75 Epstein Victims Could Share in Bank Settlement: Lawyers

Lawyers said that as many as 75 women who were sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein since 2008 may benefit from a $72.5 million fund set up as part of a settlement Bank of America reached with lawyers representing the women. US District Judge Jed S. Rakoff gave the deal preliminary approval Thursday and set a final approval hearing for Aug. 27, the AP reports. He ordered lawyers to submit to him a broader list of publications to be used to notify Epstein victims that the settlement fund exists. Rakoff said he wanted to ensure "nobody is left out."

Lawyers for the women had sued the bank, saying it ignored suspicious financial transactions involving the disgraced financier that occurred while he was abusing girls and women from June 2008 until his arrest in early July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. At the hearing Thursday, attorney David Boies said lawyers for the victims believe 60 to 75 women will make claims that would make them eligible for payouts from the settlement fund. He said "there may be more we haven't identified."

Bank of America said in a statement that "this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs." Up to 30% of the settlement, about $21.8 ?million, could go to the plaintiffs' lawyers, per Reuters. Epstein died in August 2019 in a Manhattan federal jail. The death was ruled a suicide.