DOJ-OGR-00023275.pdf

--- Page 1 --- The extracted text is: **C. July 2008: Villafaña Prepares and Sends a Victim Notification Letter to Listed Victims** On July 8, 2008, Villafaña provided Goldberger with an updated victim list for 18 U.S.C. § 2255 purposes, noting that she had inadvertently left off one individual in her June 30, 2008 letter. Villafaña also informed the defense that, beginning the following day, she would distribute notifications to each of the 32 victims and their counsel informing them that Epstein's attorney would be the contact for any civil litigation, if the victim decided to pursue damages. Finally, the letter informed the defense that the government would consider a denial by Epstein that any "one of these victims is entitled to proceed under 18 U.S.C. § 2255" to be considered a breach of the terms of the NPA. After exchanging emails and letters with the defense concerning the content of the notice letter, Villafaña drafted a letter she sent, on July 9 and 10, to nine victims who had previously retained counsel. The letter informed the victims and their counsel that, "[i]n light of" Epstein's June 30, 2008 state court plea to felony solicitation of prostitution and procurement of minors to engage in prostitution, and his sentence of a total of 18 months' imprisonment followed by 12 months' community control, "the United States has agreed to defer federal prosecution in favor of this state plea and sentence, subject to certain conditions." The letter included a reference to the 18 U.S.C. § 2255 provision of the NPA, and although the defense had never agreed to it, used language from Acosta's December 19, 2007 letter to Epstein defense attorney Sanchez clarifying the damages provision. The paragraph below was described as "[o]ne such condition to which Epstein has agreed": Any person, who while a minor, was a victim of a violation of an offense enumerated in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2255, will have the same rights to proceed under Section 2255 as she would have had, if Mr. Epstein had been tried federally and convicted of an enumerated offense. For purposes of implementing this paragraph, the United States shall provide Mr. Epstein's attorneys with a list of individuals whom it was prepared to name... as victims of an enumerated offense by Mr. Epstein. Any judicial authority interpreting this provision, including any authority determining which evidentiary burdens if any a plaintiff must meet, shall consider that it is the intent of the parties to place these identified victims in the same position they would have been had Mr. Epstein been convicted at trial. No more; no less. On July 10, 2008, Villafaña sent Goldberger a "Final Notification of Identified Victims," highlighting the defendant's obligations under the NPA concerning victim lawsuits pursuant to: As described in Section XII.G of this Part, the matter continued in litigation for years and resulted in the district court's February 21, 2019 opinion concluding that the government violated the victims' rights under the CVRA by failing to consult with them before signing the NPA. **DOJ-OGR-00023275**