Between 1996 and 2005, the FBI continued to receive reports of sexual abuse, trafficking and human rights violations, yet failed to act, the women say. In 2002, Epstein was given secret service clearance for travel to Africa, where he travelled with former President Bill Clinton — according to testimony by former Epstein pilot Larry Visoski — and several “very young women.”

During that time, Epstein repeatedly initiated passports and visas for his victims for such international travel but skirted the required background checks, a red flag the FBI failed to investigate, the women said.