY’s jurisdiction.
Key Prosecutors
Maurene Comey: One of the lead AUSAs on the case. Daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, Maurene Comey graduated from Harvard Law School and joined the SDNY. She had experience in complex prosecutions and public corruption cases. She argued at the bail hearings.
Alison Moe: Another AUSA assigned to the case, with experience in sex trafficking and related federal matters within SDNY’s human trafficking unit.
Lara Pomerantz: Another senior SDNY AUSA involved in the prosecution team.
Supervising officials: The case operated under the authority of then-US Attorney Geoffrey Berman and his deputy. Berman later wrote about the Epstein case in detail in his 2022 memoir Holding the Line, which provided significant insight into prosecutorial decision-making during the 2018-2019 period.
Why SDNY Rather Than SDFL
A critical aspect of the 2019 prosecution was that it was brought in New York rather than attempted through the same Southern District of Florida that had negotiated the 2008 NPA. Key reasons:
- The NPA’s geographic scope: Prosecutors concluded the SDNY was not bound by the SDFL’s NPA for conduct occurring in the Southern District of New York
- New evidence and new time period: The SDNY case addressed conduct in a discrete enough timeframe and jurisdiction that the NPA could be argued not to cover it
- Institutional independence: A different district brought independence from the relationships and prior commitments that characterized the SDFL’s handling
The Miami Herald’s Role
The SDNY investigation was substantially accelerated by Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown’s investigative series published in November 2018. The series brought widespread congressional attention, created political pressure for renewed prosecution, and introduced many sources who had not previously been known to prosecutors.
What the 2019 Case Would Have Proven
Had Epstein survived to trial, the government’s case would have relied on:
- Flight logs documenting transportation of minors
- Financial records showing payments to victims and recruiters
- Testimony from survivors willing to testify
- Records from Epstein’s residences obtained through new search warrants
The case was considered by legal observers to be substantially stronger than typical sex trafficking prosecutions, with extensive corroborating evidence beyond survivor testimony alone.
Related: 2019 SDNY indictment; Miami Herald investigation; Bail denial 2019; Epstein death