New Mexico lawmakers approved legislation to open the first full investigation into activity at Zorro Ranch, where Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually abusing girls and women.
The four-member “truth commission” will identify ranch visitors and state officials who may have known about or participated in alleged abuse at the 7,600-acre estate. The bipartisan panel will seek testimony from survivors and local residents about alleged abuse at the property south of Santa Fe.
The effort follows the Justice Department’s release of Epstein-related files that renewed scrutiny of his ties to New Mexico, including links to two former Democratic governors and a former attorney general.
The legislation passed the New Mexico House unanimously and funds a $2.5 million probe with subpoena power. The committee begins work Tuesday, plans interim findings in July, and will deliver a final report by year’s end. Lawmakers said testimony could support future prosecutions and help close legal gaps that may have allowed Epstein to operate in the state for decades.
Victim advocates say the ranch was overlooked in prior federal investigations that focused on Epstein’s Caribbean island and New York townhouse, noting survivors including Virginia Giuffre reported abuse in New Mexico. Civil lawsuits accuse Epstein of assaulting girls at the ranch dating back to the 1990s, though he was never charged for alleged crimes there.
