Patel Testifies 'No Credible Information' Epstein Trafficked: Victims Respond
Kash Patel, 2020. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Keisha Brown, U.S. Army. Public domain.
More than 10 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse erupted in outrage after FBI Director Kash Patel testified before Congress, claiming there was "no credible information" that Epstein trafficked victims to anyone but himself. The statement stunned those who endured the horrors of Epstein's trafficking ring, erasing sworn accounts that named powerful men as part of the network. The survivors' blistering response exposed a raw sense of betrayal and raised urgent questions about what remains hidden in the FBI's files.
Survivor Voices Cut Through the Silence
The survivors' statement, signed by 10 victims plus the brother and sister of the late Virginia Giuffre, did not mince words. They described the testimony as "shocking" and said they were struggling to understand how Patel could dismiss decades of sworn testimony, as reported by The Daily Beast. Giuffre, one of Epstein's most prominent victims who died by suicide earlier this year, had detailed in court depositions how Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to other men, including a prince and a high-profile politician. The survivors emphasized that they were raped by powerful men, and that their stories have been repeatedly ignored.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, added fuel to the fire by revealing that the FBI had compiled a list of at least 20 men Epstein allegedly trafficked women to. This list reportedly includes a Hollywood producer, a rockstar, a prince, a "high-profile former politician," and "at least 6 billionaires," all named in witness interviews with the bureau, as reported by PEOPLE.
Patel's Testimony: A Stark Denial
During his Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, Patel insisted there was "no credible information, none" that Epstein trafficked women to others beyond himself, as reported by The Daily Beast. When pressed by Sen. John Kennedy, Patel replied that the information the FBI had did not support trafficking to "other individuals." He repeated this claim in a House Oversight Committee hearing, deflecting responsibility to previous administrations for the lack of new revelations, as reported by The Daily Beast.
Patel's stance aligns with a memo obtained earlier this year from the Department of Justice and FBI, which stated there was no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals or maintained an incriminating "client list," as reported by Axios. The memo also supported the medical examiner's finding that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in jail.
The Survivors' Challenge: FD-302s and Unheard Testimonies
The survivors' statement highlighted a glaring contradiction: Patel's categorical denial clashes with the FBI's own witness interview reports, referred to as FD-302s, which survivors say document victim accounts naming other men involved in Epstein’s trafficking, as reported by PEOPLE. Advocates argue that these FD-302s fall outside the scope of Epstein's 2008 non-prosecution agreement, and therefore could be released, though the Justice Department has not confirmed that interpretation.
Yet Patel refused to commit to releasing these files, or investigating the individuals named. When asked if the FBI considered the witnesses not credible, Patel said that was the opinion of previous U.S. attorneys, not his own.
The survivors slammed Patel in their statement saying, "He has not read the reports himself; he has not spoken to the victims himself; and yet he plans to defer to unnamed officials from prior administrations who treated the reports as not credible?," as reported by The Daily Beast. They continued, "Those previous administrations are the ones that Kash Patel spent years accusing of a cover-up. Now he will pass the buck to them to decide that information about other men in the Epstein-Maxwell trafficking ring is not even worth following up on?"
The Danger of Dismissing Sworn Testimony
The survivors' outrage is not just about the past. It reflects a deep fear that dismissing sworn testimony from victims sends a dangerous message to abusers. If the FBI's top official can publicly deny credible accounts implicating powerful men, it risks signaling that those with influence may be shielded from accountability.
"As head of the FBI, Director Patel can work now to remedy that, in a way that finally centers survivor voices and finally pursues the whole truth," the survivors' statement reads, as reported by PEOPLE. "The public demands it; the victims deserve it; and our system of justice without fear or favor requires it."
The Political Backdrop
The controversy unfolds amid intense scrutiny of the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files. Patel, a former Trump aide, has faced bipartisan criticism for his combative testimony and deflection of questions about Trump's connections to Epstein. The administration's July announcement that no "client list" existed and that Epstein died by suicide contradicted earlier claims and fueled bipartisan efforts to release the files.
A birthday letter allegedly written by Trump to Epstein, displayed during Patel's Senate testimony, added to the political drama. The letter, shaped like a naked woman, suggested a close relationship between the two men, though Trump has denied writing it. According to PEOPLE, Trump sued the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion after they first reported on its existence.
What Comes Next?
The survivors' statement is a clear call to action for Patel and the FBI. They demand transparency, the release of witness interviews, and renewed investigations into the men named by victims. The public and lawmakers alike are watching closely as the House Oversight Committee prepares to vote on a discharge petition that could force the release of Epstein files.
For now, the survivors' voices pierce the silence, challenging the FBI's top official to confront the full scope of Epstein's trafficking network. Their words remind us that behind every official statement lies a human story of pain, betrayal, and the quest for justice.
References: Epstein Survivors Blast FBI Director Kash Patel For Claiming 'No Credible Information' Financier Trafficked Women to Others | Jeffrey Epstein Victims Tear Into Kash Patel Over His Trafficking Claim | Patel claims "no credible information" that Epstein trafficked minors to others
