Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Attorney Dershowitz sues Netflix for $80M over Epstein show

Attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz is suing Netflix for $80 million over his portrayal in the streaming service's series about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein titled “Filthy Rich.”

Via AP news wire
Wednesday 26 May 2021 17:13 EDT
Epstein Netflix Lawsuit
Epstein Netflix Lawsuit (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz is suing Netflix for $80 million over his portrayal in the streaming service's “Filthy Rich” series about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Miami federal court, contends that Netflix intentionally misled Dershowitz, one of the lawyers once representing Epstein, regarding his appearance in the series. The suit also claims Netflix defamed him by falsely asserting that he had sex with one of Epstein's many victims.

Dershowitz, now mainly retired in Miami Beach, says in the lawsuit that accusations by Virginia Giuffre that they had sex are false and that Netflix knew it. Giuffre has been one of Epstein's most vocal victims.

Dershowitz was one of the lawyers who negotiated a deal allowing the wealthy financier to escape a federal indictment in return for a guilty plea to state prostitution charges in Florida in connection to the dozens of teenage girls authorities say he molested over the years.

But Dershowitz has always denied Giuffre's claims they had sex.

“Giuffre’s accusations that she had sex with Professor Dershowitz are categorically false, and Professor Dershowitz has denied and disproved the accusations — including under oath subject to the penalties of perjury,” the lawsuit says.

Netflix did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the “Filthy Rich” series, which first became available on the streaming service in May 2020.

Epstein served a relatively short jail sentence on the Florida conviction, which required him to register as a sex offender and settle any lawsuits from his victims.

Years later, Epstein was charged by New York federal prosecutors with sex trafficking and related charges involving his alleged abuse of dozens of teenage girls. He died in August 2019 at a New York jail. His death was ruled a suicide.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in