Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, has dropped her lawsuit claiming that attorney Alan Dershowitz was among the men whom Epstein lent her out to for sex, according to court papers filed Tuesday.
Giuffre filed suit in 2019, alleging that Epstein sexually abused and trafficked her in the early 2000s when she was 16 years old.
The suit claimed that Dershowitz "was also a participant in sex trafficking, including as one of the men to whom Epstein lent out Plaintiff for sex," and that Dershowitz falsely claimed she had fabricated the accusations.
Dershowitz denied the allegations and later sued Giuffre for defamation.
Dershowitz also agreed to drop his lawsuit, according to the court filing by lawyers for both sides.
In a statement, Giuffre acknowledged that she may have made a mistake in identifying Dershowitz as one of her abusers.
"I have long believed that I was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein to Alan Dershowitz," she said.
"However, I was very young at the time, it was a very stressful and traumatic environment, and Mr. Dershowitz has from the beginning consistently denied these allegations. I now recognize I may have made a mistake in identifying Mr. Dershowitz. This litigation has been very stressful and burdensome for me and my family, and we believe it is time to bring it to an end and move on with our lives."
Dershowitz also released a statement.
"As I have said from the beginning, I never had sex with Ms. Giuffre," it said. "I have nevertheless come to believe that at the time she accused me she believed what she said. Ms. Giuffre is to be commended for her courage in now stating publicly that she may have been mistaken about me."
Dershowitz and David Boies, a lawyer who has represented Giuffre, also agreed to drop their lawsuits against each other.
Dershowitz had accused Boies of engaging in an extortion plot and in suborning perjury. Boies countersued Dershowitz for defamation.
"I agree with Mr. Dershowitz and Ms. Giuffre that the time has come to end this litigation and move on," Boies said. "I know that Alan Dershowitz has suffered greatly from the allegation of sexual abuse — an allegation that he has consistently, and vehemently, denied."
Boies added: "I appreciate Mr. Dershowitz’s recognition that I was not engaged in an extortion plot or in suborning perjury."
In his statement, Dershowitz said he now believes that his allegations against Boies "were mistaken."
All of the parties said in a joint statement that the resolution does not involve the payment of any money "by anyone or anything else."
Epstein, a wealthy New York financier, died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
