Jeffrey Epstein survivor 'redeemed' by release of her 1996 FBI complaint

Source: USA Today

Dec. 21, 2025 Updated Dec. 22, 2025, 7:53 a.m. ET


The FBI received a complaint about Jeffrey Epstein in 1996, nearly a decade before they investigated his activities in Florida and more than two decades before the Department of Justice brought sex trafficking charges. The complaint was made public as part of a larger document release Dec. 19 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The document is redacted so that the complainant is not named, but Maria Farmer and her lawyer quickly identified it as hers.

“Complainant stated that she is a professional artist and took pictures of her sisters 12 and 16 years for her own personal artwork,” the FBI complaint form says in handwritten notes without a visible agent signature. “Epstein stole the photos and is believed to have sold the pictures to potential buyers.

“Epstein at the time requested [redacted] to take pictures of young girls at swimming pools,” the notes continued. “Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down.” The document is dated Sept. 3, 1996. Jeffrey Epstein is clearly identified as the subject of the complaint, and the case is listed as “child pornography,” a legal term for child sexual abuse material.

Farmer, who has also accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of sexually assaulting her, said in a statement that the day the document was released was one of the best of her life. “I’m crying for two reasons,” said Farmer, now 56. “I want everyone to know that I am shedding tears of joy for myself, but also tears of sorrow for all the other victims that the FBI failed.”

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/21/fbi-complaint-epstein-child-pornography-1996/87854678007/