logo
Who is Maria Farmer, the Epstein accuser linking Trump to sex offender?

Who is Maria Farmer, the Epstein accuser linking Trump to sex offender?

First Post5 days ago
Maria Farmer, who is in her 50s, is believed to be the first Jeffrey Epstein victim who went to the authorities. She has claimed she had a 'troubling encounter' with Donald Trump in the 1990s at Epstein's Manhattan offices. But who is Farmer? What did she tell authorities about Trump? read more
Maria Farmer is believed to be the first Jeffrey Epstein victim who went to the authorities. Image courtesy: mariafarmerart.com
One of Jeffrey Epstein's first accusers is now linking US President Donald Trump to the late, disgraced financier.
Maria Farmer, an artist in her 50s, has claimed she had a 'troubling encounter' with Trump back in the 1990s.
Farmer and her younger sister Annie both testified at Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking trial.
She claimed she urged the police in 1996 and later the Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into Epstein's social circle.
The development comes amid Trump suing the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over a bombshell story over his ties to Epstein.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
But who is Farmer? What do we know about her? And what has she said?
Let's take a closer look
Who is Farmer?
Farmer is an American visual artist.
She has said that she met Epstein when she was a student at the New York Academy of Art.
Farmer has claimed she was introduced to Epstein by Elaine Guggenheim, who was the dean of the academy at that time – a claim the New York Academy of Art has denied.
Guggenheim has said she is 'distantly related' to the family behind the Guggenheim Museum.
Farmer worked for Epstein in 1995 and 1996.
She said he initially wanted her to buy art on his behalf.
Farmer accused Epstein and Maxwell of assaulting her at the Ohio estate of Les Wexner.
Wexner, an associate of Epstein, is the ex-chairman of Limited Brands.
Farmer said she later found out that Maxwell assaulted her sister Annie at Epstein's New Mexico ranch.
Farmer, who fled New York in the aftermath of the allegations, accused Maxwell of intimidating her and trying to destroy her reputation.
Jeffrey Epstein died in 2019 in a US prison. Many in the Maga movement have for years alleged that he was murdered by the 'deep state'. Reuters/File Photo
'I was terrified of Maxwell and Epstein and I moved a number of times to try to hide from them,' Farmer stated in an affidavit filed last year.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Farmer has said she kept a low-profile over the past two decades.
She has been earning money selling antiques and restoring old houses.
She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2019.
In 2020, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
What has she said?
Farmer said she took her concern about Epstein and his associates to the authorities.
She said she first approached the New York Police Department's Sixth District in 1996.
Nearly a decade later, in 2006, she was interviewed by the FBI.
Farmer claimed she told the authorities to look at the relationship between Epstein and high-profile celebrities like Trump and politicians like Bill Clinton.
She said she mentioned Trump specifically because the two men 'seemed so close'.
Farmer has claimed she has a 'troubling encounter' with Trump in the 1990s.
At the time, she was a teenager and Trump was a real-estate developer.
Farmer, who was working for Epstein in 1995, arrived at his offices in Manhattan after getting an unexpected call from him.
Farmer, who was wearing running shorts, claimed Trump, who was in a business suit, 'stared at her bare legs'.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
She said she remembered feeling scared. Then, Epstein came into the room.
He told Trump 'no, no. She's not here for you.'
The men then left the room, she said.
Donald Trump had once called Jeffrey Epstein a friend. File Photo/Reuters
Farmer claimed she heard Trump say that she looked 16-years-old.
The White House has denied the incident ever occurred.
'The president was never in [Epstein's] office. The fact is that the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
The Epstein controversy has created a major fissure between Trump and his loyal base, with some of his most vocal supporters slamming the White House for the way it has handled the case, and questioning why Trump would not want the documents made public.
Trump had promised to sue the Wall Street Journal almost immediately after the paper put a new spotlight on his well-documented relationship with Epstein by publishing an article that described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump's name and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Trump denied writing the letter, calling the story 'false, malicious, and defamatory.'
The suit, filed in filed in federal court in Miami, accuses the paper and its reporters of having 'knowingly and recklessly' published 'numerous false, defamatory, and disparaging statements,' which, it alleges, caused 'overwhelming financial and reputational harm' to the president.
With inputs from agencies
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

5 facts on Priya Sachdev Kapur, at the centre of ₹30,000 crore succession battle
5 facts on Priya Sachdev Kapur, at the centre of ₹30,000 crore succession battle

Hindustan Times

time9 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

5 facts on Priya Sachdev Kapur, at the centre of ₹30,000 crore succession battle

Priya Sachdev Kapur, a businesswoman and former model, is once again in the public eye - this time over a growing dispute within the powerful Kapur family following the sudden death of her husband, industrialist Sunjay Kapur. As controversy surrounds control of the ₹30,000-crore Sona Group, here are five key facts about her: Priya Sachdev Kapur married Sunjay Kapur in 2017. 5 facts about Priya Sachdev Kapur Priya holds a degree in mathematics and business management from University College London and began her professional life in M&A at Credit Suisse First Boston in London. She returned to India to lead several businesses and co-founded Rock N Shop, one of India's early luxury e-commerce platforms. She is also the director at Aureus Investment and a non-executive director at Sona Comstar. Also read: Why is Sunjay Kapur's company Sona Comstar in news days after his death She briefly entered the entertainment industry in the early 2000s, appearing in ads (including one with Kareena Kapoor) and played a supporting role in the 2005 film Neal 'n' Nikki. Her first marriage to American hotelier Vikram Chatwal ended in divorce after a custody battle. In 2017, she married Sunjay Kapur, ex-husband of actress Karisma Kapoor. Following Sunjay's death in June 2025, his mother Rani Kapur accused unnamed individuals - widely believed to include Priya - of coercion and misrepresentation in matters related to the Sona Group. Tensions after Sunjay Kapur's death Sunjay Kapur died of a heart attack during a polo match in England on June 12, 2025. His death sent shockwaves through both the business world and Bollywood circles. His funeral rites were attended by celebrities like Karisma Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. Just before the annual general meeting of Sona Comstar, his mother, Rani Kapur, addressed a letter to the company's board alleging she had been coerced into signing documents behind locked doors. She claimed she was denied access to her personal accounts and warned of 'gross illegalities' within the group, implicitly pointing fingers at Priya Sachdev Kapur. The letter further alleged that unauthorised individuals were misrepresenting themselves as family representatives, raising concerns about a looming legal and corporate succession battle in one of India's most prominent industrial families.

After Ghislaine Maxwell interview, concerns mount over possibility of pardon
After Ghislaine Maxwell interview, concerns mount over possibility of pardon

Indian Express

time11 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

After Ghislaine Maxwell interview, concerns mount over possibility of pardon

The yellow jacket buzz of a plane circling above the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, on Friday roused the perspiring platoon of reporters staking out a meeting between a top Justice Department official and Ghislaine Maxwell. The plane's banner read, 'Trump and Bondi are protecting predators.' The accusation summed up concerns on the ground as Todd Blanche, Attorney General Pam Bondi's top deputy, concluded a second extraordinary day of interviews with Maxwell, once a fixer for financier Jeffrey Epstein who is now imprisoned on charges of sex trafficking. Her lawyer estimated that over the course of her interview, Maxwell answered questions about 100 people, though it was unclear whether they included victims, associates or others implicated in her sex trafficking case. Maxwell has made it clear that she wants her 20-year sentence thrown out or reduced, or a pardon. President Donald Trump, asked whether he would consider pardoning her, said, 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about.' He made the remarks before he headed off to Scotland, wishing her well. Pressed for details of the interview with Maxwell after he landed in Scotland, he said, 'I don't know anything about the conversation.' He added, 'Obviously, this is no time to be talking about pardons.' Blanche has described his trip as a neutral fact-finding mission, saying he would share details of the discussion 'at the appropriate time' — yet he has also declared that the federal criminal investigation into targets beyond Maxwell and Epstein remains closed. By that standard, new interviews would appear to serve a function beyond the purposes of traditional law enforcement, unless new evidence of criminality has been discovered, current and former officials said. The department offered Maxwell conditional immunity to discuss the case, but the protection did not apply if she lied in her interviews, according to an official with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity to discuss details of the case publicly. In total, the interview lasted about eight to 10 hours. The Blanche-Maxwell discussion has stoked concerns from critics of Trump, a onetime friend of Epstein's, that he may grant Maxwell a reprieve. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, questioned whether Blanche had offered Maxwell 'some kind of a corrupt deal so that she can exonerate Donald Trump.' Teresa Helm, who was abused by Epstein and testified against Maxwell, was blunt about the consequences of such a deal in an interview with MSNBC on Friday. 'It would mean the complete crumbling of this justice system that should first and foremost stand for, fight for and protect survivors,' she said, adding that the government had accused Maxwell of perjury on top of other charges. 'She should stay in prison,' said Lisa Lloyd, 65, the lone protester at the courthouse. 'This is wrong. Anyone who is concerned with justice should be appalled by this.' A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. Some conservative news outlets friendly to Trump have begun to soften their tone about Maxwell — whom they previously described as a child sex predator — suggesting she might now be trusted to tell the truth about the case. This week, a host on Newsmax who has praised Trump went so far as to suggest that Maxwell 'just might be a victim' who was not given a fair legal hearing. The Friday session with Maxwell began around 9 am and ended in the early afternoon when one of her lawyers, David Markus, approached reporters to declare that she had honestly 'answered every single question asked of her over the last day and a half.' Markus, who has a friendly relationship with Blanche, said Justice Department officials 'asked about every possible thing imaginable.' Maxwell was pressed about 'maybe a hundred different people,' he added, without saying who. 'She didn't hold anything back.' No offers of clemency have been made, and Markus said that he was not asking for a quid pro quo for his client's answering the questions. 'We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet,' Markus said. 'The president this morning said he had the power to do so. We hope he exercises that power.' Maxwell has appealed her conviction to the Supreme Court, arguing that she should not have been charged in the sex trafficking case because of a nonprosecution agreement that federal attorneys in Florida reached in 2007. The agreement promised that potential coconspirators would not be prosecuted, but Maxwell argues that it should have also protected her from prosecution in New York. Congress has subpoenaed her to testify in August. Maxwell has not decided whether she will participate, Markus said. In a post on social media late Thursday, Blanche said that the department would 'share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time.' In May, Bondi and Blanche, both of whom previously served as lawyers for Trump, informed Trump that his name was among those of high-profile figures that appeared in the Epstein files, according to people with knowledge of the meeting. It was part of a broader briefing on the reexamination of the Epstein case by FBI agents and prosecutors. In Scotland, Trump denied those reports, saying, 'No, I was never, never briefed.' It is not clear how significant the references to Trump were. But the briefing sheds light on private West Wing discussions at a moment when the president's team is desperately trying to quell the rebellion of Trump supporters who feel that he and some of his senior appointees led them astray with campaign claims that they would make the files available. Trump's top two FBI appointees were among those who were adamant before taking on their government roles that there was more to uncover in the files. And earlier this year, Bondi described the files as significant material to wade through. Trump already appeared in documents related to the investigation that have been made public. He was a friend of Epstein's until they had what Trump has described as a falling-out in the early 2000s. At the White House in February, Bondi distributed a series of binders about the Epstein files that included the phone numbers of some of the president's family members, including his daughter. 'As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,' Bondi and Blanche wrote in a statement in response to questions about the briefing, which took place in May. 'Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.'

Trump calls Epstein file scrutiny a "con job", blames Democrats
Trump calls Epstein file scrutiny a "con job", blames Democrats

Time of India

time24 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Trump calls Epstein file scrutiny a "con job", blames Democrats

US President Donald Trump has termed as "con job" the controversy surrounding his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and sharply criticised Democrats over what he called a politically motivated distraction, The Hill reported. "The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America, results of which many are saying is the BEST six months in Presidential history," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added, "They have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Digital Marketing Others Leadership PGDM MCA Design Thinking Data Analytics Technology Cybersecurity healthcare Management Product Management Data Science Finance Project Management Operations Management Artificial Intelligence MBA others Data Science Healthcare CXO Public Policy Degree Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategy Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Social Media Marketing & Advertising Data Analytics & Measurement Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Calling the scrutiny a "Democrat CON JOB," Trump further wrote, "Hopefully, the Grand Jury Files will put an end to this HOAX." As per The Hill, the president had recently instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury testimonies from Epstein and his alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The decision followed mounting pressure for transparency from both Democrats and conservatives, including members of Trump's own MAGA base. However, on Wednesday, US District Judge Robin Rosenberg declined the Department of Justice's request, saying, "The Court's hands are tied." Live Events Trump, responding to the legal setback, questioned why Democrats did not unseal the documents during former President Biden's tenure, when they held a Senate majority. According to The Hill, a newly released Trump administration memo concluded that Epstein did not maintain a "client list" and reaffirmed that the financier's 2019 death in jail remains officially ruled a suicide -- findings that have only intensified calls for clarity from the Department of Justice. A recent Emerson College Polling survey cited by The Hill showed that over 50 percent of voters disapprove of the administration's handling of the Epstein probe. A separate Fox News poll found that 60 percent of GOP voters believe the government is not being transparent about the case files. The fallout has led to divisions within the Republican Party. As The Hill reported, House Speaker Mike Johnson told CBS News that the case is "not a hoax," a marked departure from Trump's "witch hunt" framing. Rep. Thomas Massie, a frequent critic of Trump, announced plans to introduce a bipartisan resolution -- co-sponsored by Democrat Ro Khanna -- to compel the administration to release all Epstein-related documents. Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday and is expected to continue questioning her Friday. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer also issued a subpoena for Maxwell, with plans to depose her on August 11, The Hill said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store