2026年2月17日 12:16 UTC（路透社）
作者：埃丽卡·斯泰普尔顿和安德鲁·海伊
- 两党委员会将调查爱泼斯坦在佐罗牧场的活动
- 2014年，爱泼斯坦曾为新墨西哥州州长候选人加里·金包机
- 投资顾问称他曾在牧场与麻省理工学院、哈佛大学教授会面
圣达菲，2月16日（路透社） – 新墨西哥州议员周一通过了一项法案，启动所谓的首次全面调查，调查已故美国性犯罪者杰弗里·爱泼斯坦被指控在佐罗牧场从事人口贩卖和性侵犯女孩及妇女的事件。
一个两党委员会将寻求牧场性侵幸存者的证词，该牧场位于州首府圣达菲以南约30英里处。立法者还敦促当地居民作证。
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爱泼斯坦2019年在纽约监狱中被裁定自杀身亡，当时他正面临联邦性交易指控。
这个由四名立法者组成的所谓真相委员会，旨在找出牧场7600英亩土地上的客人和州官员，他们可能知道那里发生的事情，或参与了其庄园式豪宅和客房内的所谓性虐待行为。
由民主党主导的这项调查，增加了揭露爱泼斯坦罪行的政治压力，这对唐纳德·特朗普总统来说已成为一大挑战。此前几周，司法部公布了数百万份与爱泼斯坦相关的文件，这些文件为牧场的活动提供了新线索。
这些文件揭示了爱泼斯坦与两位前民主党州长以及新墨西哥州总检察长之间的联系。
这项法案以全票通过新墨西哥州众议院，可能会对该州民主党领导下与爱泼斯坦有牵连的其他政客，以及参观过该牧场的科学家、投资者和其他知名人士构成风险。
这项耗资250万美元、拥有传票权的调查，旨在填补新墨西哥州法律的漏洞，这些漏洞可能使爱泼斯坦能够在该州肆无忌惮地活动。委员会将于周二开始工作，7月提交中期报告，年底前提交最终报告。
民主党州代表安德里亚·罗梅罗共同发起了这项倡议，她表示：“在这个州，他基本上可以为所欲为，毫无问责可言。”
她称，向委员会提供的证词可能会用于未来的起诉。
受害者权益倡导者对这一举措表示赞赏，称佐罗牧场一直被联邦调查忽略，而联邦调查更多关注爱泼斯坦的加勒比海岛屿和纽约联排别墅。
“许多幸存者在新墨西哥州有过经历，而且我们了解到，当地政客和其他人知道新墨西哥州发生的事情，”曾代表数百名爱泼斯坦幸存者的律师西格丽德·麦考利说。
她说，其中包括已故的弗吉尼亚·朱弗雷，她在该牧场多次遭受虐待。
美国司法部将置评请求转达给联邦调查局，联邦调查局拒绝置评。
爱泼斯坦在牧场活动数十年
多起民事诉讼指控爱泼斯坦在佐罗牧场性侵女孩，但他从未因这些指控被起诉。
罗梅罗表示，没有联邦执法机构记录显示他们搜查过这个被当地人称为“花花公子牧场”的地方，而爱泼斯坦早在1996年就被指控在此性侵一名16岁女孩。
前新墨西哥州总检察长赫克托·巴尔德拉斯2019年发起调查，但应联邦检察官要求暂停，以避免“并行调查”，他在一份声明中表示。
新墨西哥州总检察长劳尔·托雷斯已指派一名特别探员调查可能通过真相委员会提出的指控，发言人劳伦·罗德里格斯说。
民主党州代表玛丽安娜·阿纳亚是性侵犯幸存者权益倡导者，也是法案共同发起人，她正在制定配套法案，延长新墨西哥州针对儿童性侵犯的诉讼时效，使爱泼斯坦虐待案的幸存者能够提起民事诉讼。
爱泼斯坦1993年从布鲁斯·金手中买下该牧场，布鲁斯·金是三次当选的新墨西哥州民主党州长，2009年去世。
根据爱泼斯坦文件中的一份报告，牧场经理布莱斯·戈登2007年告诉联邦调查局，爱泼斯坦曾空运客人和“按摩师”，并雇佣当地按摩治疗师在那里工作。
在2016年一份未密封的法庭证词中，朱弗雷作证称，爱泼斯坦的同伙吉斯莱恩·麦克斯韦尔让她在牧场给已故前新墨西哥州州长比尔·理查森“按摩”。在朱弗雷的回忆录中，她称麦克斯韦尔让她提供“按摩”的指示意味着受害者应与施虐者发生性接触。
理查森的代表玛德琳·马奥尼2019年发表声明称，朱弗雷的指控“完全是虚假的”。
戈登告诉联邦调查局，爱泼斯坦在牧场雇佣的大多数按摩师是通过圣达菲的水疗中心“万波”（Ten Thousand Waves）或通过推荐招聘的。
水疗中心发言人萨拉·比恩上周二在电话采访中表示，“万波”既没有向佐罗牧场提供也没有推荐按摩师。
在纪录片《幸存爱泼斯坦》中，前圣达菲按摩治疗师雷切尔·贝纳维德斯指控爱泼斯坦在她被雇佣到牧场工作时对她进行性虐待。
投资顾问约书亚·拉莫周日表示，2014年他曾代表出席的麻省理工学院和哈佛大学教授在牧场参加过一次午餐。拉莫当时是基辛格协会咨询公司的首席执行官，他说2013年至2016年间，他和爱泼斯坦在纽约与商界人士和科学家会面约14次。
拉莫在一份声明中谈到他的牧场访问和与爱泼斯坦的其他会面时说：“我服从于相关机构的尽职调查，认为他的存在表明他已通过适当审查。我对他的罪行的幸存者深感悲痛。”
电子邮件显示，2015年爱泼斯坦联系拉莫，称他将前往“万波”，建议在圣达菲共进午餐。拉莫回复道：“我以为我们会在粉色底部牧场见面。”目前担任Sornay LLC咨询公司首席执行官的拉莫表示，他不记得有这个评论，也不记得两人当天是否见面。
多年来，爱泼斯坦向新墨西哥州民主党人如理查森和金的儿子、前新墨西哥州总检察长加里·金的政治竞选活动捐款。当捐款被媒体报道时，这些人承诺要么退还捐款，要么捐给慈善机构。
根据爱泼斯坦文件中的电子邮件，2014年加里·金竞选新墨西哥州州长时，乘坐过爱泼斯坦包租的飞机。爱泼斯坦称他将承担约22,000美元包机费用的一半，金支付另一半。金未回应置评请求。
埃丽卡·斯泰普尔顿和安德鲁·海伊报道于新墨西哥州和佛罗里达州；唐娜·布赖森和黛安·克拉夫特编辑
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New Mexico approves comprehensive probe of Epstein’s Zorro Ranch
February 17, 2026 12:16 AM UTC / Reuters
By Erica Stapleton and Andrew Hay
- Bi-partisan committee to investigate Epstein’s activities at Zorro Ranch
- Epstein chartered flight for New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Gary King in 2014
- Investment consultant says he met with MIT, Harvard professors at ranch
SANTA FE, Feb 16 (Reuters) – New Mexico lawmakers on Monday passed legislation to launch what they said was the first full investigation into what happened at Zorro Ranch, where the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting girls and women.
A bipartisan committee will seek testimony from survivors of alleged sexual abuse at the ranch, located about 30 miles south of Santa Fe, the state capital. Legislators are also urging local residents to testify.
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Epstein died in what was ruled a suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges.
The so-called truth commission, comprising four lawmakers, seeks to identify ranch guests and state officials who may have known what was going on at the 7,600-acre property, or taken part in alleged sexual abuse in its hacienda-style mansion and guest houses.
The Democratic-led investigation adds to political pressure to uncover Epstein’s crimes that has become a major challenge for President Donald Trump, weeks after the Justice Department released millions of Epstein-related files that shed new light on activities at the ranch.
The files reveal ties between Epstein and two former Democratic governors and an attorney general of New Mexico.
The legislation, which passed New Mexico’s House of Representatives by a unanimous vote, could pose risks to any additional politicians linked to Epstein in the Democratic-run state, as well as scientists, investors and other high-profile individuals who visited the ranch.
The $2.5 million investigation, which has subpoena power, aims to close gaps in New Mexico law that may have allowed Epstein to operate in the state. The committee starts work on Tuesday, and will deliver interim findings in July and a final report by year-end.
“He was basically doing anything he wanted in this state without any accountability whatsoever,” said New Mexico state Representative Andrea Romero, a Democrat, who co-sponsored the initiative.
Testimony to the committee could be used for future prosecutions, she said.
Victim advocates applauded the move, saying Zorro Ranch had been overlooked by federal investigations that focused on Epstein’s Caribbean island and New York townhouse.
“Many of the survivors had experiences in New Mexico, and as we’ve learned, you know, there were local politicians and other people that were aware of what was happening in New Mexico,” said attorney Sigrid McCawley, whose law firm has represented hundreds of Epstein survivors.
They include the late Virginia Giuffre, who was abused many times at the ranch, she said.
The U.S. Department of Justice passed a request for comment to the FBI. The FBI declined comment.
EPSTEIN OPERATED AT THE RANCH FOR DECADES
Several civil suits accuse Epstein of sexually assaulting girls at Zorro Ranch. He was never charged for the alleged offenses.
Romero said there was no record of federal law enforcement searching what was known locally as “the playboy ranch” where Epstein is accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl as early as 1996.
Former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas launched a probe in 2019 that was put on hold at the request of federal prosecutors to avoid “parallel investigation,” he said in a statement.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has assigned a special agent to probe allegations that may come through the truth commission, spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez said.
Democratic State Representative Marianna Anaya, an advocate for sexual assault survivors who co-sponsored the legislation, is working on accompanying legislation to extend New Mexico’s statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault that would allow civil actions by survivors of Epstein’s alleged abuse.
Epstein bought the ranch in 1993 from Bruce King, a three-time New Mexico Democratic governor who died in 2009.
The financier flew in guests and “masseuses,” and hired local massage therapists to work there, ranch manager Brice Gordon told the FBI in 2007, according to a report in the Epstein files.
In an unsealed 2016 court deposition, Giuffre testified Epstein’s partner Ghislaine Maxwell told her to give the late former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson a “massage” at the ranch. In Giuffre’s memoir, she said an instruction from Maxwell to provide a “massage” meant a victim should provide a sexual encounter to an abuser.
Richardson’s representative Madeleine Mahoney in a 2019 statement said Giuffre’s allegations were “completely false.”
Gordon told the FBI that most of the masseuses Epstein used at the ranch were hired locally through the spa Ten Thousand Waves, a Santa Fe institution, or by referrals.
Spa spokesperson Sara Bean said in a phone interview last Tuesday that Ten Thousand Waves neither provided nor referred masseuses to Zorro Ranch.
In the documentary “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein,” former Santa Fe massage therapist Rachel Benavidez accused Epstein of sexual abuse when she was hired to work at the ranch.
Investment consultant Joshua Ramo said on Sunday he visited the ranch once for a 2014 lunch on behalf of professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, who were present. Ramo, at the time CEO of consulting firm Kissinger Associates, said he and Epstein met with business figures and scientists around 14 times in New York between 2013 and 2016.
“I deferred to the due diligence of the institutions involved, assuming that his presence signaled he had been appropriately vetted,” Ramo, in a statement, said of his ranch visit and other meetings with Epstein. “I feel a deep sense of grief for the survivors of his crimes.”
Emails show Epstein contacted Ramo in 2015 to tell him he was going to Ten Thousand Waves, suggesting they meet for lunch in Santa Fe. Ramo responded, “I assumed we were meeting at the pink bottom ranch.” Ramo, who is currently CEO of consulting firm Sornay LLC, said he had no recollection of that comment, or whether the two met that day.
Over the years, Epstein contributed to the political campaigns of New Mexico Democrats such as Richardson and King’s son Gary King, a former New Mexico attorney general. When contributions were reported in the press, the men pledged to either return the money, or give it to charity.
Gary King flew on a plane chartered by Epstein when he was running for New Mexico governor in 2014, according to emails in the Epstein files. Epstein said he would cover around half the cost of the $22,000 charter and King would pay the rest. King did not respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Erica Stapleton in New Mexico and Florida, reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; editing by Donna Bryson and Diane Craft
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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