Jeffrey Epstein’s power extended far beyond his crimes.
For years, he cultivated relationships with politicians, prosecutors, business leaders and other influential figures, building a network that opened doors and now raises questions about who knew what and when.
Now, Justice Department records, combined with ongoing investigations and survivor testimony, are shining new light on those connections.
Epstein’s New Mexico ties
In New Mexico, where Epstein maintained his sprawling Zorro Ranch and developed ties to some of the state's most prominent political figures, former investigators are examining whether influence and access may have shaped decisions behind the scenes. The focus is no longer solely on Epstein himself, but on the powerful people around him and whether their relationships helped insulate his world from accountability.
“You can see where politics and excuses seem to perpetuate decade after decade,” former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas told Scripps News during an interview in April. “And I know survivors are just tired.”
In 1993, Epstein bought a ranch in New Mexico from then-Governor Bruce King. He soon enmeshed himself with the state’s local elites, donating to local and statewide political races and developing a relationship with now-deceased former Governor Bill Richardson.
Before her death in 2025, Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre accused Richardson of sexual abuse in her memoir, writing that his face was among those “preserved ... in an airtight vault in my head.”
Guiffre also named Richardson repeatedly during a 2016 deposition, telling lawyers that she was trafficked by Epstein to Richardson more than twice between the ages of approximately 17 and 18 years old. She said she gave the FBI Richardson’s name, too.
Richardson consistently denied the allegations before his death in 2023, and his estate did not respond to a request for comment.
Those connections between Epstein and politicians in New Mexico — among others — are troubling to Balderas.
He was conducting his own investigation on behalf of the state in 2019 when he was told by federal law enforcement officials at the Southern District of New York that it was also looking into Epstein in New Mexico and asked Balderas to stand down.
Former New Mexico AG says feds kept him out of the loop
Now, Balderas says documents released by the Department of Justice connected to Epstein portray a concerning relationship between federal authorities probing the Epstein case and Richardson’s legal team.
RELATED STORY |Former New Mexico AG says he was told to stand down in Epstein ranch probe
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