Courtney Wild

Courtney Wild stated that she was 14 years old when she was recruited to go to Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion in approximately 2002. Like many others, she was told she could earn money giving massages.

At the mansion, the “massage” turned into sexual abuse. Courtney returned multiple times and was directed to recruit other young girls from her high school. She estimated that she brought multiple underage girls to the house.

Courtney came forward during the original FBI investigation in Palm Beach in 2005–2006. She cooperated with investigators, provided detailed statements, and expected that Epstein would face serious federal charges.

Instead, in 2008, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, led by Alexander Acosta, entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) with Epstein. The deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state prostitution charges, serve 13 months in a county jail with work release, and register as a sex offender. Crucially, the NPA granted immunity to Epstein’s co-conspirators and was negotiated in secret, without notifying the victims as required by the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

Courtney was devastated. She stated that the victims were deliberately kept in the dark while their abuser received what she described as a “slap on the wrist.” She and other victims, represented by attorney Paul Cassell, filed a lawsuit arguing the NPA violated the CVRA.

In February 2019, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled that the government had indeed violated the CVRA by failing to notify and consult with the victims before entering the NPA. The ruling was a landmark validation of victims’ rights.

Courtney’s persistence and willingness to fight publicly for years helped bring renewed scrutiny to the case and ultimately contributed to the pressure that led to Epstein’s 2019 federal arrest and indictment.