By Andrew Hay
SANTA FE, N.M., May 26 (Reuters) – New Mexico legislators probing Jeffrey Epstein on Monday said they have issued their first subpoenas, calling for evidence on the late sex offender from 14 entities including federal law enforcement agencies, the state governor’s office and a Santa Fe scientific institute.
The New Mexico Truth Commission, in its second meeting since it was set up in February, also heard testimony from Rachel Benavidez, a survivor of alleged sexual abuse at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, as well as family members of the late Virginia Giuffre, another survivor.
The commission, the first of its kind in the country, was established following the Justice Department’s release of millions of Epstein-related files that shed new light on activities at the ranch 30 miles south of state capital Santa Fe.
The investigation could have wider, international significance if it can find evidence that public figures traveled to the ranch and took part in alleged sexual abuse. Epstein survivors have called on lawmakers in New York and Florida to also launch probes into abuse at the late financiers residences in those states.
The bi-partisan group is investigating allegations of sex trafficking and medical and scientific crimes on the ranch, as well as “power networks” that allowed Epstein to operate in the state for 26 years, according to Representative Marianna Anaya, a member of the committee.
State Representative Andrea Reeb, another member, said the investigation would seek information on how state and federal agencies failed with regards Epstein, before subpoenaing individuals.
“Let’s say, for example, we decide to pull in the former attorney general, we need to have that information of what their office has in order to properly question them,” Reeb told reporters after the meeting.
Among those the Truth Commission subpoenaed were Deutsche Bank, the FBI, the New Mexico Department of Justice, the New Mexico State Land Commission, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Fe Institute, a scientific foundation in the state’s capital, according to New Mexico Representative Andrea Romero, chair of the group.
Benavidez, 52, was hopeful the Truth Commission, and a reopened state criminal investigation, would reveal the people in New Mexico and elsewhere who turned a blind eye to Epstein’s abuse, or took part in it.
The Truth Commission hired a law firm to deal with potential civil lawsuits brought by survivors. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez last week urged more survivors to come forward to aid his criminal investigation.
In the absence of federal investigations into Epstein by President Donald Trump’s Justice department, survivors are counting on state probes to bring accountability for alleged co-conspirators and perpetrators.
“We know Jeffrey Epstein could not have acted alone,” said Benavidez, a registered nurse. “We see why the tentacles of this evil network extend across academia, science, medicine, politics, finance and government.”
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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