Washington, Sept. 3, 2025 — Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring are taking matters into their own hands. At a Capitol Hill news conference on Wednesday, one survivor declared that victims will confidentially compile their own list of Epstein’s associates and alleged co-conspirators — people they say participated in or enabled years of abuse.

The announcement came as Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) urged colleagues to support a bipartisan discharge petition demanding more transparency into Epstein’s criminal network. For survivors, the push represents both frustration with government secrecy and a renewed determination to expose the full scope of Epstein’s operations.

“We Know the Names”

Standing before reporters, Lisa Phillips, an Epstein survivor, delivered an impassioned statement.

“Epstein’s reach went to the very top of fashion, arts and entertainment,” she said. “This did not just happen to underage girls in Florida. In New York City, hundreds of young, ambitious women were abused by him. Epstein was not just a serial predator, he was an international human trafficker, and many around him knew. Many participated. Many profited. And yet he was protected.”

Phillips, her voice steady but defiant, added: “I stand here today for every woman who has been silenced, exploited and dismissed. We are not asking for pity. We are here demanding accountability. Congress must choose: Will you continue to protect predators, or will you finally protect survivors?”

Then came the bombshell: “We survivors have been discussing creating our own list. We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. Now, together, as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know who regularly moved in Epstein’s world. It will be done by survivors and for survivors. No one else is involved. Stay tuned for more details.”

A Challenge to Congress

The timing of Phillips’s declaration was deliberate. Massie and Khanna’s petition seeks to force action in a House reluctant to confront the full scale of Epstein’s influence. By gathering 218 signatures, the discharge petition would compel a vote to release more Epstein-related documents and testimony.

“This is about accountability, not partisanship,” Khanna said. “Survivors deserve answers, and the American people deserve the truth.”

But progress has been slow. Many lawmakers remain wary, citing ongoing investigations or the political fallout that could result from high-profile names being linked to Epstein. For survivors, that hesitation feels like yet another betrayal.

Breaking the Wall of Silence

The notion of survivors compiling their own list highlights both their desperation and their resolve. Epstein’s official records — flight logs, visitor lists, financial documents — have long been the subject of public speculation and piecemeal releases. But Phillips suggested survivors themselves carry knowledge that has yet to see daylight.

“This is not about gossip or conspiracy,” one victims’ attorney explained. “It’s about survivors corroborating names of those who were there, those who participated, those who facilitated. They know who the predators are, and they’re tired of being told to wait.”

Survivors as Witnesses, Not Just Victims

By creating their own list, survivors hope to reclaim agency. For years, the Epstein saga has been driven by leaked documents, court battles, and political maneuvering. Survivors say their voices — and their testimony — should be central to exposing the network.

Phillips framed it not as a threat, but as a promise: “We are not here for pity. We are here for justice.”

What Comes Next

It remains unclear how the survivors’ list will be compiled or released. Attorneys indicated it would begin confidentially, with names shared among survivors and vetted against their experiences. Whether it will eventually become public — or be submitted to Congress — is still undecided.

What is clear is that survivors no longer trust institutions alone to uncover the truth. By stepping forward collectively, they are signaling that their patience has run out.

The Weight of Justice Delayed

Epstein’s death in 2019 left countless questions unanswered. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence, but many survivors believe she was only part of a much larger machinery of exploitation. The names of powerful men and women rumored to be tied to Epstein’s network — from business magnates to cultural icons — have never been fully disclosed.

For survivors, compiling their own list is both an act of resistance and a way of saying they will not be erased.

As Phillips put it: “We know the names. And we will not be silenced any longer.”