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There's some famous names in there.
By Sydney Taylor — Written on Dec 10, 2021
Jeffrey Epstein’s Black Book can be shown to jurors in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, a judge has ruled.
The infamous book has been central to the allegations of sex trafficking that have haunted Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein since the book was first revealed in 2020.
The book was introduced to the court in small excerpts as former house manager of Epstein’s villa Juan Alessi took the stand.
He identified it as a directory used by Epstein and Maxwell which could contain hundreds of names.
The book has long been considered a who's-who of rich and powerful people. It raises questions about why these people were friends or associates with the sex-trafficking financier.
Who's in Jeffrey Epstein's black book?
The book is believed to contain contact lists could include the names not only of Epstein’s alleged victims, but also of prominent figures he socialized with and, in some cases, was accused of introducing to girls for sexual abuse.
The version that appeared in court is believed to be heavily redacted and only a partial copy of the book.
Epstein’s little black book could be influential in Ghislaine Maxwell's trial.
In 2020, the hacktivist group Anonymous re-released a document first circulated in 2015 called Jeffrey Epstein's Little Black Book.
Checking in at 91 pages long, the spreadsheet-like document is a who's who of very wealthy, very influential people.
Some of the names Alessi said he recognized were listed under “massage in Palm Beach.”
There are a lot of people from the entertainment industry in the black book.
Scrolling through the list, it's easy to see that Epstein liked to associate himself with very famous performers. Both Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger are on the list.
He also had contact information for Kevin Spacey, who flew on Epstein's jet to an AIDS awareness event in 2002, alongside Chris Tucker and former President Bill Clinton.
Epstein also knew high-profile women such as Elizabeth Hurley, Naomi Campbell, and author Candice Bushnell.
He even knew Bob Weinstein, brother to another disgraced sexual abuser, Harvey Weinstein.
He knew major political figures from several countries.
Some of the politicians who appear in the document are world-famous.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is there along with the late Senator Ted Kennedy.
He doesn't have Bill Clinton's number but anecdotally, we know that they met.
Epstein knew journalist and former First Lady of California Maria Shriver, though her ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't merit a mention.
Andrew Cuomo is listed as is Nixon's Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Some Trumps are on the list.
Donald Trump has never denied that he knew Epstein — there is video of them together — but Epstein didn't bother to hang on to Trump's contact information.
He doesn't have contacts for Donald Jr. or Eric Trump either, but he knew how to get in touch with both Ivanka Trump and her mother, Ivana.
Maxwell is accused of running Epstein’s household.
Alessi says Maxwell used the infamous book and took several photos of topless women around the house and would have them in frames on her desk.
He says she also slept in Epstein’s bedroom with him.
The fourth victim to testify — Annie Farmer described how Maxwell offered to give her a massage. Farmer got undressed and Maxwell fondled her breasts. Farmer was 16 at the time.
Later on, Epstein would make his way into her bed.
"Suddenly Epstein kind of opened my door, bounding into the room in a playful way, saying that he wanted to cuddle," Farmer testified. Then he "pressed his body into me," she said.
Epstein’s activities were an open secret.
Epstein's parties where older men allegedly had sex with younger women and raped girls were reportedly infamous.
He owned a private island that he allegedly used to host such gatherings. It was allegedly such a well-known phenomenon that the private plane he used to fly people to his island was nicknamed the Lolita Express, referencing the Vladimir Nabakov novel about a man who sexually abuses young his stepdaughter.
Virginia Guiffre testified in a 2015 lawsuit that she and other women and girls were transported on the plane, along with famous men like Kevin Spacey and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz.
What role will the black book play in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial?
It is unclear what will be revealed about Maxwell’s involvement, but the Black Book and similar books in Epstein’s Palm Beach house were allegedly used to schedule massages and other visits from underage girls.
According to NPR, the prosecutors said that the “testimony during the trial will prove that the book belonged to Maxwell and that it contains ‘compelling evidence of her guilt,’ prosecutors said in a recent court filing.”
However, that still remains to be seen.
Even though Epstein died of suicide in jail after his 2019 arrest, his partner-in-crime Maxwell is currently facing six counts of sex trafficking of a minor and enticement of a minor.
Maxwell could face up to 70 years in prison. Maxwell has been jailed since her arrest and denies the allegations.
Sydney Taylor is a writer who focuses on News and Entertainment topics.