// Reuters
According to the new law, a bipartisan committee of four lawmakers will be formed to gather testimonies from alleged victims of violence and local residents. The ranch is located about 50 kilometers south of New Mexico's capital, Santa Fe. The commission plans to identify the visitors to the ranch and officials who may have been aware of the events or participated in the alleged crimes.
Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 in a New York prison, reportedly committed suicide while under investigation for charges of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
As the agency clarifies, the ranch in New Mexico has not yet attracted the attention of federal investigations, which have focused on his private island in the Caribbean and his townhouse in New York. Attorney Sigrid McCauley, representing the interests of numerous victims, notes that many of the affected individuals experienced violence specifically at this ranch, and local politicians may have been aware of what was happening.
Co-author of the initiative, Democratic Assembly member Andrea Romero, emphasized that Epstein "essentially did whatever he wanted in this state without facing any accountability." According to her, the testimonies collected by the committee could be used in future legal proceedings.
The U.S. Department of Justice previously released millions of documents related to Epstein, which provide new information about the events at the ranch. The bill was unanimously approved by the state House of Representatives, and, according to Reuters, this could pose risks for politicians and other high-profile individuals connected to Epstein who visited the ranch.
The committee's work will begin on Tuesday, preliminary findings will be presented in July, and the final report is expected by the end of the year. Epstein has been accused of sexual assault against minors at Zorro Ranch, but no charges have been filed regarding these incidents.
