NBC News: How Epstein Lured Vulnerable Girls to Zorro Ranch
Key Takeaways
- ▶ NBC News reports Jeffrey Epstein targeted girls needing college or career help to recruit them to his New Mexico Zorro Ranch.
- ▶ The 10,000-acre remote property functioned like an exclusive resort, providing isolation from outside scrutiny.
- ▶ Epstein used promises of educational and professional opportunities to lure financially vulnerable young women to the ranch.
- ▶ Local authorities were kept away from the property during Epstein's ownership, NBC News reports.
- ▶ The FBI searched the Zorro Ranch in July 2019, shortly after Epstein's arrest on federal sex trafficking charges.
Jeffrey Epstein used promises of financial support for college and career advancement to recruit girls to his remote Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, NBC News reports.1 The 10,000-acre property functioned as what appeared to be an exclusive resort that concealed abuse far from public view.1
The ranch, located in Stanley, New Mexico, served as one of Epstein’s primary residences alongside properties in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Paris, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.1 Girls from families with limited financial means were particularly vulnerable to Epstein’s recruitment tactics, which centered on offering educational and professional opportunities, NBC News reports.1
Recruitment and Isolation
Epstein specifically targeted young women who needed financial assistance with college expenses or career development, according to NBC News.1 The remote location of the ranch, situated on thousands of acres in rural New Mexico, provided isolation from outside scrutiny.1
The property’s resort-like amenities attracted victims who believed they were receiving legitimate opportunities.1 Epstein purchased the Zorro Ranch in 1993.1 The property remained one of his holdings until his death in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
NBC News reports that Epstein was able to keep local authorities away from the ranch during his ownership.1 The FBI searched the Zorro Ranch in July 2019, shortly after Epstein’s arrest on federal charges.1
Court filings from Epstein’s victims have identified the New Mexico property as one of several locations where abuse occurred. New Mexico authorities launched a full investigation into the ranch in February 2026.1
Background
Epstein died by suicide on August 10, 2019, in a Manhattan jail cell while facing federal sex trafficking charges. He had been arrested on July 6, 2019, and charged with sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York between 2002 and 2005.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida of soliciting a minor and served 13 months in a county jail under a controversial non-prosecution agreement. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, was convicted in December 2021 on federal charges of sex trafficking minors and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Ghislaine Maxwell