A federal court in New York has ended a civil lawsuit that named Congressional Delegate Stacey Plaskett over allegations she enabled sex trafficking operations connected to deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein in the Virgin Islands.
The resolution came through a stipulation signed by attorneys for both sides and filed Thursday in the Southern District of New York. The dismissal carries prejudice, which means it is final and cannot be refiled. The case had been active for nearly two years.
Six anonymous women, identified as Jane Does 1 through 6, brought the original complaint in November 2023. They claimed that sitting and former Virgin Islands government officials facilitated Epstein's criminal enterprise across the islands.
The lawsuit initially targeted multiple officials: the territorial government itself, former Governors John de Jongh and Kenneth Mapp, former Attorney General Vincent Frazer, former Senators Celestino White and Carlton Dowe, and former First Lady Cecile de Jongh. A judge dismissed all claims against those defendants in March 2025, leaving Plaskett as the only person still being sued.
The plaintiffs contended that Plaskett accepted financial backing and political support from Epstein, specifically a $30,000 loan and campaign donations, in return for taking actions favourable to him. Plaskett rejected these claims and argued the court had no authority to hear the case against her.
Judge Arun Subramanian had permitted negligence claims and allegations of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to move ahead against Plaskett, but threw out racketeering charges. Late in August, both legal teams indicated settlement discussions were progressing, and the judge instructed them to report by August 28 on whether a deal could be struck. Thursday's filing resolved the matter without going to trial.
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