Editor's note: Wu Zidan is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of CGTN.

Three million pages of new Jeffrey Epstein files, made public by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, reveal the pain and trauma endured by thousands of victims in the lawless enclave of the Little St. James Island. The release of millions of files cracks open the façade of a club reserved for the ultra-privileged: royalty, top officials, scientists, entrepreneurs and global celebrities.

Beneath the mountain of Epstein files lies a dark criminal culture, nurtured by the wealthy and the powerful, people who mutually protect each other, chase greedy desires, and routinely violate moral and legal norms.

Selfish profits over human lives

When selfish profits are prioritized above all else, human life becomes expendable. Had JPMorgan heeded early warnings and reported Epstein to the regulators, the course of events might have been different. Yet the bank remained silent, keeping Epstein as its lucrative client. The special treatment exposed a grey area between super-rich clients and the regulatory oversight. As Epstein's list of high-value clients grew, underground financial services were available around the clock.

In America's long history of putting profit above human life, JPMorgan's scandal is a persistent stain, but certainly not the last. The Sackler family's Purdue Pharma, for instance, deployed aggressive and misleading marketing strategies to push doctors to prescribe massive quantities of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin, resulting in hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths. Purdue Pharma was well aware of the drug's risks; yet Richard Sackler, CEO at the time, shifted blame to the victims. When faced with the choice between human lives and lucrative profits, human lives always lose.

Justice in law books is not real justice

Justice in law books is not the real justice for ordinary people. The flaw of the U.S. judicial system is plain as day in the controversial "sweetheart deal" that allowed Epstein to settle the sex-trafficking litigation against him in 2008 and gave Epstein the freedom to leave the prison during the day while serving a 13-month sentence.

Justice is never blind for once. In 2006, Virginia prosecutors built felony charges against Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sacklers. Purdue's elite legal team successfully pressured the U.S. Department of Justice to downgrade the charges by lobbying the then Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, ultimately shielding the Sackler family from criminal liability.

The systematic failure of the U.S. judicial system is evident in its approaches to the powerful. When defendants with power and deep pockets appear in court, they can use their political and economic clout to clear any legal trouble that stands in their way. Hiring top lawyers, lobbying government officials, asking experts to be their witnesses, resorting to procedural delays and plea bargaining, and deleting are all the tactics that empower those who are already powerful. Putting the perpetrators in prison is the last thing that a verdict would dictate. If the ruling has to carry some punishment, it does not bother to make it a misdemeanor.

Good money from bad people for something good

Epstein leveraged his wealth to gain influence on campus, presenting himself as a generous donor. From 1998 to 2008, he donated 9.1 million dollars to Harvard, according to the 2020 Report Regarding Jeffrey Epstein's Connections to Harvard.

On the surface, these donations appeared to support scientific advancements. In reality, they undermined academic integrity and exposed loopholes in university grant acceptance processes. Top universities often justify accepting money from morally corrupt individuals under the guise of "doing good," effectively whitewashing misconduct. Prominent researchers and institutions contributed to Epstein's reputation laundering, helping him maintain access to elite circles despite being a known sex offender.

Where is the way out?

The leaked Epstein files are only the tip of the iceberg, hinting at the systemic issues that plague U.S. society.

When the establishment covers up wrongdoing and evades accountability, the proclaimed rule of law deteriorates, creating fertile ground for crime.

There is no silver bullet to prevent another Epstein-like nightmare. The law must establish and enforce a clear red line that no one can cross, treating all individuals equally. Sadly, in a corrupt system where crime festers, the vulnerable are left suffering, even losing their lives, while some perpetrators remain hidden in the shadows.

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