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and roared through South Florida, he said Coleman offered no proof, such as an affidavit from Epstein, to shore up her claims. Still, Hafele gave Coleman extra time to respond to various motions that he will have to decide before the case goes to trial. Despite Scarola’s insistence that Edwards had nothing to do with Rothstein’s Ponzi scheme, Coleman said the evidence indicates otherwise. Why else would he try to depose Epstein’s well-known friends, such as now President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and illusionist David Copperfield, she asked. He used the celebrities as a draw, she said. “The Epstein cases were used to fleece money and defraud investors,” she said. Edward’s malicious prosecution case has been difficult for both sides because both Epstein and Edwards have refused to answer questions. As he did in the civil lawsuits, Epstein has invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned by Scarola. Edwards has claimed that much of the information Epstein is seeking is protected by attorney-client privilege. The malicious prosecution lawsuit is one of two hotly-contested lawsuits that continue to pit Edwards against Epstein. Edwards also is suing the U.S. attorney’s office, claiming it violated the federal Crime Victims Rights Act when it negotiated a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein. Only after federal prosecutors agreed to drop their investigation of Epstein, did he agree to plead guilty to two prostitution charges in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. In federal court records, prosecutors claim one of the key reasons they agreed to drop their case was Epstein’s agreement to settle lawsuits filed against him by dozens of his underage victims. Sign up for daily e-mail Wake up to the day’s top news, delivered to your inbox Sponsored Content Trending topics for Baby Boomers By The Palm Beach Post Read the latest news specific to the Baby Boomer Generation on health, retirement, finances, and much more... HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_029862