Subject: RE: travel approval request¶
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2020 16:32:13 +0000¶
This is definitely off.¶
Following up – please let us know if any additional info would be helpful? We’d like to get started on memos, bookings, etc. Thank you!¶
Wanted to circle back on this – FBI is in the process of getting their approvals as well, so we wanted to make sure we’re okay on our end? And then can start the OIA and EOUSA processes. Thanks!¶
Thank you! Alison has a valid official passport and mine is currently in DC for renewal.¶
Sent from my iPhone¶
On Mar 5, 2020, at 18:58, Tyrrell, Edward (USANYS) < > wrote:¶
Move forward. We will begin considering this on Monday. Passports?¶
EFTA00106062¶
Sent from my iPad¶
On Mar 5, 2020, at 6:29 PM,¶
Ed, Russell, Ted,¶
Following a process of more than six months of attempting to be in contact with a key witness located in the United Kingdom, including more than two months of intensive discussion and negotiation with the witness’s UK-based counsel, just yesterday her counsel advised us that the witness, Emmy Taylor, is willing to meet us in London on March 19.¶
Other than the sole statutory victim, Taylor is potentially the most critical person in the case—she is the former assistant to Ghisaine Maxwell, our current top target subject, and when she left that job she was replaced by Sarah Kellen, who is the only other individual we currently are considering charging. The main victim also recalls that Taylor was present during instances of sexual abuse, which could make Taylor the only witness to that conduct other than the victim, potentially including instances when Maxwell was present. And Taylor worked for Maxwell for years during the key period we are hoping to charge.¶
We realize that our ask for permission for two people to travel to London this month is challenging both because it is international travel for two individuals and because of the Coronovirus concerns, but we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t make the request – this is a crucial witness whom we’ve been trying to get to talk with us for many months, and it could be extraordinarily valuable to speak to her before making a final charging decision, which we hope to do by the end of the month. And because she’s so critical, we want to have at least two members of the team to be able to ask her questions, evaluate her credibility, etc. Taylor could be of exceptional, unique importance to the case.¶
Our draft memo is attached – if we can get approval, we’ll want to get the various necessary approvals ASAP, but obviously wanted to start with you guys.¶
thanks very much, Alex.¶
Ed,¶
Similar to prior requests in connection with the Epstein investigation (2018R01618), but with an added international element, we’d like to please request permission for the team to travel next week for an interview near Stockholm, Sweden, next week on January 29th and/or 30th. We expect to be traveling, respectively, some combination of the 27th (overnight) to the 31st, depending on when the interview ends up being scheduled, and we’ll put final dates on our formal applications. Also similar to prior trips, we’d like to request approval to get a conference room for one of those days at a hotel for the interview itself.¶
Also based on our discussion earlier we’ll be mindful of looking for domestic (or domestic-flagged) carrier flights, as well as the costs of any alternatives, in looking at possible specific bookings. Thanks as always for your help and input on that.¶