Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
July 10, 2025
Fellow Minnesotans and Americans,
The Jeffrey Epstein case lays bare a grotesque network of sexual exploitation and illicit behaviors that preyed on over 1,000 vulnerable minors, shielded by wealth, influence, and a broken system. As a Navy veteran and your candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2026, I stand for truth, justice, and the power of citizens to demand accountability. I call on you to stop waiting for external authorities to deliver a “list” of perpetrators. Instead, take charge: conduct your own research, build independent networks, and document the facts with precision. The web of abuse is vast, but the collective resolve of citizens piecing together direct knowledge will expose the truth and dismantle the information warfare campaign waged by those who hide it.
To guide your efforts, I provide a verified starting point: a list of known perpetrators and their victims, drawn from court records, victim testimonies, and credible investigations. But first, we must confront why justice has been delayed—why those with the authority to hold this network accountable failed to act and halted investigations. Below, I outline three of the most plausible reasons, naming specific individuals and their roles in these failures.
Three Plausible Reasons Authorities Failed to Hold the Network Accountable
1. Influence and Pressure from Powerful Elites (Alexander Acosta)
• Who: Alexander Acosta, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida (2005–2009), who oversaw Epstein’s 2007–2008 federal investigation.
• Failure: Acosta negotiated the 2008 non-prosecution agreement (NPA), allowing Epstein to plead guilty to minor Florida charges (soliciting prostitution) and serve 13 months with work release, shielding him and co-conspirators like Sarah Kellen, Nadia Marcinkova, Adriana Ross, and Lesley Groff from federal sex trafficking charges. The FBI had identified 36 victims, some as young as 14, but Acosta’s deal halted further investigation.
• Reason: Acosta later admitted in 2019 that he was told Epstein “belonged to intelligence” and to “leave it alone,” suggesting pressure from powerful elites or agencies. While this claim lacks direct evidence, court documents show Acosta’s office received intense lobbying from Epstein’s legal team, including Alan Dershowitz, and faced political pressure to avoid prosecuting a well-connected financier. The NPA’s secrecy, violating victims’ rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, further suggests deference to Epstein’s influence.
• Impact: The NPA stopped federal investigations for a decade, allowing Epstein’s abuse to continue until his 2019 arrest.
• Source: Miami Herald (2018), “Perversion of Justice”; DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility report (2020); Acosta’s 2019 testimony (PBS).
2. Institutional Negligence and Resource Constraints (FBI Leadership, James Comey)
• Who: James Comey, FBI Director (2013–2017), under whose tenure the FBI failed to act on renewed victim complaints and evidence post-2008.
• Failure: Despite receiving tips about Epstein’s ongoing abuse in the 2010s, including from victims like Courtney Wild, the FBI did not reopen a federal investigation until July 2019, after the Miami Herald’s reporting forced action. A 2024 lawsuit by 12 victims alleges the FBI ignored complaints as early as the 1990s, failing to pursue leads on Epstein’s trafficking network.
• Reason: Institutional negligence, compounded by resource constraints and prioritization of other cases, likely sidelined Epstein’s case. Under Comey, the FBI focused heavily on counterterrorism and high-profile political investigations, diverting resources from sex trafficking cases. Internal dysfunction, including Comey’s controversial handling of unrelated investigations, may have deprioritized Epstein’s network, despite known victim testimonies and Palm Beach Police evidence from 2006.
• Impact: The FBI’s inaction delayed justice for victims and allowed enablers like Ghislaine Maxwell to evade arrest until 2020.
• Source: Miami Herald (2024), victim lawsuit against FBI; NPR (2019), FBI case prioritization reports; court filings (SDNY, 2019).
3. Diplomatic and Political Considerations (Cressida Dick, Metropolitan Police)
• Who: Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (2017–2022), responsible for London’s investigation into Prince Andrew’s alleged abuse.
• Failure: Virginia Giuffre alleged Prince Andrew sexually abused her at 17 in 2001, corroborated by Johanna Sjoberg’s testimony. The Metropolitan Police opened a review in 2019 but closed it in 2022, stating no further action would be taken. No charges were filed, despite Giuffre’s formal complaint and FBI inquiries.
• Reason: Diplomatic and political considerations likely influenced the decision to halt the investigation. Prince Andrew’s status as a senior royal, combined with UK-U.S. diplomatic relations, created pressure to avoid prosecution. The Metropolitan Police cited “insufficient evidence,” but public records show limited cooperation with U.S. authorities and no interviews with Andrew, suggesting deference to his position. Dick’s leadership faced criticism for protecting establishment figures, as noted in UK media.
• Impact: The closure shielded Andrew from accountability, leaving Giuffre’s allegations unprosecuted despite her 2022 civil settlement.
• Source: The Guardian (2022), Metropolitan Police statement; CBS News (2022), Andrew’s settlement; Giuffre’s testimony (2015).
Known Perpetrators and Their Victims
This list, grounded in court filings, victim accounts, and reputable reporting, names perpetrators convicted, credibly accused in court, or settled lawsuits for sexually exploiting minors in Epstein’s network, alongside their identified victims. Use it as your foundation to research further.
1. Jeffrey Epstein (Deceased)
• Role: Central orchestrator, convicted sex offender, abused over 1,000 minors.
• Victims:
• Virginia Giuffre: Recruited at 16, abused 1999–2002, testified in 2015 lawsuit.
• Annie Farmer: Abused at 16 in 1996, testified at Maxwell’s 2021 trial.
• Johanna Sjoberg: Recruited in 2001, coerced into sexual “massages,” testified in 2016.
• Jennifer Araoz: Abused at 14–15 in 2001–2002, filed 2019 lawsuit.
• Courtney Wild: Abused as a minor, exposed Epstein’s Florida crimes (Miami Herald).
• Evidence: 2008 Florida conviction; 2019 federal indictment; DOJ’s 2025 estimate of 1,000+ victims.
• Status: Deceased (suicide, 2019).
2. Ghislaine Maxwell
• Role: Recruiter, groomer, abuser, facilitated trafficking.
• Victims:
• Virginia Giuffre: Recruited at Mar-a-Lago, abused and trafficked.
• Annie Farmer: Groomed and molested during “massages.”
• Jane (pseudonym): Lured at 14, abused by Maxwell and Epstein.
• Kate (pseudonym): Set up for sexual encounters as a minor.
• Evidence: Convicted 2021 on five trafficking charges, sentenced to 20 years.
• Status: Imprisoned, appealing.
3. Jean-Luc Brunel (Deceased)
• Role: Modeling agent, scouted and abused minors for Epstein.
• Victims:
• Virginia Giuffre: Testified Brunel abused her on Epstein’s orders.
• Unnamed French Victims: Testified to rape by Brunel (French charges).
• Evidence: Charged in France 2020 for raping minors; linked to Epstein via MC2.
• Status: Deceased (suicide, 2022).
4. Prince Andrew (Duke of York)
• Role: Alleged abuser of a minor.
• Victims:
• Virginia Giuffre: Alleged abuse at 17 in 2001, settled 2022 lawsuit.
• Johanna Sjoberg: Testified to inappropriate touching in 2001.
• Evidence: Giuffre’s lawsuit, Sjoberg’s deposition, photo with Maxwell.
• Status: Settled civil lawsuit, not charged.
5. Alan Dershowitz
• Role: Alleged abuser, Epstein’s lawyer for 2008 deal.
• Victims:
• Virginia Giuffre: Alleged trafficking to Dershowitz as a minor, settled 2022.
• Evidence: Giuffre’s testimony; 2008 NPA shielded Epstein’s network.
• Status: Not charged, settled civil lawsuit.
Call to Action
These failures—elite pressure on Acosta, FBI negligence under Comey, and diplomatic shielding by Dick—reveal why the Epstein network persisted. Add to this the actions of those who withheld information, obstructing justice:
• Alan Dershowitz, for crafting the 2008 NPA that protected Epstein and enablers.
• JPMorgan Chase, for processing trafficking funds despite red flags, settled for $290 million in 2023.
• FBI and NYPD, for ignoring early complaints and failing to enforce Epstein’s sex offender status.
• Uncharged Co-Conspirators (Kellen, Marcinkova, Ross, Groff), shielded by the 2008 NPA despite facilitating abuse.
This network’s scale—over 1,000 victims, per the DOJ—demands citizen action. Nefarious actors spread disinformation on X, naming unverified figures, to distract from the truth. The DOJ’s 2025 memo, confirming no “client list” and Epstein’s suicide, underscores the need for independent research. Start with primary sources: Giuffre v. Maxwell filings, the 2008 NPA, and the Miami Herald’s “Perversion of Justice” series on 80 victims. Cross-check flight logs and financial records, but reject rumors—names like Bill Richardson lack corroborated evidence. Connect with survivors, whistleblowers, and researchers to build networks. Document facts with citations, creating evidence-based lists to share on secure platforms.
This is about substance, not speculation. Minnesotans—parents, educators, veterans—can uncover what elites conceal. As your governor, I will champion transparency, protect whistleblowers, and hold institutions accountable. To those hiding the truth: the people are coming. To my fellow citizens: stop waiting. Dig, connect, document. Together, we will deliver justice for Epstein’s victims and rebuild trust in Minnesota.
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
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