DOCSLIB.ORG

I in the SUPERIOR COURT of the VIRGIN ISLANDS I DIVISION of ST THOMAS and ST JOHN ******************************** I GHISLAINE MAXWELL Case No ST 20 CV 155

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
I in the SUPERIOR COURT of the VIRGIN ISLANDS I DIVISION of ST THOMAS and ST JOHN ******************************** I GHISLAINE MAXWELL Case No ST 20 CV 155 I IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS i DIVISION OF ST THOMAS AND ST JOHN ******************************** i GHISLAINE MAXWELL Case No ST 20 CV 155 PLAINTIFF V ESTATE OF JEFFREY E EPSTEIN DARREN K INDYKE in his capac1ty as EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF JEFFREY E EPSTEIN ; RICHARD D KAHN in his capacity as EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF JEFFREY E i EPSTEIN and NBS LLC a New York Limited 1 Liability Company 1 DEFENDANTS E GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS MOTION TO INTERVENE i The Government of the United States Virgin Islands (“Government”), by and through its | undersrgned counsel, hereby moves for an order permitting the Government to intervene in this action as of right pursuant to V I R Civ P 24(a) or else by leave pursuant to V I R Civ P 24(b) The Government states in support of its motion as follows PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ' Plaintiff Ghislaine Maxwell (“Maxwell”) filed this action seeking indemnification for and advancement of expenses incurred by reason of her prior employment relationship with decedent i Jeffrey B Epstein and his affiliated businesses ‘ in connection with any threatened, pending, or 1 completed suit, proceeding, or investigation relating to Epstein, his affiliated busmesses, and his alleged victims ” Compla1nt1] 1 Since the filing of this action, Maxwell has been arrested by Il I I i i 1 federal authorities on charges that she assisted, facilitated, and participated in Epstein’s sexual i abuse of underage girls i The Government has two distinct but closely related interests that support intervention in i this action First, the Government has a pending action in the Virgin Islands against Defendants herein the Estate of Jeffiey E Epstein, Darren K Indyke, and Richard D Kahn and others under the Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (CICO) 14 V I C §§ 601 et seq ‘ See Ex A (Gov t of the U S Virgin Islands v Indyke et a] No ST 20 CV 14 (First Amended i Complaint filed 2/5/20)) ( F AC ) The Government alleges that Defendants committed and i conspired to commit criminal sex trafficking and sexual abuse activity The Government’s primary 1nterest for interventlon is to ensure that the Epstein Estate s assets are not wrongfully dissipated by Maxwell’s suspect claims for indemnification and “advancement” of legal expenses, and instead are preserved to satisfy the CICO Judgment, which seeks forfelture, divestiture, disgorgement, and payment of maximum civil penalties and damages by the Epstein Estate Second, the Government also is investigating Maxwell’s participation 1n Epstem’s criminal sex trafficking and sexual abuse conduct pursuant to its authority under CICO, 14 V I C § 612, to investigate reasonably suspected criminal activity The Government has attempted to serve a CICO Subpoena Duces Tecum on Maxwell stating that Pursuant to 14 V I C § 612(c), the documentation requested is in reference to an ongoing investigation by the Virgin Islands Department of Justice of the rape, abuse, exploitation and trafficking of young women and underage girls by Jeffrey B Epstein and his associates in violation of 14 V I C § 133 and 1624, as well as other Virgin Islands statutes Ex B (Government’s CICO Subpoena Duces Tecum to Ghislaine Maxwell, dated March 19, 2020) at 1 Maxwell resisted and evaded service of the subpoena during the three and a half 1 2 I i I l 1 1 l months after its issuance The Govemment’s second intervention interest thus is to ensure that 1 Maxwell is compelled to respond to its investigatory subpoena through this action in which she 1 1s a party and has consented to the Court’s jurisdiction The Government’s need to intervene is further fueled by Maxwell’s inappropriate use of the Virgin Islands courts to seek payment and reimbursement from the Epstein criminal enterprise, while she circumvents the service of process of Government subpoenas related to her 1nvolvement in that criminal enterprise Based upon either or both of the Government’s interests with respect to all part1es in this 1; action and for the reasons set forth herein, the Court should grant the Government intervention as of right under V I R Civ P 24(a) or else by leave under V I R Civ P 24(b) STATEMENT OF FACTS RELATED TO INTERVENTION A Maxwell’s Arrest on Federal Criminal Sex Trafficking Charges Related to Her Involvement with Epstein’s Conduct On July 2, 2020, federal authorities arrested Ms Maxwell on six federal criminal charges related to her involvement with Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking and sexual abuse conduct See Ex C (Indictment Untied States of Amerzca v Ghzslazne Maxwell No 20 CR 330 (S D N Y )) Maxwell is charged with Consplracy to Entice M1nors to Engage in Illegal Sex Acts (Count One), Enticement of a Minor to Travel to Engage in Illegal Sex Acts (Count Two), Conspiracy to Transport Minors With Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity (Count Three), and Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity (Count Four) Id All of these charges stem from Maxwell’s role “in the sexual exploitation and abuse of multiple minor girls by Jeffrey Epstem Id 1] 1 see also 1] 2 ( GHISLAINE MAXWELL the defendant, and Jeffrey Epstein enticed and caused minor victims to travel to Epstein’s I 3 i ! residences in different states, which MAXWELL knew and intended would result in their i grooming for and subjection to sexual abuse ”) l Maxwell also IS charged with two counts of Perjury for giving false testimony concealing ‘ the foregoing conduct of both Epstein and herself See 1d , Counts Five and Six B The Government’s CICO Investigation of Maxwell’s Participation in the Epstein Enterprise i The Government is and has been act1ve1y investigating Maxwell’s participation in the i criminal sex trafficking and sexual abuse conduct of the Epstein Enterprise See Ex B \ (Government’s CICO Subpoena) (seeking documentation “in reference to an ongoing investigation by the Virgin Islands Department of Justice of the rape, abuse, exploitation and i trafficking of young women and underage girls by Jeffrey E Epstein and his associates in violation of 14 V I C § 133 and 1624, as well as other Virgin Islands statutes”) Prior to Maxwell’s arrest, the Government made repeated but unsuccessful attempts to serve its CICO subpoena on her On March 24, 2020, the Government served the subpoena on Maxwell’s counsel in this action, Kyle R Waldner, Esq See Ex D (Certificate of service) On April 15 2020 David J Cattie Esq notified the Government that Ms Maxwell had retained him in regard to the Government’s subpoenas See Ex E (Cattie to Smith email, 4/15/20) The subpoena was clearly received by Maxwell, and Attorney Cattie contacted the Government on her behalf to negotiate a posmble resolution of the subpoena Given that Attorney Cattie nonetheless raised concerns about service on Maxwell, the Government asked that Maxwell authorize him to accept service of the subpoena or disclose her whereabouts, so that it could serve her personally See Ex F (email from L Singer to D Cattle, May 1, 2020) ‘ On May 12, 2020, almost two months after the Government’s initial attempts at service, Mr i Cattie responded that he “cannot waive the issue of service of the subpoenas, nor can I disclose l 4 I Jl 1 my client’s location to anyone at thlS ttme ” Ex G (email from D Cattie to L Singer, May 12, i 2020) (emphasis added) After Mr Cattie refused to accept or waive service, the Government in good faith continued to negotiate for release of the requested documents in lieu of enforcing the CICO Subpoena See Ex H (Email from L Singer to D Cattie, May 28, 2020) Those negotiations also failed, and the Government attempted serv1ce of a second CICO Subpoena on Ms Maxwell’s counsel on June 11, 2020 See Ex I (second subpoena) ‘ Mr Cattle once more stated that he was not “authorized” to accept service on her behalf Ex J (Email from D Cattie to L i Singer, June 17, 2020) And again, Mr Cattie did not offer to provide Maxwell’s location to \ allow the Government to effectuate service Id To date, Maxwell has not acknowledged or ‘ responded to either of the Government’s CICO Subpoenas After Epstein’s most recent arrest on July 8, 2019 and his death in prison on August 10, 2019, see Complaint, 1] 23, and before her own arrest on July 2, 2020, Maxwell was in hiding Numerous media outlets reported on her unknown whereabouts, including The Sun, the Washington Examiner, Vanity Fair, BBC, CNN, CNBC, the Telegraph, The Guardian, and Page Six 2 At the same time, her counsel was actively litigating in other Courts to keep shielded from ’ publlc View thousands of pages of court records that would expose her involvement and ‘ The second CICO Subpoena, see Ex I, is identical to the first one served on March 24, 2020 2 See e g, https //www vanityfair com/news/2019/11/hunt for jeffrey epstein alleged enabler ghislaine maxwell; https //www theguardian com/us news/2019/nov/18/ghislaine maxwell prince andrew friend jeffrey epstein controversy hiding; https //www theguardian com/us news/2019/dec/12/she was so dangerous where in the world is the notorious ghislaine maxwell; https //www bbc com/news/world us canada 50927651, https //edition cnn com/2019/12/08/uk/who is ghislaine maxwell jeffrey epstein intl gbr/mdex html https //www cnbc com/2019/08/14/ghislaine maxwell location unknown jeffrey epstein accusers eye her html, https //www washingtonexaminer com/news/fbi investigating Jeffrey epstein facilitator ghislaine maxwell; https //www telegraph co uk/royal family/2019/11/20/prince andrew met ghislaine maxwell two weeks ! prosecutors announcedl; https //pagesix com/2020/01/11/ghislaine
Load more

Recommended publications
  • May 4, 2017 Via Facsimile and Email Hon. Robert W. Sweet
    Case 1:15-cv-07433-RWS Document 898 Filed 05/04/17 Page 1 of 4 21st Floor 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020-1104 Eric J. Feder 212.603.6483 tel 212.379.5279 fax [email protected] May 4, 2017 Via Facsimile and Email Hon. Robert W. Sweet U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York 500 Pearl Street New York, New York Email: [email protected] Facsimile: (212) 805-7925 Re: Giuffre v. Maxwell, No. 15 Civ. 7433 (RWS) Dear Judge Sweet: This firm represents non-parties NYP Holdings, Inc., publisher of the New York Post (the “Post”) and Daily News, L.P., publisher of the New York Daily News (the “Daily News”) (collectively, the “Newspapers”). The Newspapers are aware that the Court has scheduled a pre- trial conference for today in the above-referenced case “to address any outstanding issues including confidentiality.” ECF No. 648. We write in advance of the conference because the confidentiality practices in this case to date raise concerns that the parties may seek to try some or all of this case behind closed doors. Should the parties seek to close any portion of the trial proceedings in this case (or to seal any trial exhibits), the Newspapers respectfully request that they be provided with advance notice and an opportunity to oppose any such closure or sealing. Such notice and opportunity to be heard is both Constitutionally required and appropriate under the circumstances. This case is of obvious, significant public interest, and the events underlying the lawsuit have been covered extensively in the press, including in the Post and Daily News.
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Truth Protest: How 4Chan Cooked Up...Zagate Bullshit | Tuters
    5/5/2019 Post-Truth Protest: How 4chan Cooked Up the Pizzagate Bullshit | Tuters | M/C Journal M/C JOURNAL Home > Vol 21, No 3 (2018) > Tuters ARTICLE TOOLS HOME Post-Truth Protest: How 4chan Cooked Up the Pizzagate Bullshit PRINT THIS ARTICLE Marc Tuters, Emilija Jokubauskaitė, Daniel Bach CURRENT ISSUE INDEXING METADATA HOW TO CITE ITEM UPCOMING ISSUES Introduction FINDING REFERENCES ARCHIVES On 4 December 2016, a man entered a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor armed with an AR­15 assault rifle in an attempt to save the victims of an alleged satanic pedophilia ring run by EMAIL THIS ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS prominent members of the Democratic Party. While the story had already been discredited (LOGIN REQUIRED) (LaCapria), at the time of the incident, nearly half of Trump voters were found to give a ABOUT M/C JOURNAL measure of credence to the same rumors that had apparently inspired the gunman (Frankovic). EMAIL THE AUTHOR Was we will discuss here, the bizarre conspiracy theory known as "Pizzagate" had in fact (LOGIN REQUIRED) USER HOME originated a month earlier on 4chan/pol/, a message forum whose very raison d’être is to protest against “political correctness” of the liberal establishment, and which had recently ABOUT THE AUTHORS JOURNAL CONTENT become a hub for “loose coordination” amongst members the insurgent US ‘alt­right’ movement Marc Tuters SEARCH (Hawley 48). Over a period of 25 hours beginning on 3 November 2016, contributors to the /pol/ forum combed through a cache of private e­mails belonging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign https://oilab.eu manager John Podesta, obtained by Russian hackers (Franceschi­Bicchierai) and leaked by University of Amsterdam SEARCH SCOPE Julian Assange (Wikileaks).
    [Show full text]
  • Giuffre V. Maxwell’ Outhern District Judge Or Destroyed
    G THE B IN EN V C R H E S A N 8 D 8 B 18 AR CE WWW. NYLJ.COM SIN VOLUME 260—NO. 74 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018 SOUTHERN DISTRICT CIVIL PRACTICE ROUNDUP Expert Analysis Privacy Trumps Right of Access to Judicial Documents in ‘Giuffre v. Maxwell’ outhern District Judge or destroyed. The protective order Robert W. Sweet’s recent also provided expressly that it did decision in Giuffre v. Max- not have any “force and effect” on well, 2018 WL 4062649 the use of confidential information (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 27, 2018) at trial. Saddresses the press’s application After extensive discovery and By And to unseal potentially salacious Edward M. Judith L. pretrial litigation including denial Spiro Mogul documents covered by a protec- of a summary judgment motion tive order in an action concerning brought by Maxwell, the parties ‘Giuffre v. Maxwell’ allegations of sexual abuse. In Judge reached a confidential settlement Sweet’s words, the motion involved Giuffre v. Maxwell was a defama- in May 2017, the day before the “vital societal concepts, the privacy tion case brought by Virginia Giuf- case was scheduled to begin trial. rights of individuals, the judicial fre, who had alleged in the media Almost a year later, in April 2018, process to establish truth or falsity, and in court papers that she was the Miami Herald and one of its the transparency of that process, the victim of sexual abuse and reporters filed a motion to inter- and freedom of information and trafficking when she was a minor, vene in the proceedings and obtain of the press.” In ultimately decid- against Ghislaine Maxwell, who an order unsealing all of the pre- ing against unsealing, Judge Sweet Giuffre claimed had facilitated the viously sealed documents in the engaged in a concise but thorough abuse.
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Model Suing Leon Black Alleges Billionaire's Ties to Jeffrey Epstein
    Russian model suing Leon Black alleges billionaire's ties to Jeffrey Epstein reuters.com/article/apollo-global-leon-black-lawsuit/russian-model-suing-leon-black-alleges-billionaires-ties-to-jeffrey- epstein-idUSL1N2PH128 By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - A woman who accused billionaire Leon Black of sexual violence and defamation is now alleging the former Apollo Global Management Inc chief once flew her to Florida for a potential sexual encounter with Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and sex offender. FILE PHOTO: Leon Black is pictured here in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. May 1, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Guzel Ganieva’s latest accusation came in an amended civil complaint filed on Monday in a New York state court. The Russian model had sued Black on June 1, and Black countersued for defamation on July 19. Both are seeking unspecified damages. “Ms. Ganieva’s story today is demonstrably and transparently false and betrays her willingness to say anything and fabricate a story in the hope that something will stick,” Danya Perry, a lawyer for Black, said in a statement on Monday. Ganieva, now in her late 30s, previously accused Black of numerous instances of unwanted sexual conduct before having her sign a nondisclosure agreement in 2015, and defamation for publicly accusing her of trying to extort him. Black’s lawyers have said their client, who is married, had a consensual 6-1/2-year relationship with Ganieva, and paid her $100,000 a month for several years not to discuss it. In Monday’s complaint, Ganieva said Black picked her up in October 2008, purportedly for a lunch in Manhattan, but instead took her on a private jet to Florida, where Epstein had a home.
    [Show full text]
  • Testimony from Jeffrey Epsteins Sex Slaves
    Testimony From Jeffrey Epsteins Sex Slaves Affective Joab sometimes sawed his distruster abreast and drabbing so humorously! Is Jordan stormiest when Benton mitres sumptuously? Unperishing and hottest Tab desquamated almost pedantically, though Saw inventories his adulteress permutated. Transition takes place in his encino home despite their own airplane at a teenager, trump have resulted in so this can testimony from the All sex slave by jeffrey testimony against maxwell is. Ghislaine Maxwell fights release of testimony said her 'own sexual activity' and 'sexual. Jeffrey Epstein Sent order to Governor and Senator for Sex. Jeffrey Epstein Told Ex-girlfriend Maxwell She Did 'feel Wrong'. Catching up to touch his testimony against jeffrey epstein was. 'Massage' Was Code for 'beginning' New Epstein Abuse. At a separate point enjoy the document Roberts clarifies past statements. She knew wexner had not commented publicly since the testimony from the decision on. Jeffrey Epstein sex slave accuser settles lawsuit against British socialite who allegedly pimped her out. Confidante Ghislaine Maxwell converted her into either sex slave. Epstein accuser alleged in newly unsealed deposition that. Australian man begging to block the testimony from jeffrey epsteins sex slaves. Have temporarily suspending article is r kelly clarkson in london metropolitan correctional center in new testimony from jeffrey epsteins sex slaves for once! Office space to have you how deeply intertwined she directed her slave by interacting with progress element of those about interest? A rotating cast of girls would close around Jeffrey Epstein's waterfront mansion drinking milk. Giuffre's claim that Epstein and Maxwell turned her hip a couple slave and.
    [Show full text]
  • Surviving Jeffrey Epstein Brand New and Exclusive to Crime+Investigation®
    SURVIVING JEFFREY EPSTEIN BRAND NEW AND EXCLUSIVE TO CRIME+INVESTIGATION® BEGINT DINSDAG 8 SEPTEMBER VANAF 21.00 UUR Web: https://www.crimeandinvestigation.nl/show/surviving-jeffrey-epstein Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CIBENELUX/ #SurvivingJeffreyEpstein A year to the day that disgraced financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein was found hanged in his jail cell, Crime+Investigation® reveals the horrifying truth of his three-decade reign of abuse, through the eyes of the survivors: some of whom are speaking here for the first time. The four-hour documentary series, SURVIVING JEFFREY EPSTEIN, due to premiere on Crime+Investigation in early September divulges the full extent of the international sex trafficking network devised by the reclusive billionaire to feed his sexual cravings. In addition, it reveals how he used his connections with the rich and powerful to evade detection and prosecution. Airing over two weeks on Tuesday 8th and Tuesday 15th September, the series provides a platform for the courageous survivors of Epstein’s systematic abuse to share their stories as we gain unparalleled insight into one of the most talked about and widespread abuse scandals in history. With testimonies from attorneys on both sides of the case, psychologists and expert journalists offering a comprehensive view of the case of Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged global human trafficking network for the rich and powerful. Contributors include: survivors Rachel Benavidez, Jena Lisa Jones, Kiki Doe, Courtney Wild, Chauntae Davies, Teresa Helm, Virginia
    [Show full text]
  • Download Report
    COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS AN NUAL RE PORT JULY 1, 2003-JUNE 30, 2004 Main Office Washington Office The Harold Pratt House 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW 58 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10021 Washington, DC 20036 Tel. (212) 434-9400; Fax (212) 434-9800 Tel. (202) 518-3400; Fax (202) 986-2984 Website www.cfr.org E-mail [email protected] OFFICERS and DIRECTORS 2004-2005 OFFICERS DIRECTORS Term Expiring 2009 Peter G. Peterson* Term Expiring 2005 Madeleine K. Albright Chairman of the Board Jessica P Einhorn Richard N. Fostert Carla A. Hills* Louis V Gerstner Jr. Maurice R. Greenbergt Vice Chairman Carla A. Hills*t Robert E. Rubin George J. Mitchell Vice Chairman Robert E. Rubin Joseph S. Nye Jr. Richard N. Haass Warren B. Rudman Fareed Zakaria President Andrew Young Michael R Peters Richard N. Haass ex officio Executive Vice President Term Expiring 2006 Janice L. Murray Jeffrey L. Bewkes Senior Vice President OFFICERS AND and Treasurer Henry S. Bienen DIRECTORS, EMERITUS David Kellogg Lee Cullum AND HONORARY Senior Vice President, Corporate Richard C. Holbrooke Leslie H. Gelb Affairs, and Publisher Joan E. Spero President Emeritus Irina A. Faskianos Vice President, Vin Weber Maurice R. Greenberg Honorary Vice Chairman National Program and Academic Outreach Term Expiring 2007 Charles McC. Mathias Jr. Elise Carlson Lewis Fouad Ajami Director Emeritus Vice President, Membership David Rockefeller Kenneth M. Duberstein and Fellowship Affairs Honorary Chairman Ronald L. Olson James M. Lindsay Robert A. Scalapino Vice President, Director of Peter G. Peterson* t Director Emeritus Studies, Maurice R. Creenberg Chair Lhomas R.
    [Show full text]
  • Qanon and Facebook
    The Boom Before the Ban: QAnon and Facebook Ciaran O’Connor, Cooper Gatewood, Kendrick McDonald and Sarah Brandt 2 ‘THE GREAT REPLACEMENT’: THE VIOLENT CONSEQUENCES OF MAINSTREAMED EXTREMISM / Document title: About this report About NewsGuard This report is a collaboration between the Institute Launched in March 2018 by media entrepreneur and for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and the nonpartisan award-winning journalist Steven Brill and former Wall news-rating organisation NewsGuard. It analyses Street Journal publisher Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard QAnon-related contents on Facebook during a provides credibility ratings and detailed “Nutrition period of increased activity, just before the platform Labels” for thousands of news and information websites. implemented moderation of public contents spreading NewsGuard rates all the news and information websites the conspiracy theory. Combining quantitative and that account for 95% of online engagement across the qualitative analysis, this report looks at key trends in US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy. NewsGuard products discussions around QAnon, prominent accounts in that include NewsGuard, HealthGuard, and BrandGuard, discussion, and domains – particularly news websites which helps marketers concerned about their brand – that were frequently shared alongside QAnon safety, and the Misinformation Fingerprints catalogue of contents on Facebook. This report also recommends top hoaxes. some steps to be taken by technology companies, governments and the media when seeking to counter NewsGuard rates each site based on nine apolitical the spread of problematic conspiracy theories like criteria of journalistic practice, including whether a QAnon on social media. site repeatedly publishes false content, whether it regularly corrects or clarifies errors, and whether it avoids deceptive headlines.
    [Show full text]
  • Arxiv:2009.04885V3
    “Is it a Qoincidence?”: A First Step Towards Understanding and Characterizing the QAnon Movement on Voat.co Antonis Papasavva1, Jeremy Blackburn2 Gianluca Stringhini3, Savvas Zannettou4, and Emiliano De Cristofaro1 1University College London, 2Binghamton University, 3Boston University, 4Max Planck Institute for Informatics [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] – iDRAMA Lab – Abstract media platforms has helped the spread of conspiracy theo- ries in general, and politically oriented ones in particular. Online fringe communities offer fertile grounds for users to For instance, the Pizzagate conspiracy theory emerged during seek and share paranoid ideas fueling suspicion of mainstream the 2016 US presidential elections, claiming that candidate news, and outright conspiracy theories. Among these, the Hillary Clinton was involved in a pedophile ring [40]. Even QAnon conspiracy theory has emerged in 2017 on 4chan, when widely debunked, conspiracy theories can help motivate broadly supporting the idea that powerful politicians, aristo- detractors and demotivate supporters, thus potentially threat- crats, and celebrities are closely engaged in a global pedophile ening democracies. ring. At the same time, governments are thought to be con- Over the past few years, a new conspiracy, known as trolled by “puppet masters,” as democratically elected offi- “QAnon,” has emerged that is somewhat related to Pizzagate. cials serve as a fake showroom of democracy. It originated on the anonymous Politically Incorrect (/pol/) In this paper, we provide an empirical exploratory anal- board of 4chan by a user going by the nickname “Q,” who ysis of the QAnon community on Voat.co, a Reddit-esque posted numerous threads claiming to be a US government news aggregator, which has recently captured the interest official with a top-secret Q clearance, in October 2017 [10].
    [Show full text]
  • Child Trafficking
    Child Trafficking By: Jonathan Broder Pub. Date: April 16, 2021 Access Date: April 19, 2021 Source URL: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2021041600 ©2021 CQ Press, An Imprint of SAGE Publishing. All Rights Reserved. CQ Press is a registered trademark of Congressional Quarterly Inc. ©2021 CQ Press, An Imprint of SAGE Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Table of Contents .In .t r. o. d. u. c. t.i o. n. 3. .O . v.e . r.v .i e. w. 3. .B .a . c. k. g. r.o .u .n .d . 1. 1. .C . u. r.r e. n. t. S. .i t.u .a .t i.o . n. 1. 5. .O . u. t.lo . o. k. 1. 7. .P .r .o ./ C. .o .n . 1. 8. .D . i.s .c .u .s .s .i o. n. .Q . u. e. s. t.i o. n. s. 1. 9. .C . h. r.o .n .o .l o. g. .y . 2. 1. .S .h .o . r.t .F .e . a. t.u .r e. s. 2. 2. .B .i b. .li o. .g .r a. p. .h .y . 2. 5. .T .h .e . N. .e .x .t .S . t.e .p . 2. 6. .C . o. n. t.a .c .t s. 2. 6. .F .o .o . t.n .o .t e. s. 2. 7. .A .b . o. u. t. t.h .e . A. .u .t h. o. r. 3. 0. Page 2 of 30 Child Trafficking CQ Researcher ©2021 CQ Press, An Imprint of SAGE Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Introduction The worldwide trafficking of children for commercial sex and forced labor is rising rapidly, despite more than a century of laws, treaties and protocols banning the practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Learning from the Jeffrey Epstein Mess: It’S Time to Add a Cause of Action for Damages to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act
    Learning from the Jeffrey Epstein Mess: It’s Time to Add a Cause of Action for Damages to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act By Tung Yin INTRODUCTION During the early 2000s, a wealthy financier named Jeffrey Epstein allegedly “assembl[ed] a large, cult-like network of underage girls . to coerce into having sex acts behind the walls of his opulent waterfront mansion as often as three times a day.”1 Local law enforcement officers began investigating Epstein in 2005 after receiving one complaint about molestation of a female teenager.2 As police attention focused on Epstein, more accusers came forward, and a horrifying picture emerged: “From between about 1999 and 2007, Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused more than 30 minor girls . at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, and elsewhere in the United States and overseas.”3 Initially it appeared as if Epstein would soon face justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents began investigating him for child prostitution in mid-2006.4 That fall, FBI agents interviewed “potential witnesses and victims from Florida, New York and New Mexico.”5 By the following summer, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida had drafted a 53-page indictment against Epstein for grand jury presentment.6 Over the next few months, federal prosecutors and Epstein’s lawyers discussed a potential plea agreement, with United States Attorney Alex Professor of Law, Lewis & Clark Law School. Thanks to Paul Cassell, Meg Garvin, Jay Krishnan, and Amy Liu for helpful comments and insights, and Alex Jones (L&C ‘21) for outstanding research assistance.
    [Show full text]
  • Deep State Pedophile Ring Havir 2020-08-08.Pdf
    Deep State, Pedophile Ring and QAnon This article is from the “Among Friends” section of the Church of God Big Sandy’s website, churchofgodbigsandy.com. It was posted for the weekend of Aug. 8, 2020. By Dave Havir BIG SANDY, Texas—Whenever a person reads a headline like the one given to this article, a wide variety of responses can rush into a reader’s mind. Someone could ask: Why are you spending any time talking about subjects that the mainstream media identify as “conspiracy theories”? My first response: I don’t believe that two of the three subjects mentioned in the headline should be called conspiracy theories. Granted, I have recently learned that the third item (QAnon) includes a wide spectrum of unusual ideas. My follow-up comment: Obviously, I believe there is value is writing this arti- cle (or I wouldn’t be doing it). Media bias and freedom of speech At this time, I want to give you the following statements. What sparked my interest about the three items in the headline was an ar- ticle that I posted in the July 25 edition of the weekly publication called “Eye on the World”—titled “Twitter Bans 7,000 QAnon Accounts, Limits 150,000 Others As Part of Broad Crackdown.” My main interest was media bias and freedom of speech. However, a little research revealed to me that much of the content attrib- uted to QAnon is labeled by media outlets as conspiracy theories. I have little interest in spending time in discovering or disproving conspir- acy theories.
    [Show full text]