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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 222 of 348 C. FBI Victim Notification Pamphlets The 2005 Guidelines recommended that “victims be given a printed brochure or card that briefly describes their rights and available services . . . and [contact information for] the victim- witness coordinator or specialist....” At the time of the Epstein investigation, FBI agents nationwide routinely followed a practice of providing victims with pamphlets entitled, “Help for Victims of Crime” and “The Department of Justice Victim Notification System.” The “Help for Victims of Crime” pamphlet contained a listing of the eight CVRA rights. The pamphlet stated: “Most of these rights pertain to events occurring after the indictment of an individual for the crime, and it will be the responsibility of the prosecuting United States Attorney’s Office to ensure you are afforded those rights.” The case agent in the Epstein investigation told OPR that she provided victims with the FBI pamphlet upon the conclusion of an interview. The pamphlet entitled “The Department of Justice Victim Notification System” provided an overview of the VNS and instructions on how to access the system. V. THE INTRODUCTORY USAO AND FBI LETTERS TO VICTIMS A. August 2006: The FBI Victim Notification Letters On August 8, 2006, shortly after the FBI opened its investigation into Epstein, the Victim Specialist for the West Palm Beach FBI office, under the case agent’s direction, prepared a “Victim Notification Form” naming 30 victims in the Epstein investigation and stating that “additional pertinent information” about them was available in the VNS.7” Thereafter, the Victim Specialist entered individual victim contact information she received from the case agent into the VNS whenever the case agent directed the Victim Specialist to generate an initial letter to a particular victim. The FBI case agent told OPR that formal victim notification was “always handled by the [FBI’s Victim Specialist].”?”*4 According to the VNS records, beginning on August 28, 2006, the FBI Victim Specialist used the VNS to generate FBI letters to be sent to the victims, over her signature, identifying the eight CVRA rights and inviting victims to provide updated contact information in order to receive current status information about the matter. The FBI letters described the case as “currently under investigation” and noted that “[t]his can be a lengthy process and we request your continued patience while we conduct a thorough investigation.” The letters also stated that some of the CVRA rights did not take effect until after an arrest or indictment: “We will make our best efforts to ensure you are accorded the rights described. Most of these rights pertain to events occurring after the arrest or indictment of an individual for the crime, and it will become the responsibility of the prosecuting United States Attorney’s Office to ensure you are accorded those rights.” A sample letter follows. 20 These 30 were drawn from the PBPD investigative file and included individuals that the PBPD had not designated as victims and individuals the PBPD had identified but not interviewed. 274 The case agent told OPR, “[O]nce we identify a victim, then we bring [the FBI Victim Specialist] in, and as far as anything pertaining to victim rights . .. and any resources, federal resources these victims may need comes from [her], the Victim Specialist.” 196 DOJ-OGR- 00003398