George Mitchell & The Epstein Documents: FBI Investigated Sexual Abuse Claims Against Maine Senator

The former Senate Majority Leader and renowned peace negotiator maintained close ties with Jeff Epstein long after his conviction

The following story is based on a review of every mention of George Mitchell from the newly released Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein — more than 3,000 pages of records. Maine Wire reporter Seamus Othot assisted with this story.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, Maine’s most prominent living Democrat, was investigated by the FBI for sex trafficking allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious and enigmatic child sex trafficker, whom Mitchell called “a friend and a supporter.”

Mitchell has previously acknowledged his relationship with Epstein, but in a public magazine interview he downplayed the relationship, describing the prolific Democratic donor as someone who “organized a fund-raiser for me once,” according to court documents.

But the relationship went far deeper than that.

According to Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as previously publicized court documents, Mitchell maintained a years-long relationship with the Tier 3 registered sex offender even after his heinous sex crimes had become public record.

The newly released documents show that the FBI briefly investigated allegations that one of Epstein’s victims was instructed to have sex with Mitchell. But that investigation was shut down during President Barack Obama’s second term under unclear circumstances.

However, the most interesting bit of information concerning Mitchell’s relationship with Epstein might be a 2002 shipping manifest showing that Epstein sent a FedEx package to Mitchell just two weeks before Mitchell began his tenure as vice chair of the 9/11 Commission.

FBI Investigated Sexual Abuse Allegations

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the most famous and now-deceased Epstein accuser, was the subject of a DOJ memo released in the Epstein files that details a salacious allegation Giuffre leveled against Mitchell.

Giuffre “was interviewed by the FBI” at the U.S. Consulate in Sydney, Australia, and “told the FBI the names of the men she was directed to have sex with,” according to a DOJ email with the subject line “Preliminary Investigation of Additional Crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and Others.”

Mitchell was among those names.

Giuffre told FBI agents in March 2011 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell “directed her to have sex with” Mitchell, according to the FBI memo.

The FBI agents provided Giuffre with “photos of prominent men in Epstein’s orbit to help her identify” the alleged perpetrators, records show.

NBC News later confirmed Giuffre’s FBI testimony in 2019, reporting that she identified “George Mitchell” among those she claimed to have been “directed to have sex with.”

That FBI investigation was shut down in 2014, documents reveal, two years into the second term of former Democratic President Barack Obama.

An FBI agent told Giuffre “his head had been cut off above him” and that he “was instructed to stop investigating the Epstein case.”

The agent’s identity is redacted in the court filings.

That Mitchell was acquainted with Epstein, and that Epstein sought closer ties to Mitchell, has been a matter of public record for years. Mitchell is listed as a frequent flyer in the Epstein flight logs, and Epstein had multiple phone numbers for Mitchell in his address book.

The DOJ files only underscore the relationship between the two men.

Court testimony confirms Mitchell “flew on his plane,” though specific flight dates and destinations are not provided. House staff at Epstein’s properties confirmed Mitchell’s visits but provided no details about activities during the visits, documents show.

Other newly released records show that Mitchell maintained ties with Epstein years after he was a convicted sex offender — a pattern that has emerged with dozens of prominent American officials and wealthy business leaders.

The timeline raises questions about Mitchell’s knowledge of Epstein’s activities.

Epstein was investigated by Palm Beach police in 2005 for sexual abuse of minors.

He pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and served 13 months in county jail under a bizarre and questionable arrangement.

Mitchell’s documented relationship with Epstein spans 2002 through 2013 — covering periods before, during, and after Epstein’s legal troubles became public.

The FBI interviewed Giuffre about sexual abuse allegations involving Mitchell in March 2011.

Mitchell met with Epstein on Nov. 6, 2013 — nearly two years after the FBI interviewed Giuffre about sexual abuse allegations.

“10:30am Appt w/Senator George Mitchell” appears on Epstein’s calendar that day, according to DOJ documents.

The meeting was nearly rescheduled when Epstein’s doctor wanted to schedule a medical exam at the same time. “Dr. Merrell would like you to come in...we would have to move Sen. George Mitchell.”

Mitchell was 80 years old at the time of the meeting, working as a senior partner at DLA Piper law firm.

The relationship traces back to at least 2002.

That’s when FedEx shipping records show a package delivered from “JEFFREY E EPSTEIN” to “SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL” at his law firm, “VERNER, LIIPFERT, BERMIARD, MC,” on Nov. 13, 2002.

Coincidentally, that package was sent just two weeks before Mitchell began serving as vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, a position he held from Nov. 27, 2002, to Dec. 11, 2002.

The contents of the package remain unknown.

Mitchell’s tenure on the commission was cut short by conflicts of interest related to his legal work at the law firm Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand.

The conflict-of-interest concern stemmed from the fact that Mitchell’s law firm represented clients who could potentially come under scrutiny in the commission’s investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, including clients in sectors like aviation, insurance, telecommunications, and financial services.

Mitchell was invited to an exclusive Yom Kippur dinner at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion on Sept. 18, 2010, but he did not attend.

The guest list carried special instructions: “JE said if senator Mitchell confirms, then invite Larry Summers and Ehud Barak.”

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and former Harvard President Larry Summers were among Epstein’s most prominent — and frequent — associates.

It’s unclear why Epstein would want Summer and Barak to attend — but only if Mitchell would be present.

Mitchell later appeared on Epstein’s “PEOPLE TO SEE” list in 2011.

A January 2012 email from Epstein to his assistant mentioned “george mitchell, bill richardson, eduardo,” with staff follow-up noting: “WE still need to call: George Mitchell.”

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was also named in Giuffre’s sexual abuse allegations.

Mitchell’s Consistent Denials

Mitchell’s representatives have consistently denied the allegations.

But the newest wave of revelations has led Mitchell to resign from the George Mitchell Institute, a Maine-based organization that gives scholarships to elite seniors from Maine high schools (like the writer of this story).

Mitchell, now 92, also consistently denied sexual allegations throughout the civil litigation process initiated by Epstein’s accusers.

However, Mitchell never publicly explained why he maintained a relationship with Epstein through 2013 — years after the FBI investigated sexual abuse claims involving his name, and years after Epstein had become a Tier 3 registered sex offender.

The emails also offer little insight into why Epstein would be so interested in keeping in contact with Mitchell.

Mitchell left his position as a U.S. senator from Maine in 1995.

Mitchell’s last formal position with the federal government was as United States special envoy for Middle East peace, a tenure that ended in 2011.

Maine’s Elder Statesman

George Mitchell represented Maine in the U.S. Senate from 1980 to 1995, serving as Senate majority leader from 1989 to 1995.

As Senate majority leader under Democratic President Bill Clinton, another close associate of Epstein’s, Mitchell would have been among the most powerful political leaders on the planet.

The Waterville native is widely regarded as Maine’s most influential Democratic politician, having brokered the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland before serving as a U.S. senator.

Mitchell was 78 when FBI agents interviewed Giuffre about sexual abuse allegations in 2011.

He was 80 when his calendar shows the final documented meeting with Epstein in 2013.