新墨西哥州于周三在华盛顿特区联邦法院起诉司法部和代理司法部长托德·布兰奇，指控他们阻挠该州对金融家杰弗里·爱泼斯坦在州内牧场所犯性罪行的调查[1]。新墨西哥州检察长拉乌尔·托雷斯表示，司法部拒绝共享调查相关信息，这损害了受害者权益并破坏公众利益[1]。该诉讼寻求法院下令联邦政府向新墨西哥调查人员提交所需材料[1]。
爱泼斯坦于1993年从前民主党州长布鲁斯·金手中购得位于新墨西哥州斯坦利的牧场[1]。爱泼斯坦已于2019年8月在纽约联邦监狱自杀身亡[1]，其前女友及共谋者吉斯莱恩·麦克斯韦尔于2021年被定罪，获刑20年[1]。该地产于2023年被爱泼斯坦的遗产售予德州共和党人唐·赫弗内斯家族[1]。司法部于12月根据《爱泼斯坦档案透明度法》开始发布调查记录[1]。
New Mexico filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of obstructing the state's investigation into sexual crimes committed by financier Jeffrey Epstein at his ranch in New Mexico[1]. State Attorney General Raoul Torres argued that the Justice Department's refusal to share relevant information has harmed crime victims and undermined the public interest[1]. The state is seeking court intervention to compel the federal government to provide investigative materials to New Mexico authorities[1].
The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.[1]. Epstein died by suicide in a New York federal prison in August 2019[1]. His former girlfriend and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021[1]. The ranch in Stanley, New Mexico was purchased by Epstein in 1993 from former Democratic Governor Bruce King[1]. The estate was sold to a Texas Republican family in 2023[1]. In December, the Justice Department began releasing investigative records under the Epstein Records Transparency Act[1].