New York (CNN) Federal prosecutors in New York accused Jeffrey Epstein, the multimillionaire charged with sex trafficking, of possible witness tampering, saying in a court filing Friday he made $350,000 in payments to two possible co-conspirators after a series of newspaper stories alleged he sexually abused dozens of girls.

The payments were made to two individuals who could potentially testify against Epstein at trial, the prosecutors said in the court filing, which argued against granting Epstein bail.

"This course of action, and in particular its timing, suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co-conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations," prosecutors wrote.

Epstein is charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors related to alleged conduct that occurred between 2002 and 2005. He has pleaded not guilty.

Epstein is accused of running a sex-trafficking enterprise, where he paid girls as young as 14 to have sex with him at his Upper East Side home in New York and his estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Prosecutors say he used employees and associates to lure the girls to his residences, and then paid some of his victims to recruit other girls for him to abuse. His bail hearing is set for Monday.

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