New Mexico lawmakers have unanimously moved to launch a sweeping investigation into what took place at the late Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling Zorro Ranch estate, marking the first significant state-level probe into the notorious property’s history.
The legislature approved a $2.5 million bipartisan inquiry that will create a special “truth commission” made up of four state lawmakers tasked with piecing together testimonies from survivors, local residents, and others connected to the property. Officials say the goal is to uncover who visited the ranch and whether state figures or systems failed to prevent or enable wrongdoing.
Zorro Ranch, a 7,600-acre spread near Santa Fe, was purchased by Epstein in the early 1990s and long remained in relative obscurity compared with his New York and U.S. Virgin Islands properties during federal probes. Numerous civil lawsuits have since alleged Epstein trafficked and sexually abused girls and women at the ranch over many years, but he was never charged in New Mexico before his 2019 death.
Supporters of the new investigation emphasized that decades of alleged abuse at Zorro Ranch have gone largely unanswered by authorities. Survivors and attorneys have welcomed the renewed focus on the site, noting it was often overlooked in earlier federal cases.
The legislative commission will have subpoena powers, enabling it to compel testimony and documents as it examines gaps in oversight and potential involvement of local figures. Interim findings are expected by mid-year, with a comprehensive final report slated for release by December.
While some government officials and high-profile individuals connected to Epstein’s past have denied wrongdoing or pledged cooperation with authorities, the inquiry has cast a spotlight on long-standing questions about what occurred at the remote New Mexico property and who may have known about it.
