Editor’s Note: The following article may be triggering due to the graphic nature of the allegations it discusses. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline can be found here. Additional resources can be found at the bottom of the article.
Research is primarily based on the Epstein files released January 31, 2026 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as well as supplemental research.
Earlier this week The Rival reported on allegations made in the Epstein files against Earl Anthony Wayne, a current professor at American University’s School of International Service teaching SIS-653 (Topics in U.S. Foreign Policy: Diplomatic Practice) and SISU-419 (Senior Capstone: Int’l Studies: U.S. State Dept Diplomacy Lab) as of Spring 2026. Since then, staff at the Rival have spent additional hours combing through the newly released files, trying to uncover more information and to figure out what the university administration has not addressed.
But what’s the full story? Well, it’s extremely complicated. What follows is a reconstruction of what we have been able to piece together.
The search has been complicated due to the nature of the Department of Justice’s Epstein files database, which is a keyword search that doesn’t always return all files with the keywords searched, particularly when searches involve multiple words, such as names. Additionally, some files have multiple iterations revealing information that was redacted in other versions.
The central figure in the allegations against Wayne is a man named Ken Turner, who primarily contacted NYPD Detective Walter E. Harkins of the FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force through what appears to be the Epstein case tip line.
The First Contact
Turner called the tipline on July 19, 2019 at 11:36am, reportedly from somewhere in Mexico, seen in an FBI Crisis Intake form. Turner makes his first accusations here, claiming that he has evidence spanned over roughly two decades (2000-2017) of “sex trafficking with minors that involves ex-Navy SEAL commander, Richard Marcinko and ex-USA Ambassador in Mexico, Earl Anthony Wayne.” This report has numerous grammatical errors and may have been adapted from the transcript of the call.
Turner told the FBI that in April or May of 2014 Mexican federal police raided the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, alleging that 107 Americans, including Wayne, were present. He further claims that Wayne left the country immediately afterward and was later tried in absentia in Mexico in 2015. The Rival has found no records confirming any such raid or subsequent legal action.
Turner also alleges that roughly a month before his call, he and Mexican federal police discovered what he described as “‘a vault’ containing approximately 10,000 videos of minors from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and some white girls.” Turner also claims that “sex tapes and videos were found with Jeffrey Epstein in it” at one of “Marcinko’s secret locations,” which Turner believes Marcinko was going to use to blackmail Epstein. It is unclear if these tapes were from the “vault” or part of a different discovery. The report seems to indicate that the “vault” is allegedly tied to a “Mr. Nissan,” but due to the poor writing, it is unclear who that is, and it may even be that the report was received by or is directed to a “Mr. Nissan.”
Turner also claims to have found flight logs that detail Epstein’s movements between Mexico, Florida, and the Virgin Islands where Epstein’s private island is located, mentioning that the fuel loaded is more than the flight requires. He implies that these documents prove that Epstein was trafficking girls, but it is unclear how exactly they would do so.
Turner claims that the American Embassy in Mexico is aware of his investigation, and that they are “mad at him.” He believes that he is in danger and that the Embassy has agents investigating him, and he claims that “one of his partners’ arms was cut off.”
Turner claims that he had previously flown to his hometown, which is completely redacted in the report, in July or August 2018, where he contacted the FBI and provided all his evidence. The report ends with a note that Turner is scheduled to return to the redacted address in the US on Aug. 13, 2019, and Turner wants the FBI to contact him further, but asks them not to send a lot of agents because he lives with his elderly mother-in-law. The Rival has found no further mention of any in person meetings between Turner and law enforcement.
The Emails
Turner reached out to Detective Harkins over email that same day at 5:39pm.
In his first email, Turner reiterates claims that he, his “friend in the Mexican Federal government” named Jorge Gonzales, and a South African former police officer and psychologist named Maryna are investigating something, have found lots of evidence, and are all under threat from U.S. agents. Turner also claims that a “high powered individual” had been threatening the three of them and that this individual had recently spoken with the President of Mexico–this would have been Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in 2019–and told Obrador that he would continue to threaten the group.
Turner insisted on using secure communication, writing that he was using ProtonMail to secure his communications with Harkins and inviting Harkins to join a WhatsApp group he called “EpsMex.”
The Rival has found no verifiable information about the identity or role of Jorge Gonzales within the Mexican federal government, nor any additional details about Maryna. The Rival has not found any information about the identity of the “high powered individual,” or how Turner was in contact with Obrador.
After Turner reached out, the task force ran a comprehensive report on his background. The background check does not reveal any notably personal history nor any clear connection to Mexico. Turner was associated with several cities in Texas and California, but was reportedly living in New Orleans, LA, at the time of the report.
On July 22, 2019, Turner wrote that Jorge wanted to reveal the evidence he had to Harkins and name some of the people at the Epstein/Marcinko sex parties (which is specifically plural). He further alleges that Marcinko, most known as the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, was being held prisoner by Jorge in Mexico. Jorge would not disclose where Marcinko was being held nor release Marcinko to Harkins. Marcinko died of a heart attack on Christmas Day, 2021, at home in Virginia, according to his family. It is unclear if Marcinko was ever a prisoner in Mexico, or how he got home if he was in prison.
The Viral Email Allegation Against Wayne: July 27, 2019
The next key email contains the viral allegation about Wayne, originally written on July 27, 2019.
Turner alleges that Wayne impregnated an 11 year old girl at a party in Juarez, Mexico hosted by Epstein and Marcinko at a US Consulate controlled housing facility. Turner claimed Wayne was arrested at the party by the “Federal Police,” but it is unclear if Turner means the Mexican Federal Police or US Federal Police, as Juarez is near the Texas border. The email is written in a way that implies Wayne was arrested at that very party. Whether he was arrested there or if he was arrested, it is unclear when or how he was released.
Turner further alleges:
- An American had shot the trial judge in the case, seemingly recently
- The President of Mexico was “keenly aware” of the situation
- Wayne was sentenced in 2017 to life in prison in absentia
- The victim’s child matched Wayne’s DNA “100%”
- The U.S. State Department arranged a payoff allowing an ex U.S. Marine to serve Wayne’s sentence
- Wayne has an active arrest warrant in Mexico
- The “case” will allegedly bring “a whole new dynamic” that makes Prince Phillip look like “small fry”
No documentation supporting any of these claims has been located.
August 2019: Turner Nephew’s Death, Followed by Epstein’s
In a subsequent email on the same chain, Turner tries to coordinate a call with Harkins. The coordination is interrupted on August 5, when Turner emails Harkins that his nephew, Logan Turner, was killed in a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio the night before. His obituary confirms the familial connection.
Turner tells Harkins he is rushing home (early compared to the August 13 date he gave the FBI) but that the investigation in Mexico was continuing. He claims Maryna’s car had been searched by U.S. Embassy security and that she had been told that she could not leave Mexico. Turner claims that someone is trying to silence them.
On August 10, the day Jeffrey Epstein died, Turner emails at 5:18pm EST, writing: “Just heard about Epstein. Based upon what we have discovered here and who was involved here in Mexico we don’t beleive it was suicude. When you have 5 minutes you need to listen to what we have as evidence.” The Rival has not found this claim repeated in any of the other documents we’ve searched.
FBI Report: October 9, 2019
October 9th of 2019 the FBI drafted a report. A key excerpt from the report reads,
“TURNER stated he has some type of Mexican ‘deputization’ and is working along with a female former South African law enforcement official, on the Mexican investigation. TURNER has been insistent that, RICHARD MARCINKO, DOB [redacted], who is a former U.S. Navy Seal team commander, is currently in custody in Mexico City, Mexico. TURNER states MARCINKO is being held on charges pertaining to a child sex ring and a Mexican law enforcement official known only to the author [of the report] as ‘Jorge’ is in possession of a trove of video footage of JEFFREY EPSTEIN and other United State’s Citizens engaged in sex acts with minor children, some of whom are reported to be United States Citizens as well. TURNER has remained in contact with the author on an infrequent basis and has yet to provide any evidence of his claims.
The author is requesting that Legat Mexico City attempt to verify the incarceration of MARCINKO and any inquire with Mexican law enforcement officials of the video evidence of child sex acts.”
The Rival has not found any response from Legat Mexico City.
Harkins sent an additional email to undisclosed fellow agents requesting their assistance reaching out to their Mexican law enforcement counterparts. The Rival has not found any response from Legat Mexico City.
“Karla”: December 31, 2019
*The following email has been removed from the database, The Rival had downloaded a partly redacted version before its deletion. The Rival saw the unredacted version but did not download it before its deletion. We found the following screenshot of the unredacted version:
Credit: The Vigilant Fox on Substack
Months later on December 31, 2019, Turner reaches out to Harkins (indicted by the (NY)(GA) of the email address, consistent with their other emails) claiming a young victim named “Karla” (presumably a pseudonym) has opened up to him after her guardian was assaulted by US agents in Chetamul, Mexico. Turner opens the email with “As I tried to tell you a month ago,”however, the Rival has not found any conversation from November 2019.
Turner claims “Karla” has visited Epstein in New York, Maryland, New Mexico, Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cozumel, Playa de Carmen, and Cancun with Marcinko during the last two years. Turner further claims that “Karla” has a photographic memory and is a good artist, who has been sketching men she saw at the parties. Notably, Turner claims: “The names [“Karla”] has associated with [Epstein] and these visits include Clinton’s, Bidens, Wayne, older politicians and lawyers.” Turner does not state in these documents that “Karla” was the 11 year old girl that Wayne allegedly got pregnant.
Turner says that “Karla” has been raped by U.S. agents and that her guardian is under arrest in Mexico, furthering that U.S. agents tried to coerce “Karla” and her guardian into dropping charges against “them.” There is no further information provided about “Karla,” her guardian, the supposed charges, or who “them” is referring to.
Turner follows up on Jan. 8, 2020, writing: “Yesterday [redacted] (presumably “Karla”) disclosed she was flown to New York in 2012-2013 where she met Harvey Weinstein and he attempted to have sex with her. She states he was so well endowed he was unable to penetrate her. She was introduced to Weinstein by Jeffrey Epstein. I don’t know if this helps in your investigation, but this young lady has an almost photographic memory.”
This seems to be the last time Harkins and Turner were in contact. Turner provided no further information on “Karla’s” connection to Epstein or Weinstein from what The Rival has obtained.
Who Was Turner?
Turner has had several jobs, as listed in his comprehensive report mentioned above, but none that the Rival has been able to trace to a specific position or place (including Mexico).
In 2025, Turner passed away in Mandeville, Louisiana. The dates of birth and death (July 4, 1949 — February 10, 2025) from his obituary allows us to estimate Turner’s age at 70 in 2019 when he would have been fighting US agents in Mexico.
What does all of this even mean?
There’s a lot of information we just provided, and a lot of new questions that need to be answered. The Rival will continue to research these claims and look for new documents that may support or disprove them.
What the documents clearly show is that in 2019, a man named Ken Turner submitted allegations to law enforcement through the Epstein case tip line that explicitly named Professor Earl Anthony Wayne. Those allegations were documented by both the NYPD and the FBI and are now preserved in the DOJ’s publicly released Epstein files.
What the documents do not show is any evidence supporting Turner’s claims. The FBI’s October report notes that Turner never provided proof. Independent records confirming any of the events he described have not been located, most notably the supposed attack on the American Embassy in 2014.
Both of these aspects matter.
The presence of Wayne’s name in these files is not the result of mere rumor or internet speculation. It appears because a formal tip was submitted to law enforcement and archived as part of the Epstein case record. At the same time, the available documents show no indication that these allegations were substantiated.
We hope that others use this information to continue to search for some of the unanswered questions of the case. Is there evidence of Marcinko/Epstein parties happening in 2014? Who is Maryna? Who is Jorge Gonzales? Was “Karla” ever identified? Was Marcinko actually being held as a prisoner? How is Prince Philip involved in all of this?
Three million documents from the Epstein files have been released to the public, and they are only half of the documents that the DOJ has. For every unanswered question, there may be a file that hasn’t been released yet.
In the meantime, we are calling for AU to openly address the situation. Over the past few days, posts about Wayne have exploded across campus, most notably on Yik Yak. Students are outraged that a professor was named in the Epstein files, and many are taking Turner’s claims at face value. Turner’s allegations build upon the broader public anger towards the administration’s handling of the Epstein files and lack of prosecutions, and students are demanding answers.
As tension continues to rise, AU’s silence on the matter is being interpreted by many as complicity. Students have been frustrated with a lack of transparency, action, and response from the administration in a variety of situations. With further investigation needed into the validity of these claims, we feel that it would be appropriate for AU to place Professor Wayne on leave. However AU is planning to approach this, now is the time for a response.
The AU community at large can work toward finding the full picture. If you have evidence or a lead, please send it to therivalamerican@gmail.com. We all deserve transparency.
Additional resources:
National Human Trafficking Hotline
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
National Runaway Safeline: 800-786-2929
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
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