The girl who supplied crucial proof that allowed federal prosecutors to cost Jeffrey Epstein with intercourse trafficking of minors in 2019 is talking out publicly for the primary time, urging lawmakers to launch data associated to the convicted intercourse offender to assist his victims heal.
Sources say Marina Lacerda, 37, was recognized in Epstein’s 2019 indictment as “Minor-Sufferer 1” and supplied key info that helped prosecutors put the intercourse offender behind bars.
Talking publicly for the primary time in an interview with ABC Information, Lacerda known as on the Trump administration to launch their data associated to Epstein and inspired different survivors of abuse to return ahead.
To see the total interview, tune into ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET.
“I would love for them to offer all of the victims transparency, proper, to what occurred and launch these information. It is also not just for the victims, however for the American individuals,” Lacerda advised ABC Information’ Linsey Davis concerning Epstein, the rich financier and convicted intercourse offender who died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019.
Federal investigators first contacted Lacerda in 2008, however Epstein secured a controversial and once-secret non-prosecution settlement with federal prosecutors earlier than she may inform a grand jury about her allegations of childhood intercourse abuse. Investigators returned to Lacerda greater than ten years later, utilizing her experiences to construct a case that charged Epstein with intercourse trafficking minors in New York.
In response to the indictment, Lacerda first met Epstein when she was 14 years outdated in 2002 when she was recruited to return to his palatial New York residence to offer a therapeutic massage to Epstein — an interplay that finally led to years of sexual abuse.
“His home was a revolving door. There was at all times women,” Lacerda advised ABC Information. “If he was in New York, he had his week prepped to see as many ladies as potential. I’d say he was seeing about 5 to possibly eight ladies, possibly much more, possibly as much as ten ladies a day.”
Jeffrey Epstein in court docket in West Palm Seashore, Fla., July 30, 2008.
Uma Sanghvi/The Palm Seashore Publish by way of AP
After immigrating from Brazil together with her household, Lacerda stated she was residing in Queens and sharing a single bed room together with her mom and sister when she first met Epstein. A buddy first launched her to the financier, framing it as a chance to earn a living to assist her household.
“She had stated that, you already know, I used to be going to therapeutic massage anyone and there wasn’t a lot specifics,” Lacerda stated. “I wasn’t anticipating what led on to that day as a result of I believe with Jeffrey Epstein, it begins someplace, however then it ends. Both you having intercourse with them whether or not you prefer it or not.”
Over the following three years, Lacerda stated she grew to become part of a rising community of younger women recruited by Epstein in New York, assembly and being compelled to have intercourse with the disgraced financier two to 3 instances every week.
“He compelled me to have intercourse with him. Principally. I actually had no alternative,” she stated.
Lacerda stated Epstein finally paid her 1000’s of {dollars}, and she or he believed being related to the financier would open doorways for her as an immigrant from Brazil.
She recalled that Epstein displayed images of high-profile celebrities and politicians in his residence, and that he carried out telephone calls with high-profile people.
“I believed that if I simply performed alongside that I would not be this immigrant from Brazil, you already know, and that I’d have one thing to look ahead,” she stated.
However Lacerda stated Epstein’s curiosity in her pale as she grew older, and she or he started recruiting different younger ladies for him.
“It got here to some extent once I was, I might say, 16 and a half or 17. He did not need me anymore. He was similar to, you are too outdated,” she stated.
Years later, Lacerda stated that FBI brokers arrived at her doorstep to ask questions on Epstein. She stated she instantly known as Epstein, who supplied her with a lawyer. Whereas she ready to talk to the grand jury in 2008 about Epstein, the chance was lower brief when Epstein secured a take care of prosecutors.
“I’d have felt significantly better at present talking if I used to be in a position to communicate in 2008,” she stated. “In the event that they gave me the prospect to talk, these ladies wouldn’t be via this.”
Eleven years later, the FBI contacted Lacerda again, as New York prosecutors opened a case into Epstein. Her expertise finally supplied prosecutors with key info to unravel his alleged community of kid intercourse abuse in New York.
The Trump administration has been dealing with the fallout from its determination to not launch supplies associated to the investigation into Epstein following the blowback it acquired from MAGA supporters after it introduced final month that no further information can be launched.
Epstein, whose personal island property was within the U.S. Virgin Islands, has lengthy been rumored to have stored a “consumer listing” of celebrities and politicians, which right-wing influencers have baselessly accused authorities of hiding.
The Justice Division and FBI introduced in July that they’d found no evidence that Epstein stored a consumer listing, after a number of high officers, earlier than becoming a member of the administration, had themselves accused the federal government of protecting info concerning the Epstein case.
On Tuesday, Lacerda met with Congressional lawmakers alongside different survivors of Epstein. A long time after her abuse, she stated that the incessant protection of Epstein and the dearth of transparency solely exacerbate the hurt suffered by his victims.
“We have to have transparency. We want the Epstein information to be out,” she stated. “In the present day I spoke about it — I wish to have my information in order that I can start to heal.”
