The Jeffrey Epstein case (2008-2019) is not an ordinary criminal file. His death in prison in 2019 further deepened the scandal. The fact that the camera in his cell was not working raised many questions. This case became an exposé not of a single individual, but of elite impunity. This scandal is one of the rare events that demonstrates how power, lust, impunity, and institutions' self-preservation mechanisms operate in the modern Western world.
Years later, as documents are unsealed, it becomes clear that the problem lies not with one person, but with the system that enabled it. Similar events have occurred in the West before. Let's look at a few:
Bill Clinton - Monica Lewinsky (1998)
The US President faced impeachment proceedings for denying his relationship with an intern in the White House. Lying, not a crime, became the main issue. The scandal reopened discussions on the boundaries of power and personal morality in the US.
Silvio Berlusconi – “Bunga bunga” (2010–2013)
The Italian Prime Minister was accused of participating in parties that included an underage girl. The court proceedings were lengthy, and his political reputation suffered a severe blow. The private life of the head of state became a problem of national legitimacy.
Harvey Weinstein (2017)
The Hollywood producer was accused and convicted of systemic sexual abuse against women over decades. This case ignited the #MeToo movement globally and shattered the culture of silence.
Scale and Victims
According to official court documents, the Epstein network involved dozens of teenage girls. Unofficial testimonies indicate this number to be over 100. The age range was primarily 13-17, especially 14-16. Boys are also mentioned in individual testimonies, but the systematic exploitation of teenage girls remains at the center of the scandal. These facts have been confirmed by legal rulings.
Ghislaine Maxwell: Key Figure of the Network
Ghislaine Maxwell was not Epstein's assistant, but an operational partner. She played a direct role in finding, directing, and psychologically preparing victims. A US court convicted her on charges of aiding the exploitation of minors and human trafficking. Maxwell remains the only major figure to receive a real prison sentence in this scandal. This fact legally confirms that the Epstein case was not a one-person story.
Prince Andrew: The Crown Was Lost
It is necessary to dwell on this point. The Prince Andrew scandal did not merely end with a loss of personal reputation. His royal titles were stripped, his official and public functions were abolished, and any real prospect related to the throne within the monarchy was effectively eliminated. This is a very rare and symbolic step for the modern British monarchy. That is, the system here did not merely content itself with “shaming,” but removed a figure from within itself to protect institutional legitimacy. In this sense, the Epstein case was not a legal but a historical and symbolic earthquake for the British monarchy. This point is very important. Sometimes the system sacrifices to protect itself. Prince Andrew is one of those sacrifices. And he was politically executed to protect Britain's monarchical system.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn. The System's Different Reaction
To complete this parallel, the example of Dominique Strauss-Kahn is important. He served as France's Minister of Finance from 2007–2011, and later as the head of the International Monetary Fund. In 2011, he came to public attention with sexual assault allegations from a hotel employee in New York and immediately resigned from his post at the International Monetary Fund. Although some charges were later dropped, his political and international career ended. The paradox here is striking. Strauss-Kahn was removed from the system due to one incident, while the Epstein network remained untouchable for years. This difference is explained by political, not legal, priorities.
Sex, Law, and the Western Paradox
In some Western countries, sex work is legal and regulated. Brothels operate officially in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In the US, however, legal brothels exist only in some counties of Nevada, numbering approximately 20. According to general estimates, 1–2 million people in the US earn a living through sex work in one form or another, but a large portion of them are in this field unofficially. The paradox is that sex can be legal, but when power, age, and coercion are involved, the system often reacts late. The Epstein case is a result of this delay.
Is the New York Mayor's Name Mentioned in the Epstein Case?
The Jeffrey Epstein scandal grows not so much on the facts themselves, but on false stories detached from facts and circulated. The criminal file is real, the victims are real, institutional silence is real. But in the final stage, this case turns into a weapon of disinformation with decontextualized photos, fake identifications, and targeted targeting. A famous group photo shared on social networks for years is a classic example of this. The photo is released, and then names are attached to it: former presidents, billionaires, “secret elite.” Then the most dangerous stage begins – a political identity is assigned to the child in the photo. Allegedly, that child later became New York's “Muslim mayor.” This sentence itself contains a threefold manipulation: the connection between the photo and the identity is unproven, the status is fabricated, and the religious identity is deliberately brought to the forefront. At the center of this narrative stands a real political figure: Zohran Mamdani. He is New York's newly elected mayor. However, the disinformation mechanism does not explain his real biography; it tries to artificially link him to the Epstein scandal. The goal is not to inform, but to create doubt and cast a shadow on legitimacy. Two elements are particularly dangerous here. First, the image of a child: it creates an emotional reaction and suppresses critical thinking. Second, the highlighting of Muslim identity: the narrative “it was all planned from the beginning” is constructed. This neither helps Epstein's victims nor strengthens justice. On the contrary, the real crime is drowned out by rumor.
Claim: “Mossad is Pressuring Trump”
In recent days, a claim has been circulating on social networks: allegedly, Mossad released “new photos” related to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal to pressure Donald Trump. The goal is to eliminate the US's hesitation in attacking Iran. While this claim initially gives a “shock” effect, it is completely baseless in terms of facts. Neither the source of these photos is known, nor do they have an official source, nor has reliable international media confirmed this information. Agencies like Reuters, BBC, AP, and AFP have not written a single line about this. This is not about investigation, but about a yellow journalism reflex. “Secret intelligence,” “blackmail,” and “kompromat” attract readers. Even without facts, clicks come. The Epstein scandal, in turn, is ideal raw material for such sensations: sex, power, and fear are sold in one package. The problem is that such stories overshadow the real crime itself. Victims disappear, responsibility disappears, only noise remains.
The “Putin” Narrative: A Classic Product of the Conspiracy Market
As the Epstein scandal grew, another “explanation” was circulated: allegedly, this network was a "KGB–FSB" established “honeytrap” operation, and its purpose was to blackmail Western elites. Vladimir Putin's name is also frequently mentioned in this narrative. Even more so than D. Trump. But again, the main question remains unchanged: are there real facts to prove this? The answer is clear – no. Neither US court documents, nor official investigations, nor serious international media have proven a direct link between Epstein and Russian special services. Phrases like “thousands of documents,” “secret meetings,” and “kompromat transfer” are not facts, but the language of the conspiracy market. The logic is simple: real scandal + global power figure = readable story. Whether it's true or not is secondary. Such narratives do not seek justice. They serve the attention economy. Readers are gained, but the truth is lost.
Roman Empire Parallel: Pompeii and Vesuvius
This scenario is also familiar to history. In the late periods of the Roman Empire, elite impunity, a culture of pleasure, and a dual legal system had become commonplace in cities like Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius buried that city under the earth. For historians, this is not just a natural disaster, but a metaphor for moral decay. The Epstein scandal also raised the same question again. Is the law for everyone, or is it only valid for the weak? The Epstein scandal is not just a sex crime. It is a map of moral decline. The example of Prince Andrew showed that the system sometimes makes official sacrifices to protect itself. The example of Strauss-Kahn, on the other hand, showed that sometimes one incident is enough for someone to tumble from the peak to the bottom of the valley. The Epstein case, however, proved that as the network grows, silence lengthens. Yes, the Roman Empire did not end with Pompeii. Modern Western society will not end with Epstein either. But every empire has its Vesuvius.
Elbay Hasanli,
Zurich
P.S. The mention of Nikol Pashinyan's name in the Epstein scandal is ironic. "Fake news" is experiencing a boom period worldwide. The boundaries between lies and truth have long been lost...
