Audrey Strauss

INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY

Audrey Strauss served as Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) from June 20, 2020, to October 10, 2021. She stepped into the role after President Trump fired her predecessor, Geoffrey Berman, at a pivotal moment in the Epstein-related prosecutions. As Acting U.S. Attorney, Strauss was the lead prosecutor who announced the federal charges against Ghislaine Maxwell on July 2, 2020, charging Maxwell with six federal crimes related to the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors by Jeffrey Epstein. At the press conference, Strauss stated: "Ghislaine Maxwell facilitated, aided, and participated in acts of sexual abuse of minors." She oversaw the SDNY's prosecution of Maxwell through trial and conviction in December 2021. Strauss was also notable for publicly expressing interest in speaking with Prince Andrew regarding allegations in the case. Prior to becoming Acting U.S. Attorney, Strauss had served as SDNY's Deputy U.S. Attorney since 2018, working on high-profile cases including Michael Cohen and Rudy Giuliani associates. She has a distinguished career spanning decades as an SDNY prosecutor, private practice attorney, and executive. Strauss is a key institutional figure in the Epstein accountability narrative — she is the senior federal official who drove the Maxwell prosecution — but she has no personal legal accountability in the case; she is entirely on the prosecutorial/official side.