Establishment of the Program
Following Jeffrey Epstein’s death in August 2019, the executors of his estate established the Jeffrey Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program (JVECP):
- Announced in formation in May 2020
- Claims acceptance period: 2020-2021
- Administrator: Jordana Feldman of Guidepost Solutions, an independent administrator with experience in victim compensation programs (including 9/11 victim funds)
- Total payouts: approximately $121 million
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the program, claimants had to demonstrate:
- They were abused by Epstein (or by someone at Epstein’s direction)
- The abuse occurred at Epstein-controlled locations or through his operation
- They had credible claims based on contemporaneous evidence, corroboration, or their own sworn testimony
The program was voluntary — participation did not prevent pursuing separate civil claims, though most participants settled all claims.
The Claims Process
Step 1 — Application Submission: Claimants submitted detailed declarations describing the abuse, the circumstances, and any corroborating information available.
Step 2 — Review: Feldman’s team reviewed each claim against available evidence including:
- Flight logs
- Estate records
- Prior depositions and statements
- Police records from 2005-2006 Palm Beach investigation
Step 3 — Award Determination: Each approved claim received an individualized award based on:
- Severity and duration of abuse
- Age when abuse occurred
- Corroboration level
- Impact on the victim’s life
Step 4 — Optional Mediation: Claimants who disagreed with their award could request a higher-level review.
Numbers
- Approximately 150-200 claimants participated (exact numbers partially sealed)
- Approximately 90%+ of claims were found credible and were compensated
- Average award: approximately $600,000-700,000 per claimant (range was very wide)
- Total paid: approximately $121 million
Who Was Excluded
The program was separate from government settlements:
- USVI settlement with the estate was separate
- Individual civil suits that had settled earlier were separate
- Claimants in the Maxwell-related proceedings were dealt with differently
Critique of the Program
Some victim advocates criticized aspects of the program:
- The financial awards were funded entirely by Epstein’s estate — no bank or other facilitator was required to contribute
- The program did not include a requirement that banks or institutions acknowledge their role
- Some survivors felt the process was re-traumatizing
Comparison to Other Funds
The Epstein fund was compared to:
- The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (Feldman had worked on this and similar programs)
- The Penn State/Sandusky settlement fund
- The Catholic Church diocese funds