Warsaw: Polish prosecutors have established a special investigative team to examine allegations that minors were recruited for sexual exploitation in Poland as part of the network of disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein. This development was reported by TVP World.
According to Anadolu Agency, the move follows the release of a significant tranche of US documents related to Epstein in January, reportedly totaling around three million files. Polish officials believe these documents warrant further examination for potential links to Poland. The National Prosecutor's Office announced on Monday that the newly formed 'Investigation Team No. 5' will conduct preliminary inquiries into what has been described as 'an organized criminal group of an international nature' active between 2005 and 2018.
Prosecutors allege that the group operated with the involvement of Polish citizens and engaged in human trafficking by recruiting minors through deception, misleading them with promises of careers in fashion agencies before subjecting them to sexual exploitation. Three experienced prosecutors have been assigned to lead the probe, with any decision to open a full criminal investigation dependent on the evidence collected during the preliminary phase.
Additionally, the Justice Ministry confirmed the creation of an analytical task force chaired by Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek to review the newly released US documents. Zurek emphasized the importance of providing a reliable and impartial explanation of all Polish aspects in the Epstein affair and stated that it is the duty of the Polish state to ascertain whether crimes occurred on Polish territory and whether Polish citizens were involved.
The ministry plans to request access to all classified materials from US authorities to ensure a comprehensive review. The analytical panel will include representatives from multiple ministries and agencies, including security services and police. Earlier in the month, Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned that authorities would also examine possible links between Epstein and Russian intelligence as part of the broader investigation.
The US Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images on January 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was enacted last November. These materials include grand jury transcripts and investigative records, though many pages remain heavily redacted. Epstein survivors and victims' relatives argue that the disclosure does not meet legal requirements and omits crucial information.
Authorities discovered Epstein dead by suicide in a New York City jail in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.