A program that has paid over $121 million in compensation to survivors of Epstein's sexual abuse is ending, ABC News reported on Monday.
Some 225 alleged victims applied for the program since the Epstein Victims' Compensation Program's launch. This number is double the amount of people that the fund's administrator expected. In total, 150 of them were deemed eligible.
"I think the number of certified victims of Epstein's sex trafficking is unspeakable," David Boies of Boies, Schiller, Flexner, a law firm that is representing several of Epstein's victims, told ABC News. "There really aren't words to describe the enormity of his crimes."
The compensation was payed out of Epstein's estate, but the claims were evaluated by an external body.
"This was offered as a safe space and a confidential forum to resolve these disputes," Jordana Feldman, the program's designer and administrator, told ABC News.
The compensation fund was suggested by the Epstein estate in 2019 after he died in federal prison awaiting trial. At the time of his death, more than 30 women were involved in lawsuits against Epstein on allegations of sexual abuse.
According to ABC News, a condition for receiving the award was that the women sign broad releases giving up their right to bring further claims against the Epstein estate or any related parties. Court records show that in at least three cases, women were required to drop their lawsuits against Ghislaine Maxwell in order to receive the compensation.
Maxwell is set to stand trial in November on the charges of aiding Epstein's sexual abuse of four underage girls. Maxwell pleaded not guilty to these charges.
At the time of Epstein's death, his estate was reportedly worth over $650 million, but has lessened to $190 million in the two years since. His multi-million houses in Florida and New York were sold to fund the program.
"I am proud of what we were able to accomplish with this program, but also recognize that no amount of money will erase the years of pain these victims have endured because of Jeffrey Epstein," Feldman told ABC News. "My hope is that the program provided his victims a meaningful measure of justice and a step on the path toward healing."
The program was fully supported by several attorneys who all represent Epstein's victims.