Epstein survivors pan Melania Trump statement, say it 'diverts attention' from Bondi

A group of survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein issued a statement on Thursday criticizing First Lady Melania Trump's recent denial of any connection to the disgraced financier, arguing that her comments serve to divert public attention from the actions of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Epstein case. The statement, signed by fifteen individuals including two listed under the pseudonym 'Jane Doe,' represents a direct challenge from victims who continue to seek accountability and transparency years after Epstein's death in a Manhattan jail cell. The survivors' core accusation is that Melania Trump's public disavowal functions as a strategic distraction. Their focus remains squarely on Pam Bondi, who served as Florida's Attorney General from 2011 to 2019. During her tenure, Bondi's office declined to pursue federal charges against Epstein following his controversial 2008 plea deal, which allowed him to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor and serve only 13 months in a county jail with work release. The survivors and their advocates have long contended that this decision represented a profound failure of justice, allowing Epstein to continue his predatory behavior for another decade. This public rebuke from Epstein's victims injects a new layer of political tension into the ongoing saga, directly linking figures from the Trump orbit to the unresolved questions surrounding Epstein's network. The statement underscores the survivors' determination to keep the spotlight on institutional decisions they believe enabled Epstein, rather than on personal denials from high-profile associates. It reflects a broader, persistent demand for a full accounting of how Epstein operated with such impunity for so long, and who among the political and financial elite may have benefited from or turned a blind eye to his crimes.