Lawmakers in New Mexico are seeking to uncover the full extent of Jeffrey Epstein’s actions in the state. They aim to find out if others should also face prosecution. A committee, the New Mexico Truth Commission, plans to issue subpoenas this week to 14 entities. These include federal agencies such as the U.S. Justice Department and FBI, as well as local law enforcement bodies that investigated Epstein.
Subpoenas will target Epstein’s former banks, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase, along with the Santa Fe Institute, a nonprofit supported by Epstein. If evidence surfaces indicating criminal activity by someone, the case will be referred to an appropriate law enforcement agency in New Mexico or elsewhere.
“We will name what happened, we will name who was responsible,” Republican state Rep. Andrea Reeb stated during a meeting at the New Mexico State Capitol.
Reeb is one of four members of the bipartisan commission. The commission is collaborating with the New Mexico Department of Justice, which has reopened a criminal investigation halted in 2019. This agency is also requesting Epstein-related records from federal authorities.
Epstein, who owned a ranch in New Mexico since 1993, never faced charges for crimes there despite allegations spanning decades. At least 10 women have claimed Epstein abused them at his 10,000-acre ranch, based on an NBC News review of court documents and other sources. Half of these women were teenagers at the time.
New Mexico’s experience with Epstein mirrors a broader pattern seen in Florida. There, Epstein was accused of paying underage girls for sex. In 2008, he reached an agreement with prosecutors avoiding severe penalties and halting investigations in other states. He had to register as a sex offender in Florida and New York, but not in New Mexico.
After the Miami Herald exposed his plea deal in 2019, federal prosecutors in New York revived the case. Their investigation, however, largely ignored the New Mexico ranch. Following Epstein’s death in jail, attention turned to Ghislaine Maxwell, his accomplice, who is now serving a federal sentence.
In January, the Justice Department released millions of pages of Epstein-related documents. These include new details about the termination of the state investigation in 2019 and fresh allegations of crimes at the ranch. This prompted a renewed effort in New Mexico to probe Epstein’s actions there. Concerns arose over unverified claims of two bodies buried on the ranch property.
The commission emphasizes the importance of focusing on survivors’ experiences. They will investigate not only allegations of sex trafficking and financial crimes but also potential “medical and scientific crimes.” State Rep. Marianna Anaya mentioned these categories without further explanation. Funded by a settlement with Epstein’s banks, the commission aims to suggest amendments to state laws to prevent future oversight issues.
At a recent session, the commission heard from Rachel Benavidez, a survivor who claims she was abused by Epstein while working as a massage therapist at the ranch. The family of Virginia Giuffre, another known Epstein victim, also addressed the commission. Giuffre had been a vocal critic before her suicide last year.
“We know Jeffrey Epstein could not have acted alone,” Benavidez stated. “The tentacles of this evil network extend across academia, science, medicine, politics, finance, and government.”
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