Virginia Giuffre, a woman who survived Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse for many years and committed suicide this year, wanted to release the so-called Epstein Files, her brother said.
“She had a bit of hope for her because it was said that the file would be released,” she added that she believes Giuffre wanted “transparency and justice.”
“She was fighting for it to happen until the end,” Roberts said. “She wanted to know the public about the crimes they committed.”
Over the past few weeks, Giuffle has fallen into the headlines in a new drive to release a series of documents allegedly detailing the years of abuse by Epstein and his longtime partner Githlane Maxwell.
Danny Wilson, one of Giuffre’s brothers, said:
“I think it’s one of the people. He stole her,” President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, when Giuffre asked if Giuffre was among those who were “stolen” from his property Mar-a-Lago spa in Palm Beach, Florida.
Giuffre was a 16-year-old locker room attendant at the Florida Club in the summer of 2000.
The White House said Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar Lago “to be a creep.”
Epstein died of suicide in a New York prison in 2019 and was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Giuffle’s other brother, Sky Roberts, said the family was “shocked” using Trump’s “stolen” word to describe the sisters. He said he wondered how much Trump knew what Epstein was doing.
“She’s not an object. She’s a person,” he said in tears. “She’s a mom. She’s a sister. And she was recruited by Maxwell. She wasn’t stolen.”
Trump was asked last week about Maxwell’s pardon, and although he hadn’t thought about it, he replied that he was “forgive me for it.”
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Marx, did not respond to requests for comment on the interview Thursday. Last week, Marx said he had “no questions, no promises” about generosity, but his client added that he “welcomes any relief.”
Giuffle’s family urged in a statement not tolerate Maxwell. Maxwell has sentenced him to 20 years in prison for recruiting minors and trafficking for sex.
The family said they issued a statement because Trump “evoked” their sister’s name and felt that in her absence they needed to express her wish.
Giuffle’s step-sister, Lanette Wilson, said Maxwell’s pardon was “hateful.”
A senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday that “we are not debating whether generosity is being given or not.” The family said Thursday they were relieved. It appears the administration has not explored Maxwell’s options.
Sky Roberts said the pardon would “unleash everything my sister and all the survivors fought.”
Amanda Roberts said: [Maxwell] Free, it’s about silencing them again, and that’s not the culture that any of us want. ”
Chloe Atkins contributed.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to reach the lifeline of suicide and crisis. You can also call the network previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, or visit Speakingofsuicide.com/Resources.
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