Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has a clear legal path to reopen the Epstein investigation that was abruptly shuttered in 2019, an expert reported Thursday.
It could bypass federal obstruction and potentially secure criminal accountability for co-conspirators that Attorney General Pam Bondi's Justice Department has allowed to escape prosecution.
According to a Just Security column by NYU Law Professor Ryan D. Goodman, nothing prevents New York state authorities from resuming where they left off five days after Epstein's arrest in July 2019, when FBI officials ordered them to "stand down."
Survivor testimony — contained in FBI interviews and civil lawsuits including victim Virginia Giuffre's complaint — establishes that Manhattan was a hub of abuse, with multiple men allegedly sexually assaulting girls and young women exploited within Epstein's operation.
Goodman noted that federal obstruction likely hampered state investigation efforts. "New York's law enforcement authorities also have plenty of leads that have been left unexplored in their own backyard," he wrote. The NYPD apparently never seriously pursued Epstein and his network until the Miami Herald's November 2018 revelations forced their hand.
The Manhattan DA previously investigated financier Leon Black and Barclays CEO Jes Staley, according to DOJ files released this year. Neither faced charges despite the office's inquiry.
New York represents the most promising avenue for accountability. New York state law — including sexual assault charges against minors — carries no statute of limitations. Combined with newly released DOJ files, Epstein Estate emails, additional victims coming forward, and investigative journalists uncovering fresh leads, Bragg has substantial justification to pursue criminal investigations of potential co-conspirators, Goodman wrote.
While Governor Kathy Hochul could designate Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, or the legislature could establish an investigatory commission, Goodman suggested Bragg's office represents the path of least resistance for reviving accountability efforts that federal authorities refuse to follow.
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