Perversion of Justice Book Summary - Perversion of Justice Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

Perversion of Justice summary

Name: Perversion of Justice
Rating: 4.5 (39 reviews)
Author: Julie K. Brown

Julie K. Brown

The Jeffrey Epstein Story

4.5 (39 ratings)

24 mins

Brief summary

Perversion of Justice by Julie K. Brown exposes Jeffrey Epstein's sexual exploitation ring, corrupt prosecutors, and their role in protecting him. It's a chilling true story that unfolds with journalistic excellence and sheds light on the deep-rooted issues of justice system perversion in the US.

Topics

Crises & Scandals Media Class Political Philosophy

Table of Contents

Perversion of Justice
Summary of 8 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Learn the frightening details of Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal operation and how he escaped justice for so long.

The name Jeffrey Epstein has become synonymous with sex trafficking and the horrible abuse of underage girls. But that doesn’t mean the full story behind Epstein’s operation is well known. Many questions still persist, but the facts that are known paint a disturbing picture of how Epstein accrued a fortune and a stable of accomplices that allowed him to transport, trap, and abuse an untold number of vulnerable teenage girls.

This isn’t a story for the faint of heart, but it is an important one, especially in light of how the US justice system allowed Epstein to continue his operation long after the ugly details came to light.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how Epstein’s initial criminal case was mishandled by prosecutors;
how Brown’s reporting helped shine a light on an ongoing injustice; and
how many millions of dollars Epstein’s estate has paid out in compensation to survivors.

In looking for a new angle on the Epstein case, Brown quickly saw how big it was.

It was in 2016 when author and Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown began to dig into the Jeffrey Epstein case. By that time, it had already been eight years since a criminal case in Florida had resulted in Epstein pleading guilty to procuring an underage girl for prostitution and agreeing to be registered as a sex offender. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, though he didn’t spend much time behind bars.

The plea deal that the state prosecutors struck with Epstein and his vast team of lawyers had always seemed questionable to Brown. And in 2016, the case was once again gaining attention in a number of different ways.

The key message here is: In looking for a new angle on the Epstein case, Brown quickly saw how big it was.

One of the things that sparked new interest in the Epstein case was several women coming forward to accuse the presidential nominee, Donald Trump, of inappropriate sexual contact. One had filed a lawsuit that stated she’d been raped by both Trump and Epstein when she was only 13 years old.

At the same time, a cursory look showed that since the 2008 criminal case had closed, around 30 civil lawsuits had been filed by women with similar stories of being entrapped by Epstein and forced to perform sexual acts.

Still, this was all old news. None of it added up into the kind of investigative report that Brown was hoping her editor would sign off on. But then, after Trump won the election, another enticing angle emerged. The 2008 plea deal had largely been arranged by Alexander Acosta, who was US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. And in April 2017, Trump chose Acosta to become the new US Secretary of Labor. Acosta’s involvement in the plea deal wasn’t getting much attention from the press, and this fresh angle was enough for Brown’s editor to agree to a deeper look into what had happened.

This investigation revealed a shocking level of injustice. While the plea deal was based around one or two cases of what was called underage prostitution, police and prosecutors knew of literally dozens of victims. And it wasn’t hard to see that these women were likely only the tip of the iceberg.

Epstein had a mysterious rise to wealth and privilege.

From the start, what Brown really wanted to do was to tell the stories of Epstein’s victims. This was something that other reporters had failed to do. But of course, it wasn’t going to be easy. Many of the women who came forward against Epstein didn’t want their names to be part of the public record. They were listed as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and so on.

There was also the fact that many of the women who came forward in 2008 were now, understandably, looking to move on with their lives. So it would take a lot of time and effort for Brown to talk to lawyers and track down women willing to speak to her. In the meantime, she’d learn more about the mysterious financier with an unusual past.

Police files and court records revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse.

In the late 80s, Epstein began to amass an untold fortune by working as a sort of financial fixer and advisor for some of the world’s wealthiest people. During that time, he began buying properties for himself in places like New York City, Paris, and Palm Beach, Florida. He even bought an island in the US Virgin Islands and built an imposing compound on it.

When he wasn’t traveling, though, he was often in his mansion in Palm Beach. And it was the Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter, and detective Joe Recarey, who conducted one of the most compelling police investigations against Epstein. It all started in 2005 when a 14-year-old girl had been lured to Epstein’s mansion.

After Epstein’s arrest, things took a turn with the state prosecutors.

Epstein and Maxwell knew how to target vulnerable girls, and Florida was full of families struggling to get by. With the promise of making more money, some girls returned to Epstein’s house only to find that he was intent on quickly escalating to rape.

Sometimes he’d force himself on the girls. Other times he’d tell them to have sex with Maxwell, or with other people who were visiting or attending his parties. Usually, the girls who were lured to Epstein’s mansion were also told they could recruit other underage girls. Since this was a way for them to make money without interacting with Epstein, it often worked, like a degrading Ponzi scheme. One girl claimed she’d brought at least 25 others to Epstein, and she wasn’t the only one to do so.

The details of the plea bargain raise many questions about justice and fairness.

As negotiations between Epstein’s lawyers and the state prosecutor’s office continued, it became clear that many of the victims were being sidelined, which isn’t uncommon in such cases. Prosecutors debated the reliability of witnesses who’d likely be characterized as prostitutes by the defense. Some had turned to drugs and alcohol to dull the pain of what had happened to them, which may have caused the prosecution team to find these young women even less reliable.

But that wasn’t the only reason. As negotiations continued, the police were finding more evidence and more victims, yet the prosecutors kept turning them away. Reiter and Recarey were dumbfounded. Clearly, something else was going on. In fact, it was beginning to look like the state was going to torpedo its own case.

After the plea deal, Epstein strove to maintain his lifestyle.

For all intents and purposes, Epstein was supposed to be behind bars at a state prison. But in reality, the door to his cell at the much more comfortable Palm Beach County jail was purposefully left unlocked. At first, Epstein had access to the attorney’s office in the jail, where he could watch TV. But then he was given permission to work from his office six days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., as long as he was supervised by sheriff’s deputies. Epstein paid the sheriff’s office all of $128,000 for this privilege, as well as additional overtime fees for the deputies.

The key message here is: After the plea deal, Epstein strove to maintain his lifestyle.

Brown’s report reignited interest in the Epstein case,and spurred the FBI back into action.

Through diligence and resourcefulness, Brown did manage to track down and meet personally with some of the women Epstein had abused over the years. As part of her piece for the Miami Herald, she wanted to create a documentary that allowed people to hear from the victims themselves – the very thing that the Epstein plea deal denied them. This video would accompany an article entitled “Perversion of Justice,” which detailed the ways in which the 2008 criminal case was mishandled.

The article and the video went online on November 28, 2018. By the following day, the story had caught fire across social media and was getting picked up by news outlets around the world. Brown had been hoping it would make a difference, but she wasn’t exactly prepared for what followed.

Upon Epstein’s second arrest, a series of strange events unfolded.

Not long after Epstein’s arrest. Acosta resigned as the Trump administration’s Secretary of Labor. At first, he tried to explain away the plea deal and the violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act, but the excuses were misleading at best and the press weren’t letting up. Trump accepted his resignation just before Epstein’s bail hearing.

The key message here is: Upon Epstein’s second arrest, a series of strange events unfolded.

Want to see all full key ideas from Perversion of Justice?

Key ideas in Perversion of Justice

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is Perversion of Justice about?

Perversion of Justice (2021) reveals how a reporter for the Miami Herald broke the story behind Jeffrey Epstein’s sex crimes and the scandalous deal he got from the US justice system in 2008. It explains the history of the case, how the mysterious financier was able to escape justice for so long, and the important questions that remain unanswered.

Perversion of Justice Review

Perversion of Justice (2022) is a powerful exposé by Julie K. Brown that unearths shocking and disturbing truths surrounding a high-profile case. Here's why you should read it:

With at its core, the book uncovers an intricate web of corruption, revealing the beyond-belief extent of the scandal.
Through and gripping accounts, it keeps readers engrossed, leaving no room for boredom.
The author's shine through, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in justice and human rights.

Who should read Perversion of Justice?

Anyone curious how a serial sex offender can elude punishment
Fans of true crime investigations
People interested in the ongoing mystery behind Epstein and his accomplices

About the Author

Julie K. Brown is a veteran journalist and investigative reporter who’s been working for the Miami Herald for over 20 years. Her writing has been awarded two George Polk Awards as well as a National Press Club award.

Categories with Perversion of Justice

Society & Culture

Book summaries like Perversion of Justice

Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered

Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

The Definitive How-To Guide

Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

21 min

4.4

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson

A journey into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer

38 min

4.5

The 12 Traits of the Greats

Dave Martin

Mastering The Qualities Of Uncommon Achievers

A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Uncover Ancient Wisdom on Love and Relationships

15 min

4.0

Negotiation Made Simple

John Lowry

A Practical Guide for Making Strategic Decisions, Finding Solutions, and Delivering the Best Deal

Uncover the Dangers of Humanity’s Increasing Capabilities

14 min

3.8

Building Your Money Machine with ChatGPT

Larry Wheeler

Use AI to Generate Ideas, Automate Marketing, and Build Profits

A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences

19 min

4.3

Buddhism – Plain and Simple

Steve Hagen

The Practice of Being Aware, Right Now, Every Day

How to free yourself from philosophical dogmas and assert your own values

What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money – That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!

Inside Elon Musk's Twitter

How Digital Capitalism Is Taking Over the World

A Philosophical User's Manual

A Study of Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece

20 min

4.2

Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy

Joseph Schumpeter

Essential analysis on where the world economy is headed

How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick

21 min

4.3

The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell

Explore the Fundamental Questions and Ideas of Philosophy

How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us

19 min

3.9

Single, Dating, Engaged, Married

Ben Stuart

Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age

When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health

18 min

4.4

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Intuition or deliberation? Where you can (and can't) trust your brain

28 min

4.5

Walmart

Natalie Berg and Bryan Roberts

Key Insights and Practical Lessons from the World's Largest Retailer

17 min

4.4

Consciousness Explained

Daniel C. Dennett

Redefine Your Understanding of the Mind and Consciousness

Bedtime Biography: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

Jack Weatherford

The Rise of the Mongol Empire and Its First Great Khan

Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

A Galloping History of Humanity

A Retelling of the Myths of Ancient Greece

The Secret of Human Thought Revealed

16 min

4.4

I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It?

Nick Hall

The New Science of Self-Discipline

Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience

18 min

4.5

Discipline Is Destiny

Ryan Holiday

The Power of Self-Control

The Dictators Who Want to Run the World

A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law

How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything

The Global Refugee Crisis and What to Do About It

A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

18 min

4.6

Becoming a Person of Influence

John C. Maxwell

How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others

A Former CIA Officer's Insights into North Korea's Enigmatic Young Dictator

23 min

4.2

Building a Second Brain

Tiago Forte

A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential

The Path of Liberation through Anger

17 min

3.9

The Wisdom of Psychopaths

Kevin Dutton

What Saints, Spies and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success

19 min

4.3

The Stoic Path to Wealth

Darius Foroux

Ancient Wisdom for Enduring Prosperity

Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World and How to Take It Back

Why Your 20s Matter – and How to Make the Most of Them Now

The New Science of Criminal Justice

28 min

4.2

Children of Ash and Elm

Neil Price

A History of the Vikings

20 min

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.