Richy Maria Jacob
The docuseries ‘Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich’ is a testimony to how money and power have the means to sway justice to do its bidding. While this kind of corruption cannot hold out forever, it nonetheless proves to be detrimental in the years that it reigns. As we hear the detailed accounts of those who were victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s malicious sexual advances, like Michelle Licata, the larger picture is almost unfathomable. It provides one with the necessary lens to understand the gravity of the crimes committed by such sexual predators.
Who is Michelle Licata?
Michelle Licata grew up in a big family of five brothers and a sister. She mostly had a happy childhood until she came face to face with Jeffrey Epstein, who changed her life in ways she could not imagine. Licata was an active student who was part of the cheerleading squad. She was sixteen years old when a friend of hers passed her a note that said she could make some quick money provided she massage an elderly guy, almost in a facility kind of setup. Licata took this as an opportunity to earn some money to buy gifts for her siblings for Christmas.
As Michelle Licata reached Epstein’s residence, she was escorted up to a room where Epstein was already lying down on a massage bed. She was left alone to be sexually molested on various accounts, including Epstein masturbating in front of her. A scathed Licata fled for her life, clutching the $200 he gave her, only to never talk about the issue till the police consulted her regarding the same, one year later.
When the Palm Beach Police Department was investigating the case, most of the victims’ identities were kept anonymous. However, as they grew up, a few like Licata came forward to be more vocal about their experiences. She is one of the 40 or so teenagers who have been subjected to Epstein’s sexually perverse habits. The ploy was always a $200 massage. This would then become a “pyramid scheme” wherein Epstein’s underaged recruiters would also bring in several others to keep the chain going.
Michelle Licata is Now Moving On
Michelle Licata finally came face to face with her perpetrator during Epstein’s trial in 2019. While she got to address him in court, several others were not as lucky, as he soon died by suicide while behind bars. While controversies still revolve around his suicide, what is more important is the lack of justice those like Licata were subjected to when their perpetrator did not live long enough to even get convicted.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/em2l6DBa6u
— Michelle Licata (@MichelleLicata8) December 1, 2021
She was the subject of co-survivor Maria Farmer’s ‘The Survivors Project’ portrait. Licata also featured in several interviews, some even alongside her mother, to narrate her experiences. In one of such interview, her mother, Lisa Moreland, opened up about her feelings upon learning of the abuse, saying: “…I really felt helpless. So, it’s like what can you do? I wasn’t there; this was a year ago, now everything is making sense as to how you have been acting up, and oh my God…there’s a reason why you broke the drywall apart…why you put the locks all over the place, why you were so depressed all the time.”
Licata is mostly active on her Twitter page and seems to be in sync with her fellow survivors and often re-tweets their posts regarding either certain updates on the case or supporting similar causes. The battle is not over, as others connected to Epstein and his human trafficking business, remain on the loose. A few were named in January 2024 when over 900 pages of documents were unsealed, but the matter is still ongoing. Nevertheless, it does appear as if she is also doing her best to move on in life by focusing on her personal experiences. In fact, from what we can tell, based far away from her childhood home in Florida, she now has a family of her own, including a loving life partner, a beautiful son, plus an adorable dog.
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