The Epstein Case in Ten Key Dates
| This guide | Ten selected events from 2005 through 2022 |
|---|---|
| What to watch for | A charge is an accusation. A verdict is a decision on the charges at trial. |
| Want more detail? | Open the Master Timeline and the original records |
- Start here to see how the main criminal cases unfolded.
- These ten dates cover part of the history, not every report or lawsuit.
- An event’s date may differ from the date its records became public.
1. 2005: The Palm Beach investigation
Palm Beach police began an investigation after a family reported conduct involving their 14-year-old daughter. The DOJ review, page i, explains how it began. This is the starting point for that investigation, not a claim that nobody had reported concerns about Epstein before then.
2. September 24, 2007: Prosecutors reach a deal
Federal prosecutors and Epstein signed a non-prosecution agreement, a deal to resolve the case through state court instead of bringing federal charges in southern Florida. The DOJ review, pages i–ii, explains the deal. Epstein did not enter his guilty plea until the following year.
3. June 30, 2008: Epstein pleads guilty
Epstein admitted guilt to two Florida crimes. One was procurement of minors to engage in prostitution, the term used in the law at the time. “Minors” means people under 18. The DOJ review, page ii, records his guilty plea.
4. July 6, 2019: A new arrest
Epstein was arrested in a new federal sex-trafficking case brought in New York. The July 8 DOJ announcement reports that the arrest happened the previous Saturday, July 6. At this point, the new charges had not been tested at trial.
5. July 8, 2019: Federal charges made public
Prosecutors made the indictment public. An indictment is a document listing formal criminal charges. It accused Epstein of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy, meaning an agreement to commit a crime. It described alleged abuse in New York and Florida. The announcement stressed that these were accusations.
6. August 10, 2019: Epstein dies
Epstein died in federal custody while waiting for trial. The DOJ review, page v, records the date. His death meant there would be no trial to decide the federal charges against him.
7. August 29, 2019: His federal case is dismissed
After Epstein’s death, the court formally closed the federal case. The official case page records the dismissal. The case ended because he had died, without a trial verdict on the accusations.
8. July 2, 2020: Maxwell is arrested
Federal authorities arrested Ghislaine Maxwell. The DOJ announcement described charges involving Epstein’s abuse of minors and alleged perjury, or lying under oath. This was the start of her criminal case in public view. Her trial and its outcome came later.
9. December 29, 2021: The Maxwell verdict
A jury found Maxwell guilty of five crimes, including sex trafficking of a minor. The court’s later summary, page 2, lists those crimes. This was the verdict: the jury’s decision on the charges it heard at trial.
10. June 28, 2022: Maxwell is sentenced
The court sentenced Maxwell to 20 years in prison. The sentencing announcement records the punishment. A verdict decides guilt; sentencing sets the punishment after a finding of guilt. That is why the two events have different dates.
Where does the story go from here?
Survivor accounts, civil lawsuits and later releases of records go beyond these ten events. Follow the Master Timeline for the wider history and check each event’s source. This guide explains selected past events. It does not track the current status of every related case.
Sources
- DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility, Executive Summary, November 2020
- SDNY announcement of Epstein’s federal charges, July 8, 2019
- SDNY official case page, United States v. Jeffrey Epstein, 19 Cr. 490
- SDNY announcement of Maxwell’s arrest and charges, July 2, 2020
- United States v. Maxwell, Opinion & Order, Dkt. 820, December 9, 2025
- SDNY announcement of Maxwell’s sentence, June 28, 2022