New Mexico lawmakers have approved what they describe as the first comprehensive investigation into alleged sexual abuse and trafficking at Zorro Ranch, a sprawling property long associated with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The legislation, passed unanimously by the state House of Representatives, establishes a bipartisan four-member “truth commission” tasked with examining allegations that girls and women were abused at the 7,600-acre estate south of Santa Fe.
The committee is set to begin work Tuesday, with interim findings expected in July and a final report due by the end of the year.
Lawmakers said the inquiry follows the release of millions of previously undisclosed Epstein-related files, which renewed scrutiny of activities at the ranch and potential connections to public officials.
The commission will seek testimony from survivors and local residents, and it has been granted subpoena power to compel evidence and witnesses.
State Representative Andrea Romero, a co-sponsor of the measure, said, "He was basically doing anything he wanted in this state without any accountability whatsoever."
Investigators aim to identify ranch guests and any state officials who may have known about or participated in alleged abuse at the hacienda-style mansion and guest houses.
Testimony gathered could be used in future litigation or prosecutions, lawmakers said.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has assigned a special agent to review allegations emerging from the commission’s work.
A previous 2019 probe launched by then-Attorney General Hector Balderas was paused at the request of federal prosecutors to avoid a parallel investigation.
The investigation adds pressure on political figures in New Mexico following disclosures in the Epstein files referencing ties to former Democratic governors and an attorney general.
Epstein purchased the ranch in 1993 from former Governor Bruce King.
Civil lawsuits have identified the ranch as a site of alleged abuse, though Epstein was never charged with crimes related to the property.
In a 2016 deposition, Virginia Giuffre testified that Ghislaine Maxwell instructed her to give former Governor Bill Richardson a "massage" at the ranch, an allegation his representative previously called "completely false."
The estate sold the property in 2023 to the family of Don Huffines, a Texas businessman and former state senator, whose spokesperson said they would provide full cooperation with investigators.