Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state land regulators are reviewing property leases to a company controlled by financier Jeffrey Epstein in light of federal charges that he sexually abused underage girls.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard on Tuesday delivered lease documents to state prosecutors who have interviewed possible victims of Epstein who visited his ranch south of Santa Fe.
In 2016, New Mexico renewed agricultural grazing leases on 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) of inholdings, or privately owned land inside the boundary of a state park, at Epstein's ranch through his company Cypress. Garcia Richard says her agency is pursuing every legal avenue to terminate the leases while acknowledging that the contracts are legally binding.
New Mexico has come under scrutiny for laws that allowed Epstein to avoid registering as a sex offender following a guilty plea a decade ago in Florida.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
