Jeffrey Epstein denied bail and will remain in jail until sex trafficking trial

Jeffrey Epstein has been denied bail and will remain in jail ahead of his trial on charges of sex trafficking of minors.

The Brooklyn-born financier, 66, is accused of bringing dozens of underage girls to his mansion in New York and his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, for massages which then escalated into sex acts.

Prosecutors in New York allege that, between 2002 and 2005, he recruited "vulnerable" young girls, and was intent on "creating and maintaining this network of minor victims".

Lawyers for the women allege that over 50 accusers have now come forward, and police say more are still emerging to report accusations.

Epstein, who split his time between his $77 million Upper East Side mansion, a Palm Beach estate, a ranch in New Mexico, an apartment in Paris and an island in the US Virgin Island, was known for his high-profile connections.

He counts Donald Trump, Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton among his former friends. All have since distanced themselves from him.

Epstein was arrested on July 6, as he landed back in the US from France. On July 8 he was arraigned, and pleaded not guilty.

Epstein faces one count of sex trafficking of minors, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years. He also faces one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.

The New York prosecution comes after he was granted a plea deal by Florida prosecutors in 2007. Under the terms of the controversial agreement, he registered as a sex offender and was sentenced to 18 months - of which he served 13. He was also allowed out on work release.

On Tuesday Brad Edwards, a lawyer for one of the accusers, Courtney Wild, alleged that Epstein had abused a young woman while he was on work release.

Controversy over the plea deal led to the resignation last week of Donald Trump's labour secretary Alex Acosta, who was the district attorney for South Florida and negotiated the deal.

There is likely to be further fallout.

In the coming days the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will release almost 2,000 pages of documents that could reveal allegations of sexual abuse by “numerous prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister, and other world leaders,” according to the three-judge panel's ruling.

The documents were filed during a civil defamation lawsuit brought by Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a former Mar-a-Lago locker-room attendant, against Epstein’s former girlfriend and alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“Nobody who was around Epstein a lot is going to have an easy time now," said David Boies, Miss Giuffre’s lawyer.

"It’s all going to come out.”