Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual-abuse network testified before Congress on April 10, 2026 [1], detailing systemic abuse and visa-fraud schemes.
The testimony highlights how financial coercion and legal manipulation were used to maintain control over victims, signaling a push for greater transparency in federal investigations.
During the hearing on Capitol Hill, survivors including former model Jess Michaels described the mechanisms Epstein and his associates used to facilitate repeated sexual abuse. Testimony focused on the use of visa manipulation to trap victims and financial pressure to ensure silence. One survivor said, "This is not a hoax."
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) indicated that the committee intends to continue these proceedings. Comer said, "Yes, I've always planned on having hearings with the victims."
The survivors are urging the U.S. government to release the full federal sex-trafficking investigation. They argue that the release of these documents is necessary to achieve true accountability for all parties involved in the network.
Reports on the survivors' reactions to the proceedings have been mixed. Some survivors expressed concern that public congressional hearings could be politicized, particularly in response to calls for such hearings from Melania Trump. Other survivors described their abuse during the Capitol Hill session specifically to force the release of the investigation results.
The hearings took place during a joint session of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, where witnesses detailed how the network operated across international borders using fraudulent documentation to move victims.
“"This is not a hoax."”
The shift toward congressional testimony suggests that survivors are moving beyond civil litigation to seek legislative pressure for the disclosure of federal files. By linking sexual abuse to visa fraud and financial crimes, the survivors are framing the Epstein network not just as a series of individual crimes, but as a systemic failure of border and financial oversight.
