TheBadPlaceyahoo news | As New Mexico investigates, questions are raised about Epstein's links to the... by undefined
The New Mexico “truth commission” has begun a criminal‑justice probe after state police, for the first time, searched Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch near Stanley. Investigators are looking for any evidence of child‑sex‑trafficking that could have occurred at the Old West‑themed hideaway, while also examining how a cadre of powerful Democratic officials continued to meet Epstein and accept his campaign money long after he was listed as a registered sex offender. The inquiry follows a 2020 letter from the state attorney‑general’s office that described the ranch as a hub for Epstein’s nationwide trafficking network, linking the property to crimes in the U.S. Virgin Islands, New York and Florida.
Epstein’s political dealings in New Mexico were modest in dollar terms but outsized in influence. Between 2002 and 2014 he contributed just over $160,000 to five state races, often emerging as the largest out‑of‑state donor even after his 2008 conviction. He gave money to former Governor Bill Richardson, to former Attorney General Gary King, and to the political family of three‑time Governor Bruce King, who sold Epstein the 7,500‑acre Zorro Ranch in 1993 for roughly $3.75 million. King’s 2014 campaign returned a $35,600 donation after press coverage, and King has said he never visited the ranch or asked for money after Epstein’s 2019 Florida conviction. Congressional Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez has condemned the continued acceptance of Epstein’s contributions and has pressed for answers on why law‑enforcement agencies never pursued complaints of abuse at the ranch.
Law‑enforcement contacts with the ranch have been sparse and opaque. FBI agents questioned ranch staff in 2007 about “masseuses” Epstein had brought in, but neither the state Attorney General’s office nor the Department of Justice informed New Mexico officials of any broader federal probe at the time. Local police agencies report no records of complaints, though the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office says it is reviewing any allegations it may have received. In February, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez reopened the state’s investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have declined to comment on ongoing inquiries.
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