Establishment
Following Epstein’s death and in response to civil litigation pressure, the Epstein estate established the Victims’ Compensation Program (VCP) in June 2020. The program was modeled on similar programs established after other major abuse cases (e.g., the Catholic Church settlements).
Administrator
The VCP was administered by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Ashcroft Law Firm. The choice of Ashcrofta Republican establishment figurewas intended to lend credibility and independence to the process.
How Claims Worked
Eligible claimants submitted:
- A claim form describing the nature of the abuse, location, and approximate dates
- A declaration under penalty of perjury
- Any available corroborating documents
Claims were reviewed by an independent claims administrator. Claimants were evaluated individually, with awards scaled to the nature and severity of documented abuse.
Participation Terms
To receive a payment, claimants had to:
- Release the estate from future civil liability (for the conduct covered by their claim)
- Agree to confidentiality about the specific award amount
Participation was entirely voluntary. Victims retained the right to pursue litigation against third parties (Maxwell, banks, etc.)
The Numbers
The VCP ultimately processed claims from several hundred women. While individual award amounts are confidential:
- Total program payments were estimated to exceed ** million**
- The largest individual awards reportedly reached seven figures
- The average award was in the range of several hundred thousand dollars
Victims’ advocates had mixed views on the VCPappreciating the certainty of recovery vs. litigation, while noting the confidentiality requirements and the fact that the estate (not the individuals who enabled Epstein) was the sole payer.