What if a seemingly innocent conversation holds a hidden meaning? Human trafficking doesn’t always happen in the dark. The release of records from the Epstein case reveals a chilling reality: traffickers may use subtle communication methods in front of us. It has revealed the specific language and alleged code words federal investigators used to search his associates’ communications, offering a stark glossary of the hidden world of human trafficking and exploitation.
Investigators have outlined particular code words, slang, and medical terms used in human trafficking operations, including the Jeffrey Epstein case. Such language is used to conceal crimes, identify victims, and monitor cases within legal and medical systems.
What Are Common Human Trafficking Code Words?
In the prostitution and trafficking subculture—commonly known as “the game” or “the life”—special language helps enforce control and conceal criminal acts.
- Daddy / Family / Folks: “Daddy” is a title traffickers may require victims to use to create a false sense of family. Victim groups are often labeled as a “family,” “folks,” or a “stable.”
- Bottom / Bottom Bitch: A victim, most often female, assigned to oversee others, maintain discipline, and gather earnings.
- Track / Stroll: A specific geographical area known for commercial sex activity.
- Turn Out: The process of forcing someone into trafficking for the first time.
- Loverboy / Romeo Pimp: A trafficker who fakes a romantic bond to groom a victim and then exploit them.
- Branding: Tattoos or carved marks used to signal a trafficker’s or gang’s “ownership” of a victim.
- Choosing Up: The act of a victim being transferred to a different trafficker.
- Automatic: A victim’s expected compliance when the trafficker is not present.
- Dates / Tricks / Johns: Words used for buyers in commercial sex transactions.
- Stroll / Track / Blade: An area commonly associated with prostitution activity.
- In-Pocket / Out of Pocket: “In-pocket” means a victim controlled by a trafficker; “out of pocket” refers to working independently.
What Code Was Alleged in Jeffrey Epstein’s Emails?
Federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein have brought alleged code words from his communications into public court records. According to filings from the Department of Justice and victim attorneys, specific terms were used as alleged code:
- Massage: Prosecutors and victims alleged Epstein used this as a code word for sexual acts with young women and girls.
- Snow White / Disney Princesses: Attorneys alleged in civil filings that these phrases were used in emails between Epstein and associates such as Jes Staley as code for young women.
- Present: In certain exchanges, Epstein referred to offering “presents” while introducing associates to new women.
- Nipple, Schoolgirl, Servitude: These words were listed in legal search warrants targeting Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s communications.
How Are Trafficking Victims Coded Medically?
Healthcare providers document and track suspected and proven trafficking cases in a confidential manner using standardized diagnostic codes from the ICD-10-CM system. Key codes include:
- T74.51: Confirmed adult forced sexual exploitation.
- T74.52: Confirmed child sexual exploitation.
- T74.61: Confirmed adult forced labor exploitation.
- Z62.813: Personal history of forced labor or sexual exploitation in childhood.
What Was in the Latest Document Release?
The January 2026 disclosure is the biggest release to date under the transparency law. The main contents include:
- More than 3 million pages of records, along with 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
- Messages referencing high-profile individuals like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson, often tied to social or business dealings.
- Emails that prompted the DOJ to temporarily remove files after a redaction mistake exposed survivors’ identities and nude images.
Disclaimer: This report is based solely on released court documents and established law enforcement terminology.
