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For years, it was identified to victims as the “paedophile island”.
It was a spot the place Jeffrey Epstein and his confederate Ghislaine Maxwell lured women and susceptible younger ladies, dazzled by the glamour of a spectacular, paradise Caribbean island.
As soon as there – and with no method of getting off the islands – these victims had been sexually abused by Epstein and allegedly trafficked to his highly effective, rich circle of shoppers.
Dozens of celebrities and well-known figures additionally visited the 70-plus-acre island of Little St. James and 160-plus-acre island of Nice St. James – visits that, primarily based on what later got here to mild, many would slightly erase from public reminiscence.
There’s no denying that these islands have darkish pasts.
However, they’re now having a complete makeover – courtesy of a brand new proprietor and his grand plans to remodel the notorious hideaway right into a luxurious, five-star resort.
After Epstein’s suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019, the islands initially turned the topic of a authorized battle between the US Virgin Islands and the late paedophile’s property.
Little St James (because it used to look) is getting a makeover
(Reuters)
A settlement was lastly reached and the islands hit the marketplace for a staggering asking worth of $125m.
In Might 2023, billionaire personal fairness boss Stephen Deckoff snapped up the 2 islands for lower than half, at $60m.
Mr Deckoff, the founder of personal fairness agency Black Diamond Capital Administration who has lived on the US Virgin Islands for over a decade, is now constructing a 25-room five-star luxurious resort on the property.
“I’ve been proud to name the US Virgin Islands dwelling for greater than a decade and am tremendously happy to have the ability to carry the realm a world-class vacation spot benefitting its pure grace and wonder,” he stated in an interview with Forbes on the time.
“I very a lot look ahead to working with the US Virgin Islands to make this dream a actuality.”
Below the plans, the Caribbean island that turned identified for all of the incorrect causes will quickly be welcoming rich vacationers and sun-seekers to “a state-of-the-art, five-star, world-class luxurious 25-room resort that can assist bolster tourism, create jobs, and spur financial growth within the area”, in keeping with a press launch saying the acquisition.
Any growth on the island, which already boasted a number of villa properties, swimming pools and a helipad, will likely be performed so “respecting and preserving the necessary surroundings of the islands”.
Mr Deckoff initially hails from New York however made the US Virgin Islands his dwelling again in 2011.
To him, there may be nowhere fairly just like the Caribbean islands, with their white sandy seashores and crystal clear waters.
“There may be merely no place on the earth as particular because the US Virgin Islands and I’m humbled by the chance to share its splendor with guests in a way that can present financial advantages to the area whereas respecting its tradition, historical past and pure magnificence,” he stated in an announcement.
The luxurious resort, positioned near St Thomas, is predicted to open to visitors in 2025.
Mr Deckoff informed Forbes that he had by no means set foot on the islands after they had been owned by Epstein – and had by no means met Epstein himself.
Which huge names are on the Jeffrey Epstein checklist?
Names of the individuals who did affiliate with the intercourse trafficker have now began to emerge.
Dozens of Epstein associates had been revealed on 3 January after a decide ordered the unsealing of courtroom paperwork in a now-settled lawsuit introduced by Ms Giuffre towards Maxwell. A person being named within the paperwork doesn’t essentially point out any wrongdoing.
Ms Giuffre filed the defamation lawsuit towards Maxwell in 2015, after she accused her of mendacity in regards to the years-long abuse she had suffered by the hands of Epstein and a few in his inside circle.
Among the many alleged abuse, Ms Giuffre has claimed that Prince Andrew raped her on Little St James when she was a minor. Andrew has all the time strongly denied all of the allegations towards him, whereas Buckingham Palace beforehand stated all accusations made towards the duke are “categorically unfaithful”. He settled a lawsuit with Ms Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
The go well with with Maxwell was settled in 2017 however was positioned beneath a protecting seal – with the identities of these named within the filings saved beneath lock and key.
The Miami Herald sued for the discharge of the sealed paperwork whereas Maxwell’s authorized staff sought to dam it.
Round 2,000 pages of paperwork had been first unsealed in 2019, with additional paperwork launched over the next years.
However, this present trove of paperwork remained sealed – and the names of a whole lot of individuals related to the lifeless paedophile had been saved secret, identified solely as Jane and John Does.
A gazebo pictured on Little St James again in 2019
(AP)
Then, in a landmark ruling final month, US District Choose Loretta Preska dominated that the trove of paperwork could possibly be launched and the names unsealed in full after 1 January.
Whereas the federal decide ordered the names of a number of Epstein victims to stay nameless, she stated that there was no authorized justification to maintain the names of Epstein’s associates redacted as “John and Jane Does”.
This has now paved the way in which for a number of well-known figures to search out themselves tied to the infamous disgraced financier.
A number of extra paperwork – and names – are anticipated to be launched over the approaching days.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking expenses in 2019.
Maxwell was convicted of kid intercourse trafficking in 2021 and was sentenced to twenty years in jail.