Epstein Victim Compensation: $121 Million Fund

EPSTEIN VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAM: $121 MILLION FUND The Epstein Victims' Compensation Program (EVCP) was established in June 2020 to provide financial compensation to individuals who were sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein. Administered independently from the Epstein estate, the program distributed approximately $121 million to eligible claimants before concluding operations in August 2021. This page documents how the fund was created, how claims were evaluated, and how the program compared to separate litigation settlements. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FUND Following Epstein's death on August 10, 2019, while in federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, his estate entered probate proceedings in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein had been domiciled. The co-executors of the estate announced the creation of the Epstein Victims' Compensation Program in June 2020 as a voluntary program to compensate victims without requiring them to pursue individual lawsuits against the estate. Jordana Feldman, an attorney with experience administering victim compensation programs, was appointed as the independent administrator of the EVCP. Feldman had previously worked on the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and other mass claims programs. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA To be eligible for compensation from the EVCP, claimants were required to demonstrate that they were sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein. The program used a broad definition of sexual abuse that encompassed various forms of misconduct. Eligibility was not limited to incidents that occurred at specific locations or during specific time periods. Key eligibility requirements included: - Submission of a claim form describing the claimant's experience - Provision of supporting documentation where available (though the program recognized that many claimants might not have contemporaneous documentation) - Participation in an interview with the program administrator or her staff - Agreement to release claims against the Epstein estate in exchange for compensation Claimants were not required to have previously reported the abuse to law enforcement or to have participated in any criminal proceedings. The program was designed to be accessible to individuals who had not previously come forward. THE CLAIMS PROCESS The EVCP established a structured process for receiving, evaluating, and resolving claims: 1. Claim submission: Claimants filed written claims describing their experiences, the time period, the location, and any available supporting information. 2. Review and investigation: The administrator and her team reviewed each claim, conducted follow-up interviews, and gathered additional information as needed. The review process included an assessment of the credibility and consistency of each claim. 3. Determination: The administrator made individual determinations about eligibility and compensation amounts based on the nature and severity of the abuse, the duration and frequency of contact, the impact on the claimant, and other relevant factors. 4. Payment: Eligible claimants received compensation amounts determined by the administrator. The program did not publicly disclose individual compensation amounts, but the total distribution was approximately $121 million across all eligible claims. PROGRAM STATISTICS The EVCP processed claims over approximately 14 months of operation: - Total claims filed: More than 225 - Claims determined eligible: Approximately 150 - Total compensation distributed: Approximately $121 million - Average compensation per eligible claim: Approximately $800,000 (though individual amounts varied significantly based on the circumstances of each claim) - Program duration: June 2020 to August 2021 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS The EVCP operated independently from several other legal proceedings involving Epstein victims: U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Action: The USVI Attorney General filed a civil enforcement action against the Epstein estate alleging violations of territorial law. This action was resolved through a settlement in which the estate agreed to dissolve corporate entities connected to Epstein's USVI operations and fund restitution. JPMorgan Chase Settlement ($290 Million): In June 2024, JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $290 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by Epstein victims who alleged that the bank facilitated Epstein's sex trafficking by maintaining his accounts despite red flags. This settlement was separate from and in addition to the EVCP. Deutsche Bank Settlement ($75 Million): Deutsche Bank settled similar claims for $75 million, also separate from the EVCP. Criminal Restitution: The criminal case against Ghislaine Maxwell (USA v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330) included a restitution component for victims identified in that prosecution. This was separate from the EVCP. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROGRAM The EVCP represented an unusual step in the resolution of the Epstein case — a voluntary program created by the estate to compensate victims without the delays and uncertainties of individual litigation. The program allowed victims to receive compensation relatively quickly compared to the court system, without the requirement of public testimony or litigation. However, participation required releasing claims against the estate, which meant that claimants who participated in the EVCP could not subsequently sue the estate for additional damages. The $121 million distributed by the EVCP, combined with the separate institutional settlements from JPMorgan ($290 million) and Deutsche Bank ($75 million), means that total financial compensation to Epstein victims has exceeded $486 million across all programs and settlements. Source: EVCP / Court Records Available at: https://www.justice.gov/epstein