A large number of child victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were coerced into participating in trafficking activities once they reached adulthood, tech billionaire Elon Musk claimed on Tuesday.
Responding to a question about why many of Epstein's victims still have not publicly named powerful people, Musk wrote, "Most of the child victims were turned into traffickers themselves by Epstein after age 18."
He claimed that by getting them involved in illegal activities, Epstein made sure they would stay silent, as they feared getting into trouble. He argued that this worked better than just making them sign legal agreements. "By making them commit a crime with him, Epstein ensured their silence more than any NDA possibly could," he added.
Musk further suggested that the government should offer them legal protection, or amnesty, so they can speak openly and share what they know without worrying about being prosecuted. "They should be offered amnesties in order to testify," he wrote.
Epstein's longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was accused and later convicted of recruiting underage girls for Epstein. During the legal proceedings, she argued that she herself had been a victim of Epstein's manipulation and control.
The court, though, ultimately found her guilty in 2021 on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges, and she is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released millions of internal documents related to Epstein. These documents included investigation records, emails, contact lists, flight logs, and other official files connected to the case.
The newly released documents show that Epstein had connections with many powerful and influential people, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, US President Donald Trump, former US President Bill Clinton, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz and others.
The government also redacted the names and personal details of more than 1,000 victims in Epstein files to protect their privacy and safety.
