Search begins at Epstein's Zorro Ranch

Investigators in New Mexico have begun searching the former Zorro Ranch, the remote property once owned by financier Jeffrey Epstein, as part of a criminal probe into alleged sexual abuse and other possible crimes tied to the estate. State Attorney General Raúl Torrez reopened the inquiry last month after new material in recent Justice Department disclosures prompted renewed scrutiny. The Department of Justice has said the search is being carried out with the cooperation of the ranch’s current owners, who purchased the property from Epstein’s estate in 2023.

Officials say the operation aims to gather physical evidence and examine land and structures where alleged crimes may have occurred; teams at the site included state investigators and forensic specialists, and equipment was deployed to inspect grounds and buildings. The search follows revelations in released files that include an anonymous 2019 email alleging that Epstein ordered the burial of two foreign girls near the ranch—a claim state authorities have said warrants further investigation. New Mexico’s probe was reopened after the state legislature also established a commission to examine how the ranch operated for decades and whether public officials or others enabled abuses.

The Zorro Ranch, located about 48 km south of Santa Fe, has been central to longstanding allegations that Epstein and associates trafficked and sexually abused underage girls there over many years. New Mexico closed an earlier state inquiry in 2019 at the request of federal authorities; prosecutors now say newly disclosed records and files merit a thorough state-level review. Victim advocates and lawmakers have pushed for more transparent examination of the ranch and for survivor testimony; the legislative panel has subpoena powers and plans a comprehensive review.

Authorities declined to specify all leads that prompted the current search but said recovered materials will be analyzed as investigators piece together events linked to Epstein’s activities in New Mexico. The Department of Justice said it will keep the public informed, support survivors and follow the facts wherever they lead. The renewed investigation adds to ongoing civil and criminal scrutiny of Epstein’s network following his 2019 death, and underscores continuing public and political interest in uncovering possible wrongdoing connected to the ranch.