In a shocking revelation, newly unsealed court documents have alleged that former US President Bill Clinton attempted to pressure Vanity Fair magazine into not publishing articles about Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking activities. Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, claimed in an email from 2011 that Clinton had walked into the magazine's office and threatened them not to write about "his good friend J.E." However, a spokesperson for the magazine's former editor, Graydon Carter, has categorically denied the incident, stating that it "did not happen."

These documents were released as part of a defamation lawsuit filed by Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker, in 2015. The allegations about Clinton's involvement came to light in an email Giuffre sent to journalist Sharon Churcher, discussing how to publicize her claims. Giuffre expressed concern about what Vanity Fair might write about her, given Clinton's alleged interference. It is unclear where Giuffre obtained this information.

This revelation adds to the mounting allegations against high-profile figures connected to Epstein. The unsealed documents contain the names of over 100 victims, associates, or friends of Epstein, including Maxwell, Prince Andrew of the UK, Clinton, and Donald Trump. However, it is important to note that being mentioned in these documents does not imply any wrongdoing.

Some former Vanity Fair journalists have also claimed that Epstein himself pressured Carter not to investigate his misdeeds, although Carter has disputed these claims. The Independent has reached out to both Clinton and Carter for comment on these allegations.

In other developments related to the Epstein case, an anti-monarchy pressure group called Republic has reported Prince Andrew to the Metropolitan Police following the re-emergence of allegations of sexual assault. The court documents released this week also implicated Prince Andrew, with Johanna Sjoberg, a former masseuse for Epstein, alleging that he had touched her breast in Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Republic's chief executive, Graham Smith, has called for a reopening of investigations into Prince Andrew and is urging the monarchy to make a public statement on the matter.

Prince Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations against him in the past and settled a civil case with Giuffre in 2022. Buckingham Palace, which no longer represents the duke since his withdrawal from royal duties in 2019, has not commented on the newly unsealed documents.

These court documents shed light on the extensive network of individuals associated with Epstein and his alleged crimes. As more documents are set to be released in the coming days, the public will gain further insight into the scope of Epstein's activities and the individuals involved.