Among the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, Maria Farmer and her sister Annie Farmer occupy a uniquely significant place: they were among the first to formally report to law enforcement, doing so in 1996 — nearly a decade before the Palm Beach investigation that led to Epstein’s first criminal charges.
Maria Farmer’s Experience
Maria Farmer was an artist who had worked for Epstein around 1995-1996, residing at his Manhattan townhouse. She described being assaulted by both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and subsequently reported the assault to the NYPD and FBI. Her sister Annie described being inappropriately touched by Epstein during a separate encounter at Wexner’s Ohio farm where Maria had brought her.
The 1996 FBI Report
Maria Farmer’s formal report to the FBI in 1996 is documented and described in congressional testimony and court filings. According to Farmer’s accounts and those of her attorneys, the FBI opened a file but did not pursue the investigation.
Attempted Media Disclosure
When journalist Vicky Ward was reporting her 2003 Vanity Fair profile of Epstein, Farmer spoke with her. Ward included the Farmer sisters’ accounts in her draft, but the accounts were removed by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter before publication.
Testimony at Maxwell Trial
Annie Farmer was one of four survivors who testified at Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 trial, using her real name — the only survivor to do so. Her testimony about being groped by both Maxwell and Epstein at Wexner’s Ohio property was central to the prosecution’s case.
Legacy
The Farmer sisters’ experience represents the prototype of the pattern repeated across the Epstein case: victims who made early reports to authorities finding those reports unacted upon, then facing additional barriers when seeking media or legal redress.