US authorities have initiated a new investigation into the former Zorro Ranch owned by Jeffrey Epstein following accusations of illicit activities on the premises. The Attorney General Raul Torrez’s office revealed the decision to reopen the probe after examining information disclosed in the Epstein Files. Although the original case in New Mexico was closed in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, state officials now cite revelations from sealed FBI files as grounds for further scrutiny.
The New Mexico Department of Justice announced that its special agents and prosecutors will promptly seek access to the unredacted federal case file and collaborate with law enforcement partners and a newly established truth commission to delve into activities at the ranch. Allegations surfaced in an anonymous email from the recent Epstein files release suggesting that two ‘foreign girls’ were buried near the ranch, sparking curiosity about the probe’s revival.
The New Mexico Department of Justice underscored their commitment to pursuing the truth and collecting pertinent evidence where possible in criminal matters. Although Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico, state prosecutors acknowledged interviewing potential victims who had visited the ranch, without specifying the number of accusers or the nature of the incidents alleged.
Questions remain unanswered about the precise allegations prompting the investigation’s resurrection following the recent file disclosures. Meanwhile, New Mexico’s truth commission, comprising a bipartisan panel of state House representatives, convened to investigate suspicions of sexual abuse and sex trafficking facilitated at the ranch. Lawmakers also expressed interest in understanding why Epstein, despite pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor, was not registered as a sex offender and whether there was governmental corruption involved.
Epstein acquired the expansive Zorro Ranch in New Mexico in 1993, constructing a lavish hilltop mansion alongside amenities like a private airstrip, hangar, helipad, ranch office, firehouse, and a heated garage with seven bays. The property changed hands in 2023, with the proceeds allocated to creditors, now owned by the family of Don Huffines, a Republican candidate for Texas state comptroller. Huffines announced the property’s renaming to San Rafael Ranch for its association with healing, intending to operate it as a Christian retreat.
Representatives for Huffines assured full cooperation with law enforcement if approached, emphasizing their openness despite no prior requests from authorities. Federal documents mention the ranch extensively, underscoring its significance in ongoing investigations.
