A British journalist who spent years reporting on the crimes of financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell has revealed a disturbing encounter she says happened while she was working on the case.
According to an exclusive report by The Guardian, journalist Lucia Osborne-Crowley said she was approached by a man claiming to be a private investigator, who offered her drugs and cash before allegedly sexually assaulting her in a restaurant.
Osborne-Crowley is known for her reporting on the Epstein case and published a book in 2024 titled The Lasting Harm, which documents Maxwell’s 2021 trial on sex-trafficking charges. The book includes interviews with several alleged victims connected to Epstein and Maxwell.
She told The Guardian that the incident occurred in September 2022 while she was in Florida interviewing one of Maxwell’s accusers.
Osborne-Crowley had travelled to Miami to meet Carolyn Andriano, a key witness whose testimony later contributed to Maxwell’s conviction. The two met at a restaurant in West Palm Beach, where Andriano shared that someone had recently contacted her.
According to Andriano, a man in his 60s who identified himself as a private investigator had visited her and mentioned that he had heard she was speaking to someone about a book.
Not long after the interview ended, Osborne-Crowley said she was approached by a man who appeared to match that description.
“What was she writing, he wanted to know. He offered her drugs, cash and a meeting with one of Epstein’s pilots, then put his hands under her skirt. When the manager asked him to leave, he waited in the car park; Osborne-Crowley had to escape through a staff exit.”
The incident, according to the report, reflects a pattern of intimidation and surveillance that has been described by people connected to the Epstein investigation.
Several survivors of Epstein’s trafficking network have previously reported receiving threats. In fact, 28 alleged survivors signed a statement saying they had all received death threats connected to the case.
Journalists investigating the story have also said they experienced similar pressure. Julie K. Brown, whose reporting played a major role in reviving scrutiny of Epstein’s crimes, has spoken about being monitored while covering the case.
Carolyn Andriano later played a significant role in Maxwell’s trial, providing testimony that helped prosecutors secure Maxwell’s conviction. In 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.
Andriano died of an overdose in 2023. Before her death, she had also described witnessing fellow survivor Virginia Giuffre working for Epstein. Giuffre, one of the most prominent accusers in the case, died by suicide last year.
Osborne-Crowley’s account highlights the risks and intimidation that have surrounded investigations into one of the most high-profile sex-trafficking scandals in recent history.
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