BY MIRABEL ODETA
Lawmakers in New Mexico have approved legislation to open what they describe as the first comprehensive state-level investigation into activities at Zorro Ranch, the sprawling estate where the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually abusing girls and young women over a span of decades.
The measure, passed unanimously by the New Mexico House of Representatives on Monday, establishes a bipartisan “truth commission” tasked with uncovering what occurred at the 7,600-acre property located roughly 30 miles south of Santa Fe. The commission will seek testimony from survivors of alleged abuse, former employees, local residents, and anyone else with relevant knowledge of events at the ranch. Lawmakers have also encouraged members of the public to come forward with information that could shed light on Epstein’s operations in the state.
Epstein died in 2019 in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide. However, years after his passing, questions continue to swirl about the full extent of his activities and the roles played by associates, guests, and potentially public officials.
The newly formed commission will consist of four lawmakers and will have subpoena power, enabling it to compel testimony and obtain documents. Its mandate includes identifying guests who visited Zorro Ranch, as well as determining whether any state officials were aware of alleged misconduct or participated in wrongdoing. The investigation will examine claims that sexual abuse took place in the ranch’s hacienda-style mansion and surrounding guest houses, where Epstein frequently hosted high-profile visitors.
The state-funded probe carries a $2.5 million budget and is scheduled to begin work immediately. Interim findings are expected in July, with a final report due by the end of the year. Lawmakers say the goal is not only to document what occurred, but also to identify potential gaps in New Mexico law that may have allowed Epstein to operate in the state without accountability.
State Representative Andrea Romero, a Democrat who co-sponsored the legislation, said Epstein appeared to act with impunity for years. She emphasized that testimony gathered by the commission could potentially be used in future prosecutions, depending on what investigators uncover. According to Romero, there is no clear record that federal authorities ever searched the property, which some locals reportedly referred to as “the playboy ranch.” Allegations suggest that abuse may have begun there as early as 1996, including claims involving a 16-year-old girl.
The state-level effort comes amid renewed national attention on Epstein following the recent release of millions of previously undisclosed files by the U.S. Department of Justice. Those documents detail connections between Epstein and numerous prominent figures, including two former Democratic governors of New Mexico and a former state attorney general. The revelations have intensified political scrutiny in the Democratic-led state and raised concerns about whether additional public officials, scientists, investors, and other influential individuals who visited the ranch may face reputational or legal consequences.
Victim advocates have welcomed the investigation, arguing that Zorro Ranch did not receive the same level of scrutiny as Epstein’s Caribbean island or his Manhattan townhouse during earlier federal probes. Attorney Sigrid McCawley, whose firm has represented hundreds of Epstein survivors, said many victims reported abuse in New Mexico and that local awareness of activities at the ranch warrants closer examination. Among those she referenced was the late Virginia Giuffre, who publicly stated she had been abused multiple times at the property.
Civil lawsuits have accused Epstein of sexually assaulting girls at Zorro Ranch, though he was never formally charged in New Mexico for those alleged offenses. In 2019, former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas initiated a state probe but later paused it at the request of federal prosecutors to avoid interfering with parallel federal investigations. The current attorney general, Raul Torrez, has now assigned a special agent to review allegations that may emerge from the truth commission’s proceedings.
Not all related legislative efforts have succeeded. A separate proposal to extend New Mexico’s statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault—potentially allowing more survivors to file civil claims—was rejected by a state House committee. According to Representative Marianna Anaya, a co-sponsor of the truth commission bill, concerns were raised about the potential financial impact on public institutions and their insurers if older claims were permitted to proceed.
Epstein purchased Zorro Ranch in 1993 from Bruce King, a three-term Democratic governor of New Mexico who died in 2009. After Epstein’s death, his estate sold the property in 2023 to Texas businessman and political figure Don Huffines, according to local reporting. Huffines has indicated through a spokesperson that he is prepared to cooperate fully with any law enforcement investigation related to the ranch.
Documents released in recent years provide further insight into operations at the property. According to an FBI report from 2007, ranch manager Brice Gordon told investigators that Epstein flew guests and so-called “masseuses” into the property and also hired local massage therapists. In a 2016 court deposition that was later unsealed, Virginia Giuffre testified that Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, directed her to provide a “massage” to former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson at the ranch. Giuffre later explained in her memoir that such instructions were understood to mean sexual encounters. Richardson’s representative previously denied those allegations, calling them completely false.
Other individuals and institutions have been drawn into scrutiny. Gordon reportedly told investigators that many of the masseuses were hired locally, including through Ten Thousand Waves, a well-known spa in Santa Fe, or by referral. A spokesperson for the spa has denied that the business provided or referred masseuses to Zorro Ranch. In the documentary “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein,” former Santa Fe massage therapist Rachel Benavidez accused Epstein of sexually abusing her after she was hired to work at the property.
High-profile visitors have also acknowledged spending time at the ranch. Investment consultant Joshua Ramo stated that he attended a 2014 lunch there on behalf of professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. Ramo said he met with Epstein and other business leaders and scientists multiple times between 2013 and 2016, primarily in New York. In a public statement, Ramo expressed grief for survivors and said he had assumed Epstein had been appropriately vetted by the institutions involved.
Email exchanges show Epstein contacted Ramo in 2015 about meeting in Santa Fe, referencing Ten Thousand Waves. In one response, Ramo mentioned what he described as the “pink bottom ranch,” though he later said he had no recollection of the comment or whether a meeting occurred that day.
Over the years, Epstein also made political donations to New Mexico Democrats, including Bill Richardson and Gary King, the son of Bruce King and a former state attorney general. When media reports highlighted the contributions, both men pledged to return the funds or donate them to charity. Emails in the released files indicate that Gary King flew on a plane chartered by Epstein during his 2014 gubernatorial campaign, with costs reportedly shared between them. King has not publicly responded to recent requests for comment.
As the truth commission begins its work, lawmakers say their primary objective is to give survivors a platform and to ensure that no aspect of Epstein’s activities in New Mexico remains hidden. The investigation represents one of the most extensive state-led efforts to confront the legacy of a case that continues to reverberate through political, legal, and social institutions across the country.
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