Ankara: US Rep. Thomas Massie on Monday called for the immediate investigation and prosecution of individuals linked to the sex-trafficking ring of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, while moving to force a vote on expanded transparency legislation.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Kentucky Republican cited several high-profile names, including Prince Andrew, Jes Staley, Leon Black, Les Wexner, David Copperfield, Lapo Elkann, Tom Pritzker, Glenn Dubin, Frederic Fekkai, Edoardo Teodorani-Fabbri, and Ramsey Elkholy. Massie accused Lesley Groff of conspiring to traffic women and also named Jean-Luc Brunel and Daniel Siad, both of whom are deceased. 'Perhaps hearing these names will shame the Department of Justice into delivering justice,' Massie said, criticizing the government for withholding more than 3 million investigative files.

The congressman, along with a bipartisan group including Rep. Ro Khanna, launched a discharge petition to bypass committee oversight and bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act II to the House floor. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures to force a vote. The new bill aims to close disclosure gaps after the DOJ declared the release process complete in early 2026, despite significant redactions in the 3.5 million pages released thus far.

Jeffrey Epstein, a US financier who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, became notorious for running a global sex-trafficking network. While US President Donald Trump signed the original transparency act in 2025, Massie argued that current disclosure levels remain insufficient. Massie asserted that the follow-up legislation is essential to provide "closure for survivors" and hold the Justice Department accountable.