birth to someo else's twins, not related to them, not even related to each other, raising new questions about the industry. a tragic accident in puerto rico, a toddler fell to her death from a window while her grandfather held her. new about cruise ship safety. the new warning about a phone scam hitting record levels, criminals claimi to be from the government going after your money, what to do if you get calls. and the triumph and return of america's super star. >> announcer: this is bc "n nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening everyone. former high flying fancier jeffrey epstein was indicted n charges of sex trafficking involving underaged girls. epstein remains behind bars tonight after prosecutors reveal the pornographic images of

young looking women in his new york townhouse. he's accused of sexually eing dozens of teenage girls. today's federal indictment also bringing to light the previous plea deal that critics say was far too gerous to epstein. our stephanie gosk reports. >> reporter: billionaire, hedge fund manager, us socialite, acced sex trafficker. >> the alleged behavior shocks the >> reporter: federal prosecutors say jeffrey epstein created a network of dozens of victims, some as young as 14 who he sexually abused from 2002 to 2005 at his estate in palm ac be florida, and mansion in new york city. according to documents, the fbi seized a vast trove o wd photographs of young looking women or girls during a search over the weekend. hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of sexually suggestive photographs. epstein was arrested on satury when his private jet landed from paris. he was charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic

minors for the purpose of sex. victims were initially recruited to provide massages according to the indictment which would become increasingly sexual in heature. >> t victims, all underaged girls at the lltime of the aed conduct, were given hundreds of dollars in cash after each encounter either by one of or by epstein's employees. >> reporter: the 66-year-old has palled around with some of the most powerful in politics and business onincluding bill clint and president trump. today he pleaded not geguilty to the char which many including some officials and alleged victims say should have come more than a decade ago after a similar investigation by law enforcement in 2lorida. but in8, florida u.s. attorney alex acosta, the current secretary of labor, brokered a secret de last-minute al. epstein avoided serious charges by pleading guilty to state charges including soliciting prostitution from a minor. he had to spend 13 months in jail and register as a sex offender.

>> it's such a shocking disparity betwn what he could have been charged with, what the evidence and the allegations seemed to show, and what he was allowed to get away with. >> reporter: during a confirmation hearing, he said it was the best deal given the id evce. >> it was a broadly held decision. >> reporter: the deal became the focus of an explosive report last year. several of epstein's alleged victims speaking out for the first time. >> i was 16. >> i was 16. >> i started going to him when i was like 14, 15. 14 turns 15. >> reporter: today the u.s. attorney said investative journalism significantly helped the case, and he called on new victims to come forwd. >> while the charged conduct is from a number of years ago, they deserve their day in court. >> stephanie joins us now from federal court. stephanie, prosecutors are arguing that epstein d without bail.

why? >> reporter: two reasons, lester. one they say he's a flight ris he owns two private planes. also they say he's a risk to the community, citing the photos they seized at his apartment over the weekend. according to prosecutors, he is not reformed, he is not repentant. lester. >> thanks. another breaking ory, we're following the first flas flood emergency ever issued for washington, d.c. earlier today. torrential rain hit with force rarely seen in the nation's capitaoverwhelming roads and forcing rescues. >> reporter: during d.c.'s morning rush hour, commuters competing with rushing water. >> the road became a river. >> reporter: toential rain bringing flash floods, washing out roads and stranding cars, kids carried to safety by adults. washington receiving a month's worthf rain in a single morning, 3.3 inches in one

hour, more than an inch of rain in the previous daily record set in 1958. a stream in virginia rose more than 11 feet in one hour. backyards lookinlike lakes. and pools morphing into muddy ponds. and in the metro system, a water fall cascading from the ceiling while the elevators at the pentagon stop looked like shower plus. some took risky chances requiring dozens of rescues. >> people made the mistake of trying ive through high water. >> reporter: no deaths were reported d residents keeping a sense of humor. >> you tryinto go fishing? hans nichols, nbc news washington. and tonight als developing in washington has president trump firing back after highly critical leaked co ents about him by the british ambassador to the the united states. andrea mitchell has that story. >> reporter: tonight the u.s. and britain in an uproar over a diplomatic bombshese,

et cables leaked to a british tabloid. in a brutal critique of president trump years,back two telling downing street the president radiates insecuricalling his administration inept and uniquely dysfunctional. the president tweeting toy i do not know the ambassador, but he is not liked or well thought of within the u.s. we will no longer deal with him. the good news for the wonderful united kingdom is that they will soon have a new prime minister. the front runner to become prime minister, the president's favorite, boris johnson. contrary to the adresident's tweet, the ambass's highly thought of british officials. >> i do not share the esident's thoughts of the u.s. administration but i do defend his right to make tha frank assessment. >> reporter: the it brh government is investigating the leak and looking inside to a possible cyber attack either from russia or iran. this as the u.s. and

britain face a new threat from iran set by the iran nuclear deal moving a step oser to possibly a n nuclear weapon. abandoned the deal last year and is threatening more sanctions. here in southern california the after shocks in the two major earthquakes are still being felt tonight both on the ground and in peoples'nd mis. miguel almaguer reports from the epicenter. >> let's go, let's go, let's go! >> reporter: triggering shockwaves f of panic andear. >> oh, my god. oh, my god. >> reporter: the two massive back to back tremors rattled ridgecrest and were felt across southern li cafornia. a 7.1 magnitude earthquake friday after a 6.4 the day before. but even after ni igting fires, buckling homes, and o crumbling roads, n fatalities. >> it was a really bad one. >> reporter: tonight despite the size of

the quake, damage is not catastrophic but families are on edge. >> my kids are really scared. every truck that drives by, they think it's another after shock, another big one. >> reporter: with building inspectors overwhelmed as they check on homes and businesses, families are picking up the vepieces of their >> very heartbreaking. >> reporter: april driguez's house is in shambles. this is our childhood home. any time in our whole lives that we didn't feel safe, this is where we came. ev> reporter: with new tremory day, a seismic shift is under way. >> the fault lines and fractures especially here in the deser are growing. geologists say they may be up to 30 miles long. in the coming months and even years m weay still be feeling wiarthquakes here. toni more than 5,000 quakes reported, many rattled, ving on shaky ground.

all of the avenue after shocks here aren't helping with the good news at this home and so many others, what you see here can be repaired. orhe bad news, the tremare sending shockwaves of fear as they rattle roofs and foundations. many people have decided to sleep outside. >> thanks. and in a region where the occasional small tremor is quickly shrugged off, the intensity and length of a holiday weekend quake has grabbed the attention of a lot of folks in the l angeles area. i can tell you g firsthand theybbed mine. years of pleas for earthquake preparedness are resonating loudly. >> reporter: the t major earthquakes uncomfortably close to los angeles surfacing anxiety tonight that many californians haven't felt for more than 20 years about the many fault lines that straddle below this region of some 18 million people. >> what looking at? >> we are going to be looking at almost certainly fatalities because we have a lot of people and bad buildings, el tricity, water are likely to be gone for quite a while. >> dr. lucy jones is a

seismologist who worked for the usgs for three decades. >> we know 7.1, very etrong earthquake at thecenter. here in l.a. over 100 miles away, what was it? >> there's no way there was damage in los angeles at least physically. psychologically, coming out of the blue going on for so long, that scared people. >> you liked the fact that some people are scared. >> it doesn't hurt. this is the quietest 20 years in southern california history and it can lead to some complacency or at least individuals not ing what they should be doing. this has gotten peoples' attention at least and they're thinking about the problem again. >> that ychological damage from last week's quakes that dr. jones speaks of is having at least a temporary effect. more people seem to be talk about getting these emergency go bags with critical tipg hads like flashlights and water supplies in case you have to get out fast. i found earthquake related supplies in demand at this l.a.

area home depot. has it got you to thinking about your own earthquake safety and preparedness? >> yes, definitely. i want some sneakers in my trunk, some water. >> the quakes also ngocusing attention on maki sure homes can withstand a major jolt. kenneth o'dell is a structural engineer. this has been retrofitted. what's been changed? >> here you can see these two columns towards the middle are hearger than the column at t end. those columns have imeen strengthened. >> as ages from a california quake disaster zone real the risks are not theoretical. >> i think when people look at earthquake, we tend to overestimate the risk to our lives, and we undertimate the risk to our pocketbooks. icnd what this could do econly i think is underappreciated. >> i learned a lot talking to experts like dr. jones today an they remind that clean water is one of the first casualties of a major earthquake

and they stress the need to keep a healthy stock of water on hand. more ahead tonight including the heartbreaking tragedy ring a family vacation, a toddler slipped out of her grandfather's arms at ip a cruise sh falling more than 100 feet to her death. gabeutierrez reports. >> tonight in puerto rico an investigation is under way how a apparently slipped from her grandfather's hand. police say she fell to her death sunday from the 11 story window of a cruise ship i san juan landing on the dock. it was a very tragic scene adding the toddler was traveling with her family from indiana aboard royal caribbean's freedom of the seas. the police chief of south bend says the girl's dad is officer allen weegann and is asking the community pray for the entire family. over the last ten years, about 240 people have fallen from cise ships and ferries. fewer than 1 in 5 have been rescued alive. >> what's alarming is the cditions under

which people go over board and the absence of systems for identifying that in fact they have gone over board. he cruise line says ships have gotten safer pointingut while capacity has grown 55% over the past decade, over board incidents have dropped by %. royal caribbean says it's deeply saddened by the tragic accident. another story a lo of us are watching today, late today the u.s. women's soccer team got a hero's he welcome as ty pirought the world cup chamship home. but they still have battle off the field for equal pay. t >> reporter:ight arousing welcome home for the women's soccer world champions. back in the usa after their incredible win against th netherlands, a victory they celebrated all night.>> ust cloud nine. i woke up just like -- just crazy. >> reporter: in new york the stage is almost set for wednesday's ticker

tape parade. at this soccer summer camp kids taking notice too both girls and boys inspired. >> she works hard and she's a leader on and off the field. >> reporter: learning how to play while watchingheir heroes. >> i feel like they were really good and they're brave. >> a lesson in a level playing field too. >> it keeps showing that girls and boys are the me and they can play just the same way. >>eporter: but the fight to pay the same way is now the womens' next challenge as they confront u.s. soccer for the same money the men get. >> with back to back world cups and the world's attention, the women's t may have a little more leverage in that fight. both sides have now agreed to mediation. lester. >> kelly, thank you. just ahead tonht e shocking mistake. a woman says she gave bih to other peoples' babies after a fertility clinic mix up. and a new warning

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next tonight a prominent fertility clinic accused of an outrages you mistake. one woman says an ivf mix up next tonight a prominent fertility clinic accused of an outrages you mistake. one woman says an ivf x mi led to her giving birth to other peoples' babies. >> reporter: on its website, the clinic calls itseworld renowned" with facilities in seoul, south korea, and los angeles posting happy testimonials. but a federal lawsuit filed by an unnamed couple alleges the cha clinic mixed up their embryos showing greckless disregard, causinevere emotional distress. according to the lawsuit, the couple was told two of the embryos used were female. d the husband anwife were ecstatic to learn that after years of trying to conceive they had success.

but in marchhe couple was shocked when she gave birth to twin boys who were not of asian descent using otmbryos belonging to two r couples. they had to turn over the custody ofbahe es according to the lawsuit and they don't know what happened to their embryos. the cchanic has not responded to the lawsuit or nbc request for comment. >> i'm not all that surprised that these mistakes are reported. no state or federal or professional assoation monitors or regulates closely. just ahead how to protect yourself from a growing one scam. t this is hal. this is hal's heart. it's been broken. and put back together. this is also hal's heart. ef and this is hal's re knowing he's covered. this is hal's heart. and it's beating better than ever.ic this is what medare from blue cross blue shield does for hal.

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z3d2uz z16fz y3d2uy y16fy we're back now with a new warning for consumers. scammers claiming to be calling from the irs or social security demanding money, and it's happening at record levels. tom costello tonight on what to watch for. >> reporter: the scam often starts with a robo call. >> we have received

sis suspicious trails of information in your name. >> reporter: when julianne stafford itgoogled the number, came back at social security, so she called. the person on the other end already knew aer social security number address, then said fraudulent bank accous had been opened in her name. >> you're so scared in moment that they're saying you're going to go to federal prison. you're like oh, my god, no, how do i stop this from happening? i will tell you everythi. reporter: the scammer said she should act quickly to safeguard her money, transfer into a digital wallet using google play gift cards and he staye on the phone as she drove to a nearby store where thankfully an alert manager recognized she was in ouble. >> she said you are being scammed, i cannot sell this to you in good conscience. >> reporter: the federal trade commissions says the scams are exploding. 200,000 complaints of calls so far this year. most people hang up and never report the

scam, buose who are scammed lose nearly a thousand dollars on average. the scammers are very convincing scaring everyday americans into thinking they'll be arrested if they don't pay up immediately. >> if you get one of these phone calls, the number one advice is hang up. the government does nocall you to threaten you. the government does not demand payment from you by gift cards or anything like that. >> i was going to lose the contents of my bank account if it weren't for that manager. >> reporter: now julianne is paying it forwd warning others to be aware and report it if you get a call. tom costello nbc news, washington. up nexr us tonight the american stars who have taken europe by storm at wimbledon. with all day comfort for all day fun...

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finally joy and heartbreak at wimbledon. 15-year-old coco n gauff's magical ru coming to an end while a fellow american shocked the world's number one player. here is blaine alexander. >> reporter: it was the wimbledon run that kept the world watching. coco gauff, a 15-year-old rookie toppling tens ants. >> i'm a fighter. anything is possible if you work hard. >> reporter: but even after her fourth round loss here at wimbledon for so many people cheering her on, coco is still a winner. on social media a celebrity cheering section. >> joe ellen posted me, beyonce postedme! >> reporter: enough to send this teen into a fit of giggles. while coco'sun is over, another american, alison riske, upset the number one seed todayai ng her place in the quarterfinals

taking on serena williams tomorrow. and for theee tnage phenom who's been at it since age six, back in florida she's a hometown hero ready to show the world she's just getting started. blaine alexander, nbc news, london. >> and congratulations to both on "steve" -- thewant answers. >> we've been togeer for years. >> what do you do to keep your sex lives exciting? the truth? handle th location, location! >> don't try eg at once. 50 --ore you hit >> not necessarily. [laughter] steve: this is marriage real talk. a world class wheelchair athlete. steve: you're in great shape, man! all right! >> lads, i'm single! ♪[music] hands together for your host, steve harvey! [cheers and applause] ♪ every dayod is a go day ♪ every day ♪ev

st you know something, man, can be a nasty, nasty place sometimes. devil'sit to be the playground. it can be a nasty place, man. yourot your scammers, haters. you got all t trolls out there. now and then,very it just does some pretty cool stuff on there. it.just gotta find like the story that i found recently. fromabout an artist nigeri named eli jusuf. of histed a portrait favorite comedian, kevin hart. but a pencil,hing tat a lookis. this is what he did. [cheering] steve: this is a pencil! [applause] steve: isn't that amazing? l itks like a photograph! crowd member: yes!

steve: this dude did this with a pencil, man! crowd member: wow! watched a lotd he of kevin's movies, said he's one and hefavorite comedians wanted to say thank you for doing thi so eli posted the drawing on twitter. it went viral. well, guess what happened next? postddy kevin hart saw the and responded with this tweet. he said, i see it and i want to purchase it. i also want to support you and your amazing talent by giving do a pencil drawing of three of my celebrity friends it to.can gift dm your infond let's get to work. [cheers and applause] kevin, little buddy, i don't know who these three celebrity friends that you're talking about, but...gh [lauter] [cheers and applause]