File 020662
Mishcon de Reya Legal Demand Letter Regarding Sarah Ransome Allegations Against Alan Dershowitz (File 020662)
Legal cease-and-desist letter from Mishcon de Reya solicitors acting for Alan Dershowitz demanding removal of Daily Mail article featuring Sarah Ransome's allegations that Epstein directed her to have sex with Dershowitz.
Summary
This is a formal legal demand letter dated December 21, 2018, from the law firm Mishcon de Reya to the Daily Mail on behalf of Alan Dershowitz. The letter demands removal of an article published December 18, 2018, reporting allegations by Sarah Ransome that Jeffrey Epstein directed her to have sex with Dershowitz while he was defending Epstein on underage prostitution charges. The letter characterizes the allegations as defamatory, notes Ransome is a "known fantasist," and demands the article be removed, an apology published, damages paid, and legal costs covered within 24 hours.
Mi4heon de ReyaOur Ref: JLUHEW/HA/Alan DershowitzYour Ref:URGENT — NOT FOR PUBLICATION — STRICTLY PRIVATE &CONFIDENTIALDaily MailNorthcliffe House2 Derry StreetLondonW8 5TTDear SirsOur client: Alan DershowitzWe act for Alan Dershowitz.Africa House70 KingswayLondon WC2B 6AHDX 37954 Kingswaywww.mishcon.com21 Decennber 2018BY EMAILOur client is featured in an article entitled 'Second woman claims billionaire Jeffrey Epstein"directed" her to have sex with lawyer Alan Dershowitz WHILE he was defending pedophile onunderage prostitution charges' published on your website on 18 December 2018 at thefollowing URL: nttps://www.uallynnaii.co.ulynewsiarucie-6,509743/econo-woman-cialms-billionaire-Jeffrey-Epstein-directed-sex-lawyer-Alan-Dershowitz.htnnl (the Article).The ArticleThe Article contains a number of extremely serious and highly defamatory statements aboutour client's alleged involvement withHeading:• "Second woman claims billionaire Jeffrey Epstein 'directed' her to have sex with lawyer AlanDershowitz WHILE he was defending pedophile on underage prostitution charges"Sub-heading:• "Ransome alleges that she was asked to have sex with Alan Dershowitz by Epstein"Body:• "A second woman is claiming that she was 'directed' to have sex with lawyer AlanDershowitz by one of his clients, billionaire felon Jeffrey Epstein";• "... she was told by Epstein to have sex with Dershowitz";51150637.2Switchboard:Main Fax:London: Mishcon de Reya LLPNew York: Mishcon de Reya New York LLPMishcon de Reya is a limited liabilitypartnership, registered in England andWales (number 0C399969), authorisedand regulated by the SolicitorsRegulation Authority, SRA number624547.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 020662IVIgheon de Reya• "Dershowitz would have been defending Epstein at the time of the alleged sexualencounter, having been hired to work on the case in 2005 when a number of underagegirls began coming forward and telling police they were paid to have sex."• "This makesbehest of Epstein."the second woman to allege that she had sex with Dershowitz at theThese allegations mean and would be understood to mean that:• Mr Epstein directed to have sex with our client;• Our client had encouraged Mr Epstein to direct in this way;• Ms Ransonne alleged that our client had sex with her;• Our client did in fact have sex with• Our client was in some way involved in Mr Epstein's soliciting of women forprostitution;• Our client was in some way involved in Mr Epstein's soliciting of children forprostitution;• Our client's behaviour was improper and in breach of his professional obligationsand the law; and• Our client is a sexual predator and/or a paedophile.The factsOur client did not have sex with Indeed, our client has never met orpreviously heard ofhas been unwilling to make any claims about our client outside the courtroom(we assume for privilege reasons).Our client has never been in any way involved in Mr Epstein's alleged soliciting of women orchildren for prostitution. Our client is not a sexual predator or a paedophile.We are instructed that:• The allegations made by form part of a wider campaign against ourclient by lawyer, David Boies, against whom our client has filed acomplaint with the Florida bar.• is a known fantasist. Amongst other claims, she has claimed to have sextapes of the US President, Donald Trump, as well as Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, andother prominent figures. She has also accused our client of having acted for her inthe past — a claim which is easily disprovable by court records.51150637.2 2HOUSE OVERSIGHT 020663Wheon de ReyaAll of the above information was in the public domain at the time you published the Article.Your conductYour conduct has been disgraceful. You published the Article without making any effort toseek our client's comment. Further, you took the story from an article in The New York DailyNews, yet chose to ignore our client's position contained therein. You also deliberatelyembellished upon the story in The New York Daily News: nowhere in that article does it stateeither that claimed that she had sex with our client, or that she did have sexwith him. In fact, quite the opposite, it states as follows: "Nowhere in the court case or thetranscript does Ransome or anyone else allege that had sex with Dershowitz — or that shewas directed to."It is staggering that a news organisation as well-resourced and with such a good reputationas yours has conducted itself in this way.Serious harmGiven the gravity of the Allegations — which include imputations of seriously improperand/or unlawful behaviour — as well as the nature and extent of publication, there is noquestion that serious harm has been, and will continue to be, caused to our client'sreputation.The serious harm you have caused to our client's reputation is not only causing him (and hisfamily) great anguish, it is likely to cause significant damage to his ability to earn in the future.He will hold you fully liable for this.Immediate action requiredIn view of the above, our client requires you to immediately do the following:I. Remove the Article from your website.2. Publish an apology, the terms of which to be agreed.3. Remove any associated links to the Article within your website.4. Undertake not to repeat the Allegations.5. Undertake to pay our client significant damages, the quantum of which to beagreed.6. Undertake to pay our client his legal costs.Please may we hear from you within 24 hours. In the meantime, all our client's rights arereserved.51150637.2 3HOUSE OVERSIGHT 020664Wheon de ReyaYours faithfullyjX,ki L ccyciz_i_ et-c-, LLI°Mishcon de Reya LLPDirect Tel:Direct Fax:Email:51150637.2 4HOUSE OVERSIGHT 020665