Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA)
A formal contract between federal prosecutors and a defendant in which the government agrees not to prosecute in exchange for cooperation or other conditions. In the Epstein case, the 2007 NPA negotiated by U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta with Epstein's defense team allowed Epstein to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges instead of facing a 53-page federal indictment. The agreement controversially granted immunity to 'any potential co-conspirators' — both named (including Sarah Kellen and Lesley Groff) and unnamed — effectively shielding associates from federal prosecution. A federal judge ruled in 2019 that the NPA violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act by failing to notify victims before it was finalized.
Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA)
A federal statute (18 U.S.C. § 3771) enacted in 2004 that guarantees crime victims specific rights in federal criminal proceedings, including the right to be notified of plea negotiations and to be heard at sentencing. In February 2019, Judge Kenneth Marra of the Southern District of Florida ruled that federal prosecutors violated the CVRA when they finalized the 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement with Epstein without consulting or notifying his victims. Courtney Wild was a lead plaintiff in the CVRA challenge. The ruling was a landmark decision that drew renewed attention to the original plea deal and contributed to the reopening of the federal investigation.
Proffer Agreement
A legal arrangement in which a witness or potential defendant provides information to prosecutors under limited-use protections. The witness agrees to answer questions truthfully, and in return, their statements generally cannot be used directly against them in court (though prosecutors can use independently obtained evidence). In the Epstein investigation, proffer sessions were used to gather information from associates and potential witnesses about trafficking operations, scheduling logistics, and Epstein's network of properties and aircraft.
Southern District of New York (SDNY)
A federal judicial district headquartered in Manhattan that handled the major Epstein-related cases. SDNY's Public Corruption Unit brought the 2019 federal indictment against Epstein (unsealed July 8, 2019) charging sex trafficking and conspiracy, and later prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell (United States v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330). The civil case Giuffre v. Maxwell (15-cv-07433) was also filed in SDNY and led to the unsealing of thousands of pages of depositions, flight logs, and communications between 2019 and 2024. SDNY is widely regarded as one of the most powerful prosecutorial offices in the U.S. federal system.
Unsealing
The judicial process of making previously sealed court documents available to the public. In the Epstein case, multiple waves of unsealing have released thousands of pages of depositions, flight logs, and legal filings. Major unsealing events include the 2019 release of documents from Giuffre v. Maxwell, a January 2024 release of approximately 943 pages of previously sealed depositions and exhibits, and ongoing releases under the 2025 Epstein Files Transparency Act. Sealed documents are typically restricted to protect ongoing investigations, witness safety, or privacy, and can be unsealed by court order when public interest outweighs those concerns.
Sex Trafficking
A federal crime (18 U.S.C. § 1591) involving the recruitment, transportation, or harboring of individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for commercial sex acts, or any such acts involving a minor regardless of coercion. Epstein was indicted on one count of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in July 2019. Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted on December 29, 2021, on five charges including sex trafficking of a minor — the most serious count, which carried a maximum sentence of 40 years. The trafficking operation documented in court records involved recruitment of underage victims at schools, malls, and through existing victims (a pyramid-style recruitment pattern), transportation via private aircraft, and exploitation at multiple properties.
Co-Conspirator
An individual who participates in a criminal conspiracy with one or more other persons. In the Epstein case, the 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement identified several named co-conspirators who received immunity from federal prosecution, including Sarah Kellen, Lesley Groff, Nadia Marcinkova, and Adriana Ross. The NPA's broad language also shielded unnamed co-conspirators, a provision that became one of the most controversial aspects of the plea deal. During the Maxwell trial, prosecutors established that Maxwell functioned as Epstein's primary co-conspirator in recruiting, grooming, and facilitating access to underage victims over a period spanning 1994 to 2004.
Deposition
Sworn, out-of-court testimony given by a witness as part of the discovery process in civil or criminal proceedings, recorded by a court reporter. Depositions played a central role in the Epstein case. Virginia Giuffre's 2016 deposition provided detailed accounts of her recruitment and abuse. Ghislaine Maxwell's 2016 deposition (later partially unsealed) contained statements prosecutors would use to establish perjury allegations. Other key depositions include those of Juan Alessi (Epstein's house manager), Johanna Sjoberg, Sarah Kellen, and Adriana Ross — though several associates invoked the Fifth Amendment extensively.
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
A federal law (5 U.S.C. § 552) that grants the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. FOIA has been a critical tool in the Epstein case for obtaining FBI investigative records, DOJ communications about the Non-Prosecution Agreement, and other government documents not available through court proceedings. Multiple FOIA requests and lawsuits by journalists and advocacy organizations have led to the release of FBI interview summaries, internal DOJ correspondence about the plea deal, and law enforcement records related to the Palm Beach Police Department investigation led by Detective Joseph Recarey.
Flight Manifest
An official record of passengers aboard an aircraft for a given flight. In the Epstein case, flight manifests (also called flight logs) from Epstein's Boeing 727 (tail number N908JE, nicknamed the 'Lolita Express') and Gulfstream aircraft were maintained by pilots David Rodgers and Larry Visoski. These logs, spanning 1995 to 2013, were subpoenaed as court exhibits in Giuffre v. Maxwell and documented hundreds of flights between Epstein's properties in New York, Palm Beach, the US Virgin Islands, Paris, and New Mexico. The manifests recorded passenger names for each flight leg and became key evidence establishing travel patterns and identifying associates.
Victim Impact Statement
A written or oral statement presented during sentencing that describes the emotional, physical, and financial harm suffered by a crime victim. At Ghislaine Maxwell's sentencing hearing on June 28, 2022, eight victims delivered impact statements to Judge Alison Nathan in the Southern District of New York. Annie Farmer — the only accuser to testify at trial using her real name — was among those who spoke. The statements described lasting trauma from abuse that occurred decades earlier and were cited by the judge in imposing a 20-year sentence.
Indictment
A formal accusation issued by a grand jury charging a person with a crime. Jeffrey Epstein was indicted on July 8, 2019, on two federal counts: sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors, covering conduct from at least 2002 through 2005. Ghislaine Maxwell was initially indicted on July 2, 2020, on six counts. A superseding indictment expanded the charges to include sex trafficking of a minor (the most serious count), extending the alleged conduct period from 1994 to 2004. Notably, in 2007, prosecutors had prepared a 53-page federal indictment against Epstein that was never filed due to the Non-Prosecution Agreement negotiated by Alexander Acosta.
Epstein Files Transparency Act
Federal legislation (H.R. 354) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2025 with a near-unanimous vote of 427-1, subsequently signed into law. The act mandates the Department of Justice to publicly release approximately 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related records, including previously classified or restricted FBI investigative files, DOJ internal correspondence, and interagency communications. The full release is scheduled for completion in 2026. The legislation was driven by bipartisan frustration over the limited scope of prior document releases and public demands for accountability following the Maxwell trial verdict.
Black Book
Jeffrey Epstein's personal address book, a physical directory containing approximately 1,500 names, phone numbers, and addresses of contacts including politicians, celebrities, business leaders, scientists, and royalty. The book was removed from Epstein's Palm Beach residence in 2005 by butler Alfredo Rodriguez, who later attempted to sell it for $50,000 — an act for which he was convicted of obstruction of justice. Some entries were circled, which investigators believed indicated individuals connected to Epstein's trafficking activities. A digital copy was entered into evidence during legal proceedings, and the full document was leaked publicly, becoming one of the most referenced artifacts in the case.
Giuffre v. Maxwell
A federal civil defamation lawsuit (Case No. 15-cv-07433, SDNY) filed by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015. Giuffre alleged that Maxwell defamed her by publicly calling her a liar after Giuffre accused Maxwell and Epstein of sexual abuse and trafficking. Though the case was settled in 2017, the discovery phase produced thousands of pages of depositions, communications, and exhibits that were progressively unsealed between 2019 and 2024. These documents became the single largest source of publicly available evidence in the Epstein case, revealing details about Epstein's operations, Maxwell's involvement, and connections to powerful figures.