Jeffrey Epstein#Video recordings

File:Sea Gate aerial view.jpg]]

Jeffrey Epstein was born on January 20, 1953, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His parents Pauline "Paula" Stolofsky (1918–2004) and Seymour George Epstein (1916–1991) were Jewish and had married in 1952 shortly before his birth. Pauline worked as a school aide and was a homemaker.{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/International/Billionaire-sex-offender-Jeffrey-Epstein-charged-with-sex-trafficking-594864 |title=Billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein charged with sex trafficking |date=July 7, 2019 |work=The Jerusalem Post |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190710185235/https://www.jpost.com/International/Billionaire-sex-offender-Jeffrey-Epstein-charged-with-sex-trafficking-594864 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live |access-date=July 17, 2019 }} "Paula was a wonderful mother and homemaker, despite the fact that she had a full-time job", according to a former childhood friend of Epstein's.{{Cite news|url=https://forward.com/news/427614/jeffrey-epstein-childhood-brooklyn/|title=What We Know About Jeffrey Epstein's Childhood|last=Feldman|first=Ari|date=July 15, 2019|work=The Forward|access-date=July 16, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190717064456/https://forward.com/news/427614/jeffrey-epstein-childhood-brooklyn/|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live}} Seymour worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as a groundskeeper and gardener.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-dodged-questions-about-sex-with-his-dalton-prep-school-students|title=Jeffrey Epstein Dodged Questions About Sex With His Dalton Prep-School Students|last=Volscho|first=Thomas|date=July 13, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 13, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190714214545/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-dodged-questions-about-sex-with-his-dalton-prep-school-students|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}} Jeffrey was the older of two siblings; he and his brother Mark grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Sea Gate, a private gated community in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Epstein was referred to as "Bear" by his parents while Mark was known as "Puggie". Neighbors described the Epstein family as being, "so gentle, the most gentle people".{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-coney-island-days-from-math-nerd-to-arrogant-prick|title=Epstein's Coney Island Days: From Math Nerd to 'Arrogant' Prick|last=Daly|first=Michael|date=July 15, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 15, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190717065215/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-coney-island-days-from-math-nerd-to-arrogant-prick|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live}}

Epstein attended local public schools, first attending Public School 188, and then Mark Twain Junior High School nearby and usually earned money by tutoring classmates. Acquaintances considered Epstein "sweet and generous", although "quiet and nerdy", and nicknamed him "Eppy". "He was just an average boy, very smart in math, slightly overweight, freckles, always smiling", a female friend later said.

In 1967, Epstein attended the National Music Camp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-had-his-own-lodge-at-interlochens-prestigious-arts-camp-for-kids-in-michigan|title=Epstein Had His Own Lodge at Interlochen's Prestigious Arts Camp for Kids|last=Briquelet|first=Kate|date=July 12, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190712230418/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-had-his-own-lodge-at-interlochens-prestigious-arts-camp-for-kids-in-michigan|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}} He began playing the piano when he was five, and was regarded as a talented musician by friends.{{cite web|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/03/jeffrey-epstein-200303|title=The Talented Mr. Epstein|last=Ward|first=Vicky|date=June 27, 2011|work=Vanity Fair|location=New York City|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612144453/http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/03/jeffrey-epstein-200303|archive-date=June 12, 2015|url-status=bot: unknown|access-date=June 11, 2015}} He graduated in 1969 from Lafayette High School at age 16, having skipped two grades.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-dodged-questions-about-sex-with-his-dalton-prep-school-students|title=Jeffrey Epstein Dodged Questions About Sex With His Dalton Prep-School Students|last=Volscho|first=Thomas|date=July 12, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190714214545/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-dodged-questions-about-sex-with-his-dalton-prep-school-students|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|first=Landon Jr. | last=Thomas |date=October 28, 2002|title=Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/n_7912/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021219121133/http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/n_7912/|archive-date=December 19, 2002|access-date=August 10, 2019|journal=New York}} Later that year, he attended advanced math classes at Cooper Union until he changed colleges in 1971. From September 1971, he attended the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University studying mathematical physiology, but left without receiving a degree in June 1974.

At age 21, Epstein started working in September 1974 as a physics and mathematics teacher for teens at the Dalton School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.{{Cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Mike|last2=Harris|first2=Amy Julia|date=July 12, 2019|title=Jeffrey Epstein Taught at Dalton. His Behavior Was Noticed.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-dalton-teacher.html|url-status=live|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717235814/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-dalton-teacher.html|archive-date=July 17, 2019|issn=0362-4331|quote=While Mr. Barr was strict on the school culture, he made it a point to hire teachers from unconventional backgrounds, recalled Susan Semel, [...] It is unclear whether Mr. Barr hired Mr. Epstein during that time.}} Donald Barr, who served as the headmaster until June 1974,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/20/archives/barr-quits-dalton-school-post-charging-trustees-interference.html|title=Barr Quits Dalton School Post, Charging Trustees' Interference|last=Maeroff|first=Gene I.|date=February 20, 1974|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 20, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714053607/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/20/archives/barr-quits-dalton-school-post-charging-trustees-interference.html|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232678997.html|title='Poor, smart and desperate to be rich': How Epstein went from teaching to Wall Street|first1=Linda|last1=Robertson|first2=Aaron|last2=Brezel|date=July 16, 2019|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717010310/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232678997.html|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Voytko|first1=Lisette|date=August 12, 2019|title=Attorney General Barr, Facing Criticism, Blames Jail For Epstein's Death|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/08/12/attorney-general-barr-facing-criticism-blames-jail-for-epsteins-death/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819162417/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/08/12/attorney-general-barr-facing-criticism-blames-jail-for-epsteins-death/|archive-date=August 19, 2019|access-date=August 20, 2019|website=Forbes}} was known to have made several unconventional recruitments at the time, although it is unclear whether he had a direct role in hiring Epstein.{{Cite web|last=Ferreira|first=Becky|date=August 16, 2019|title=Epstein Truthers Are Obsessed With a Sci-Fi Book About Child Sex Slavery Written by Bill Barr's Dad|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qvgpm3/epstein-truthers-are-obsessed-with-a-sci-fi-book-about-child-sex-slavery-written-by-bill-barrs-dad|website=Vice News|quote=It is not known whether Barr, who died in 2004, had a direct role in hiring Epstein.|access-date=July 9, 2020|archive-date=September 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920062204/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qvgpm3/epstein-truthers-are-obsessed-with-a-sci-fi-book-about-child-sex-slavery-written-by-bill-barrs-dad|url-status=live}} Three months after Barr's departure, Epstein began to teach at the school, despite his lack of credentials.

Epstein allegedly showed inappropriate behavior toward underage female students at the time, paying them constant attention, and even showing up at a party where young people were drinking, according to a former student.{{Cite web|last=Schuknecht|first=Cat|date=July 19, 2019|title=A Young Jeffrey Epstein Made An Impression On His High School Students|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/07/19/742725946/a-young-jeffrey-epstein-made-an-impression-on-his-high-school-students|website=NPR|quote=Susan Semel, who taught social studies at Dalton from 1965 to 1988 and wrote a book on the school's history, says Barr made several unconventional hires during his time as the head of the school, though it's unclear if he hired Epstein.|access-date=July 9, 2020|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205120351/https://www.npr.org/2019/07/19/742725946/a-young-jeffrey-epstein-made-an-impression-on-his-high-school-students|url-status=live}} Other former students also often saw him flirting with female students. Eventually, Epstein became acquainted with Alan Greenberg, the chief executive officer of Bear Stearns, whose son and daughter were attending the school. Greenberg's daughter, Lynne Koeppel, pointed to a parent-teacher conference where Epstein influenced another Dalton parent into advocating for him to Greenberg. In June 1976, after Epstein was dismissed from Dalton for "poor performance",{{cite web|last=Klein|first=Rebecca|date=July 12, 2019|title=Jeffrey Epstein Was Their Teacher. He Became A Monster.|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-epstein-math-science-students-memories_n_5d28cf17e4b0060b11ebf987|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717164917/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-epstein-math-science-students-memories_n_5d28cf17e4b0060b11ebf987|archive-date=July 17, 2019|access-date=July 18, 2019|work=HuffPost}}{{cite web|last=McHugh|first=Calder|date=July 13, 2019|title=Jeffrey Epstein's prep-school students remember their 'flamboyantly' dressed teacher|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-dalton-school-math-teacher-yearbook-photos-125122535.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716214407/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-dalton-school-math-teacher-yearbook-photos-125122535.html|archive-date=July 16, 2019|access-date=July 18, 2019|work=Yahoo! Finance}} Greenberg offered him a job at Bear Stearns.{{Cite book|title=Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein|last1=Patterson|first1=James|last2=Connolly|first2=John|year=2016|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=9780316362450|chapter=21}}

Epstein joined Bear Stearns in 1976 as a low-level junior assistant to a floor trader.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/the-mystery-around-jeffrey-epstein-s-fortune-and-how-he-made-it |title=Mystery Around Jeffrey Epstein's Fortune and How He Made It |first1=Tom |last1=Metcalf |first2=Caleb |last2=Melby |first3=Sophie |last3=Alexander |date=July 8, 2019 |website= Bloomberg News |access-date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708214855/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/the-mystery-around-jeffrey-epstein-s-fortune-and-how-he-made-it |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |url-status=live }} He swiftly moved up to become an options trader, working in the special products division, and then advised the bank's wealthiest clients, such as Seagram president Edgar Bronfman, on tax mitigation strategies.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/jeffrey-epstein-wall-street-connections-child-sex-trafficking|title=The woes of Jeffrey Epstein: How he maintained Wall Street connections while downplaying child sex accusations|last=Gasparino|first=Charlie|date=July 26, 2019|website=FOX Business|access-date=August 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804174520/https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/jeffrey-epstein-wall-street-connections-child-sex-trafficking|archive-date=August 4, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|title=Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein|last1=Patterson|first1=James|last2=Connolly|first2=John|date=2016|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=9780316362450|chapter=Chapter 22}} Jimmy Cayne, the bank's later chief executive officer, praised Epstein's skill with wealthy clients and complex products. In 1980, four years after joining Bear Stearns, Epstein became a limited partner. In 1981, Epstein was asked to leave Bear Stearns for, according to his sworn testimony, being guilty of a "Reg D violation".{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Vicky |title=I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-tried-to-warn-you-about-sleazy-billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-in-2003 |date=August 19, 2019 |website=The Daily Beast |access-date=September 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826032129/https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-tried-to-warn-you-about-sleazy-billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-in-2003 |archive-date=August 26, 2019 |url-status=live }} Even though Epstein departed abruptly, he remained close to Cayne and Greenberg and was a client of Bear Stearns until its collapse in 2008.

File:Jeffrey Epstein, 27.jpg magazine]]

In August 1981, Epstein founded his own consulting firm, Intercontinental Assets Group Inc. (IAG),{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/14/jeffrey-epstein-net-worth-is-he-billionaire-or-not/1708479001/|title=From private island to private jet: What is 'billionaire' Jeffrey Epstein's net worth?|first1=Janna|last1=Herron|first2=Kevin|last2=McCoy|date=July 14, 2019|work=USA Today|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714121706/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/14/jeffrey-epstein-net-worth-is-he-billionaire-or-not/1708479001/|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}} which assisted clients in recovering stolen money from fraudulent brokers and lawyers. Epstein described his work at this time as being a high-level bounty hunter. He told friends that he worked sometimes as a consultant for governments and the very wealthy to recover embezzled funds, while at other times he worked for clients who had embezzled funds.{{Cite news|url=https://www.salon.com/2019/07/09/i-was-a-friend-of-jeffrey-epstein-heres-what-i-know/|title=I was a friend of Jeffrey Epstein; here's what I know|date=July 9, 2019|work=Salon|access-date=July 16, 2019|first=Jesse|last=Kornbluth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715205140/https://www.salon.com/2019/07/09/i-was-a-friend-of-jeffrey-epstein-heres-what-i-know/|archive-date=July 15, 2019|url-status=live}} Spanish actress and heiress Ana Obregón was one such wealthy client, whom Epstein helped in 1982 to recover her father's millions in lost investments, which had disappeared when Drysdale Government Securities{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/20/business/lessons-in-drysdale-s-default.html | title=Lessons in Drysdale's Default | work=The New York Times | date=May 20, 1982 | last1=Quint | first1=Michael | access-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104214321/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/20/business/lessons-in-drysdale-s-default.html | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/03/12/can-history-provide-clues-to-future-capital-market-innovations/ | title=Council Post: Can History Provide Clues to Future Capital Market Innovations? | website=Forbes | access-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104214321/https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/03/12/can-history-provide-clues-to-future-capital-market-innovations/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/samecris/eccrisis/eccris02.htm | title=Anatomy of the Economic Crisis: Financial ruin at Drysdale and Penn Square | access-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104214321/https://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/samecris/eccrisis/eccris02.htm | url-status=live }}{{cite magazine | url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950005,00.html | title=Costly Caper | magazine=Time | date=February 20, 1984 | access-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104214321/https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950005,00.html | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/21/business/drysdale-confusion-reigns.html | title=Drysdale: Confusion Reigns | work=The New York Times | date=May 21, 1982 | last1=Quint | first1=Michael | access-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-date=January 4, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104214321/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/21/business/drysdale-confusion-reigns.html | url-status=live }} collapsed because of fraud.{{Cite book|title=Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein|last1=Patterson|first1=James|last2=Connolly|first2=John|date=2016|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=9780316362450|chapter=Chapter 26}}

Epstein also stated to some people at the time that he was an intelligence agent.{{Cite news|title=Andrew's Fixer She's the Daughter of Robert Maxwell and She's Manipulating his Jetset Lifestyle|last=Rosser|first=Nigel|date=January 22, 2001|work=Evening Standard|page=10|quote=[Epstein] has a licence to carry a concealed weapon, once claimed to have worked for the CIA although he now denies it – and owns properties all over America. Once he arrived at the London home of a British arms dealer bringing a gift – a New York police-issue pump-action riot gun. 'God knows how he got it into the country,' a friend said.}} During the 1980s, Epstein possessed an Austrian passport that had his photo, but with a false name. The passport showed his place of residence as Saudi Arabia. In 2017, "a former senior White House official" reported that Alexander Acosta, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida who had handled Epstein's criminal case in 2008, had stated to interviewers of President Donald Trump's first transition team: "I was told Epstein 'belonged to intelligence' and to 'leave it alone{{'}}", and that Epstein was "above his pay grade".{{cite news|last=Schindler|first=John R.|access-date=December 11, 2019|title=It Sure Looks Like Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy—But Whose?|url=https://observer.com/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-spy-intelligence-work/|work=New York Observer|date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218171112/https://observer.com/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-spy-intelligence-work/|archive-date=December 18, 2019|url-status=live}}

During this period, one of Epstein's clients was the Saudi Arabian businessman Adnan Khashoggi, who was the middleman in transferring American weapons from Israel to Iran as part of the Iran–Contra affair in the 1980s. Khashoggi was one of several defense contractors that he knew. In the mid-1980s, Epstein traveled multiple times between the United States, Europe, and Southwest Asia. While in London, Epstein met Steven Hoffenberg. They had been introduced through Douglas Leese, a defense contractor, and John Mitchell, the former U.S. Attorney General.

Steven Hoffenberg hired Epstein in 1987 as a consultant for Towers Financial Corporation (unaffiliated with the company of the same name founded in 1998, and acquired by Old National Bancorp in 2014),{{cite web |title=Company Overview of Towers Financial Corporation |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=404773 |work=Bloomberg |access-date=July 20, 2019 }} a collection agency that bought debts people owed to hospitals, banks, and phone companies.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/epstein-clinton-hoffenberg-1448213|title=Jeffrey Epstein's mentor says his former protege was ruined by relationship with Bill Clinton: "It inflated his ego"|last=Cole|first=Brendan|date=July 9, 2019|work=Newsweek|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712131048/https://www.newsweek.com/epstein-clinton-hoffenberg-1448213|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/business/jeffrey-epstein-net-worth.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Fortune May Be More Illusion Than Fact|last1=Stewart|first1=James B.|date=July 10, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 11, 2019|last2=Goldstein|first2=Matthew|issn=0362-4331|last3=Kelly|first3=Kate|last4=Enrich|first4=David|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711014027/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/business/jeffrey-epstein-net-worth.html|archive-date=July 11, 2019|url-status=live}} Hoffenberg set Epstein up in offices in the Villard Houses in Manhattan and paid him {{US$|25,000}} per month for his consulting work ({{Inflation|US|25000|1987|r=-3|fmt=eq}}).

Hoffenberg and Epstein then refashioned themselves as corporate raiders using Towers Financial as their raiding vessel. One of Epstein's first assignments for Hoffenberg was to implement what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid to take over Pan American World Airways in 1987. A similar unsuccessful bid in 1988 was made to take over Emery Air Freight Corp. During this period, Hoffenberg and Epstein worked closely together and traveled everywhere on Hoffenberg's private jet.

In 1993, Towers Financial Corporation imploded when it was exposed as one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in American history, losing over {{US$|450{{nbsp}}million}} of its investors' money ({{Inflation|US|450000000|1993|r=-3|fmt=eq}}). In court documents, Hoffenberg claimed that Epstein was intimately involved in the scheme.{{cite web|title=Towers Ponzi Scheme Complaint, Case 1:18-cv-07580|url=http://www.classactionsreporter.com/sites/default/files/towers_ponzi_scheme_complaint.pdf|work=United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718062158/http://www.classactionsreporter.com/sites/default/files/towers_ponzi_scheme_complaint.pdf|archive-date=July 18, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-jeffrey-epstein-help-steven-hoffenberg-swindle-dollar460-million-in-ponzi-scheme|title=Ponzi Scheme Victims Say Epstein Swindled Them|work=The Daily Beast|first1=Kate|last1=Briquelet|first2=Tracy|last2=Connor|date=July 15, 2019|access-date=July 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716064252/https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-jeffrey-epstein-help-steven-hoffenberg-swindle-dollar460-million-in-ponzi-scheme|archive-date=July 16, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein left the company by 1989 and was never charged for involvement in the massive investor fraud committed. It is unknown if Epstein acquired any stolen funds from the Towers Ponzi scheme.

File:Limitless, Palma de Mallorca, 07.2006 (side).jpg moored in Palma de Mallorca]]

In 1988, while Epstein was still consulting for Hoffenberg, he founded his financial management firm, J. Epstein & Company. The company was said by Epstein to have been formed to manage the assets of clients with more than {{US$|1{{nbsp}}billion}} in net worth, although others have expressed skepticism that he was restrictive of the clients that he took.

The only publicly known billionaire client of Epstein was Leslie Wexner, chairman and CEO of L Brands (formerly The Limited, Inc.) and Victoria's Secret.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/les-wexner-jeffrey-epstein-victorias-secret.html|title=What Is the Link Between Victoria's Secret and Jeffrey Epstein?|last=Petrarca|first=Emilia|date=July 9, 2019|work=New York|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710095648/https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/les-wexner-jeffrey-epstein-victorias-secret.html|archive-date=July 10, 2019|url-status=live}} In 1986, Epstein met Wexner through their mutual acquaintances, insurance executive Robert Meister and his wife, in Palm Beach. A year later, Epstein became Wexner's financial adviser and served as his right-hand man. Within the year, Epstein had sorted out Wexner's entangled finances.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-13/a-billionaire-and-a-sex-offender-the-wexner-and-epstein-ties|title=The Billionaire and the Sex Offender|first1=Sophie|last1=Alexander|date=July 13, 2019|website=Bloomberg News|access-date=July 14, 2019|first2=Caleb|last2=Melby|first3=Tom|last3=Metcalf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714014936/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-13/a-billionaire-and-a-sex-offender-the-wexner-and-epstein-ties|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}} In July 1991, Wexner granted Epstein full power of attorney over his affairs. The power of attorney allowed Epstein to hire people, sign checks, buy and sell properties, borrow money, and do anything else of a legally binding nature on Wexner's behalf.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/business/jeffrey-epstein-wexner-victorias-secret.html|title=How Jeffrey Epstein Used the Billionaire Behind Victoria's Secret for Wealth and Women|last1=Steel|first1=Emily|date=July 25, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 27, 2019|last2=Eder|first2=Steve|last3=Maheshwari|first3=Sapna|last4=Goldstein|first4=Matthew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726220242/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/business/jeffrey-epstein-wexner-victorias-secret.html|archive-date=July 26, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein managed Wexner's wealth and various projects such as the building of his yacht, the Limitless.

By 1995, Epstein was a director of the Wexner Foundation and Wexner Heritage Foundation. He was also the president of Wexner's Property, which developed part of the town of New Albany outside Columbus, Ohio, where Wexner lived. Epstein made millions in fees by managing Wexner's financial affairs. Although never employed by L Brands, he frequently corresponded with the company executives. Epstein often attended Victoria's Secret fashion shows, and hosted the models at his New York City home, as well as helping aspiring models get work with the company.

In 1996, Epstein changed the name of his firm to the Financial Trust Company and, for tax advantages, based it on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. By relocating to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Epstein was able to reduce federal income taxes by 90 percent. The U.S. Virgin Islands acted as an offshore tax haven, while at the same time offering the advantages of being part of the United States banking system.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-27/the-jeffrey-epstein-guide-to-cutting-your-tax-bill-by-90|title=The Jeffrey Epstein Guide to Cutting Your Tax Bill by 90%|first1=Tom|last1=Metcalf|first2=Greg|last2=Farrell|first3=David|last3=Kocieniewski|date=July 27, 2019|website=Bloomberg News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727200755/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-27/the-jeffrey-epstein-guide-to-cutting-your-tax-bill-by-90|archive-date=July 27, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 28, 2019}}

In 2003, Epstein bid to acquire New York magazine. Other bidders included advertising executive Donny Deutsch, investor Nelson Peltz, media mogul and New York Daily News publisher Mortimer Zuckerman, and film producer Harvey Weinstein. The ultimate buyer was Bruce Wasserstein, a longtime Wall Street investment banker, who paid {{US$|55{{nbsp}}million}}.{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/22/business/media-post-mortems-for-a-media-deal-undone.html |work = The New York Times |first = David |last = Carr |author-link = David Carr (journalist) |title = Post-Mortems for a Media Deal Undone |date = December 22, 2003 |access-date = November 7, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160819071735/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/22/business/media-post-mortems-for-a-media-deal-undone.html?ref=jeffreyeepstein |archive-date = August 19, 2016 |url-status = live }}

In 2004, Epstein and Zuckerman committed up to {{US$|25{{nbsp}}million}} to finance Radar, a celebrity and pop culture magazine founded by Maer Roshan. Epstein and Zuckerman were equal partners in the venture. Roshan, as its editor-in-chief, retained a small ownership stake. It folded after three issues as a print publication and became exclusively an online one.{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/19/arts/radar-magazine-lines-up-financing.html |work = The New York Times |first = David |last = Carr |author-link = David Carr (journalist) |title = Radar Magazine Lines Up Financing |date = October 19, 2004 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150110045831/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/19/arts/19radar.html?_r=3&ref=jeffreyeepstein |archive-date = January 10, 2015 |df = mdy-all }}

Epstein was the president of the company Liquid Funding Ltd. between 2000 and 2007.{{cite news |url=https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/82004676 |title=Liquid Funding, Ltd. |work=Offshore Leaks |publisher=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists |access-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719025136/https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/82004676 |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |url-status=live }} The company was an early pioneer in expanding the kind of debt that could be accepted on repurchase, or the repo market, which involves a lender giving money to a borrower in exchange for securities that the borrower then agrees to buy back at an agreed-upon later time and price. The innovation of Liquid Funding, and other early companies, was that instead of having stocks and bonds as the underlying securities, it had commercial mortgages and investment-grade residential mortgages bundled into complex securities as the underlying security.

Liquid Funding was initially 40{{nbsp}}percent owned by Bear Stearns. Through the help of the credit rating agencies—Standard & Poor's, Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service—the new bundled securities were able to be created for companies so that they got a gold-plated AAA rating. The implosion of such complex securities, because of their inaccurate ratings, led to the collapse of Bear Stearns in March 2008 and set in motion the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent Great Recession. If Liquid Funding were left holding large amounts of such securities as collateral, it could have lost large amounts of money.{{Cite book|title=Asset Securitisation and Synthetic Structures: Innovations in the European Credit Markets|last1=Watson|first1=Rick|last2=Carter|first2=Jeremy|year=2006|publisher=Euromoney Books|isbn=9781843742005|page=123}}

Between 2002 and 2005, Epstein invested $80{{nbsp}}million in the D.B. Zwirn Special Opportunities Fund, a hedge fund that invested in illiquid debt securities.{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-hedge-fund-bets.html |title=Jeffrey Epstein's Hedge-Fund Bets Gone Bad|last=Celarier|first=Michelle|date=July 16, 2019|work=New York|access-date=January 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119235456/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-hedge-fund-bets.html|archive-date=January 19, 2022|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fortress-takes-on-2-bln-of-assets-from-db-zwirn|title=Fortress takes on $2 billion in assets from D.B. Zwirn|last=Barr|first=Alistair|date=June 1, 2009|work=MarketWatch|access-date=March 15, 2022|archive-date=April 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411211408/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fortress-takes-on-2-bln-of-assets-from-db-zwirn|url-status=live}} In November 2006, Epstein attempted to redeem his investment after he was informed of accounting irregularities in the fund.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/prominent-hedge-fund-family-had-epstein-for-thanksgiving-after-jail-2019-7|title=Hedge-fund giant Glenn Dubin and his wife, Eva, told Jeffrey Epstein's probation officer they were '100% comfortable' with the sex offender around their kids. New documents show the extent of the billionaire couple's relationship with Epstein.|first1=Meghan|last1=Morris|first2=Casey|last2=Sullivan|date=July 15, 2019|work=Business Insider|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801165029/https://www.businessinsider.com/prominent-hedge-fund-family-had-epstein-for-thanksgiving-after-jail-2019-7|archive-date=August 1, 2019|url-status=live}} By this time, his investment had grown to $140{{nbsp}}million. The D.B. Zwirn fund refused to redeem the investment. Hedge funds that invest in illiquid securities typically have years-long "lockups" on their capital for all investors and require redemption requests to be made in writing 60 to 90 days in advance. The fund was closed in 2008, and its remaining assets of approximately $2{{nbsp}}billion, including Epstein's investment, were transferred to Fortress Investment Group when that firm bought the assets in 2009. Epstein later went to arbitration with Fortress over his redemption attempt. The outcome of that arbitration is not publicly known.

File:TED Spread.png

In August 2006, Epstein, a month after the federal investigation of him began,{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html|title=For years, Jeffrey Epstein abused teen girls, police say. A timeline of his case|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=November 28, 2018|work=Miami Herald|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815165036/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html|archive-date=August 15, 2019|url-status=live}} invested $57{{nbsp}}million in the Bear Stearns High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage hedge fund.{{cite web|url=http://www.securitiesarbitration.com/bear-stearns.php|title=Bear Stearns Hedge Funds Collapse|work=securitiesarbitration|access-date=July 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723062647/http://www.securitiesarbitration.com/bear-stearns.php|archive-date=July 23, 2019|url-status=dead}} This fund was highly leveraged in mortgage-backed collateralized debt obligations (CDOs).

On April 18, 2007, an investor in the fund, who had $57{{nbsp}}million invested, discussed redeeming his investment.{{cite web |last=Cohan |first=William D. |date=March 3, 2009 |title=Inside the Bear Stearns boiler room |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/03/02/magazines/fortune/cohan_houseofcards_full.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2009030306 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920112111/https://archive.fortune.com/2009/03/02/magazines/fortune/cohan_houseofcards_full.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2009030306 |archive-date=September 20, 2019 |access-date=July 23, 2019 |work=Fortune}} At this time, the fund had a leverage ratio of 17:1, which meant for every dollar invested there were seventeen dollars of borrowed funds; therefore, the redemption of this investment would have been equivalent to removing $1{{nbsp}}billion from the thinly traded CDO market.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/businesspro-bearstearns-funds-dc-idUSN1726029320070717 |title=Bear says troubled funds have "very little value" |work=Reuters |date=July 17, 2007 |first=Walden |last=Siew |access-date=July 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929121833/https://www.reuters.com/article/businesspro-bearstearns-funds-dc-idUSN1726029320070717 |archive-date=September 29, 2019 |url-status=live }} The selling of CDO assets to meet the redemptions that month began a repricing process and general freeze in the CDO market. The repricing of the CDO assets caused the collapse of the fund three months later in July, and the eventual collapse of Bear Stearns in March 2008. It is likely Epstein lost most of this investment, but it is not known how much was his.

By the time that the Bear Stearns fund began to fail in May 2007, Epstein had begun to negotiate a plea deal with the U.S. Attorney's Office concerning imminent charges for sex with minors. In August 2007, a month after the fund collapsed, the U.S. attorney in Miami, Alexander Acosta, entered into direct discussions about the plea agreement. Acosta brokered a lenient deal, according to him, because he had been ordered by higher government officials, who told him that Epstein was an individual of importance to the government. As part of the negotiations, according to the Miami Herald, Epstein provided "unspecified information" to the Florida federal prosecutors for a more lenient sentence and was supposedly an unnamed key witness for the New York federal prosecutors in their unsuccessful June 2008 criminal case against the two managers of the failed Bear Stearns hedge fund. Alan Dershowitz, one of Epstein's Florida attorneys on the case, told Fox Business Network "We would have been touting that if he had [cooperated]. The idea that Epstein helped in any prosecution is news to me."{{cite web|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/jeffrey-epstein-was-said-to-be-a-witness-against-wall-street-a-fbn-investigation-suggests-otherwise|title=Jeffrey Epstein was said to be a witness against Wall Street; an FBN investigation suggests otherwise|last=Gasparino|first=Charlie|date=March 18, 2019|work=FOXBusiness|access-date=July 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724030002/https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/jeffrey-epstein-was-said-to-be-a-witness-against-wall-street-a-fbn-investigation-suggests-otherwise|archive-date=July 24, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2015, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Epstein invested in the startup Reporty Homeland Security (rebranded as Carbyne in 2018).{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/barak-says-he-visited-epstein-at-home-but-didnt-attend-sex-parties/|title=Barak says he visited Epstein at home, but didn't attend sex parties|date=July 16, 2019|work=The Times of Israel|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190717071329/https://www.timesofisrael.com/barak-says-he-visited-epstein-at-home-but-didnt-attend-sex-parties/|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 17, 2019 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-revealed-jeffrey-epstein-entered-million-dollar-partnership-with-ehud-barak-in-2015-1.7493648|title=Revealed: Jeffrey Epstein Entered Partnership Worth Millions With Ehud Barak in 2015|last=Weitz|first=Gidi|date=July 11, 2019|work=Haaretz|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190711225551/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-revealed-jeffrey-epstein-entered-million-dollar-partnership-with-ehud-barak-in-2015-1.7493648|archive-date=July 11, 2019|url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/epstein-former-israel-prime-minister-barak-defends-business-ties-with-2019-7|title=The former prime minister of Israel defended his business dealings with Jeffrey Epstein: 'You expect me to have noticed?'|last=Tenbarge|first=Kat|date=July 14, 2019|work=Business Insider|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190717071030/https://www.businessinsider.com/epstein-former-israel-prime-minister-barak-defends-business-ties-with-2019-7|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live }} The startup was connected with Israel's defense industry. It was headed by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who was also at one time the defense minister, and chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The CEO of the company is Amir Elihai, a special forces officer, and Pinchas Bukhris, a director of the company and former defense ministry director general and commander of IDF cyber unit 8200.{{Cite news|url=https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/barak-invests-1-million-in-firm-linked-to-military-industrial-complex-video/2015/04/14/|title=Barak Invests $1 Million in Firm Linked to Military-Industrial Complex|last=Shavit|first=Ilan|date=April 14, 2015|work=Jewish Business News|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810155642/https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/barak-invests-1-million-in-firm-linked-to-military-industrial-complex-video/2015/04/14/|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein and Barak, the head of Carbyne, were close, and Epstein often offered him lodging at one of his apartment units at 301 East 66th Street in Manhattan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-nyc-building-at-the-center-of-jeffrey-epsteins-web-2019-8|title=Inside the mysterious Manhattan apartment building on East 66th Street, where underage models, lawyers, and key players in Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking circle all live. Ex-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is a frequent visitor.|last=Bluestone|first=Gabrielle|date=August 5, 2019|work=Business Insider|access-date=August 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808093315/https://www.businessinsider.com/the-nyc-building-at-the-center-of-jeffrey-epsteins-web-2019-8|archive-date=August 8, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-israeli-politician-ehud-barak-often-crashed-at-his-manhattan-apartment-neighbors-say|title=Israeli Politician Ehud Barak Often Crashed at Epstein Apartment Building, Neighbors Say|last=Shugerman|first=Emily|date=August 5, 2019|access-date=August 8, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810030039/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-israeli-politician-ehud-barak-often-crashed-at-his-manhattan-apartment-neighbors-say|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein had past experience with Israel's research and military sector.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/299184252/|title=Jeffrey Epstein at the Tel Aviv Hilton in Israel|last=Donnelly|first=Shannon|date=April 27, 2008|work=Palm Beach Daily News|access-date=September 12, 2019|page=A17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009143511/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/299184252/|archive-date=October 9, 2019|url-status=live}} In April 2008, he went to Israel and met with a number of research scientists and visited different Israeli military bases.

Epstein installed concealed cameras in numerous places on his properties to allegedly record sexual activity with underage girls of prominent people for criminal purposes such as blackmail.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.com.au/prince-andrew-might-have-been-caught-tape-sex-slave-1407641|title=Prince Andrew Might Have Been Caught on Tape With 'Sex Slave'|last=Bhagat|first=Pooja|date=January 7, 2015|work=International Business Times|location=New York City|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150129122854/http://au.ibtimes.com/prince-andrew-might-have-been-caught-tape-sex-slave-1407641|archive-date=January 29, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=November 8, 2016|quote=According to reports, papers filed against his friend Jeffrey Epstein in 2006 mentioned that he had installed hidden cameras everywhere in his property to record the indecent acts of important people with underage prostitutes for further criminal use such as blackmail.}} Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's long-term girlfriend and companion, told a friend that Epstein's private island in the Virgin Islands was completely wired for video and the friend believed that Maxwell and Epstein were videotaping everyone on the island as an insurance policy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/the-mystery-of-ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-enabler|title="They're nothing, these girls": Unraveling the mystery of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's enabler|last=Grigoriadis|first=Vanessa|date=August 12, 2019|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=August 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819195517/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/the-mystery-of-ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-enabler|archive-date=August 19, 2019|url-status=live}} When police raided his Palm Beach residence in 2006, two hidden cameras were discovered in his home.{{Cite news|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190717/man-who-had-everything-jeffrey-epstein-craved-big-homes-elite-friends-and-underage-girls|title=The Man Who Had Everything: Jeffrey Epstein craved big homes, elite friends and underage girls|last=Marra|first=Andrew|date=August 14, 2006|work=The Palm Beach Post|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205102301/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190717/man-who-had-everything-jeffrey-epstein-craved-big-homes-elite-friends-and-underage-girls|archive-date=December 5, 2019|url-status=live}} It was also reported that Epstein's mansion in New York was wired extensively with a video surveillance system.{{Failed verification|date=March 2025}}

Maria Farmer, an artist who worked for Epstein in 1996, noted that Epstein showed her a media room in the New York mansion where there were individuals monitoring the pinhole cameras throughout the house. The media room was accessed through a hidden door. She stated that in the media room "there were men sitting here. And I looked on the cameras, and I saw toilet, toilet, bed, bed, toilet, bed." She added that "It was very obvious that they were, like, monitoring private moments."{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-maria-farmer-says-his-house-under-constant-tv-surveillance/|title=Jeffrey Epstein accuser says his house had cameras "monitoring private moments"|last=Mason|first=Anthony|date=November 18, 2019|work=CBS News|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205102259/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-maria-farmer-says-his-house-under-constant-tv-surveillance/|archive-date=December 5, 2019|url-status=live}}

Epstein allegedly "lent" girls to powerful people to ingratiate himself with them and also to gain possible blackmail information.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/jeffrey-epstein-decade-scandal-prince-andrew|title=Jeffrey Epstein: Inside the decade of scandal entangling Prince Andrew|last1=Lewis|first1=Paul|date=January 10, 2015|work=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522090456/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/jeffrey-epstein-decade-scandal-prince-andrew|archive-date=May 22, 2016|url-status=live|last2=Swaine|first2=Jon|location=London, England}} According to the Department of Justice, he kept compact discs locked in his safe in his New York mansion with handwritten labels that included the description: "young [name] + [name]". Epstein implied that he had blackmail material when he told a New York Times reporter in 2018, off the record, that he had dirt on powerful people, including information about their sexual proclivities and recreational drug use.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html |url-access=registration |title=The Day Jeffrey Epstein Told Me He Had Dirt on Powerful People|last=Stewart|first=James B.|date=August 12, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 22, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822004025/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html|archive-date=August 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

In March 2005, a woman contacted Florida's Palm Beach Police Department and alleged that her 14-year-old stepdaughter had been taken to Epstein's mansion by an older girl. While there, she was allegedly paid $300 ({{Inflation|US|300|2005|r=-1|fmt=eq}}) to strip and massage Epstein.{{Cite journal|last=Weiss|first=Philip|date=December 10, 2007|title=The Fantasist|url=https://nymag.com/news/features/41826/|url-status=live|journal=New York|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017175912/http://nymag.com/news/features/41826/|archive-date=October 17, 2016|access-date=November 7, 2016}} She had allegedly undressed, but left the encounter wearing her underwear. Palm Beach Police began a thirteen-month undercover investigation of Epstein, including a search of his home.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article214210674.html|title=Cops worked to put serial sex abuser in prison. Prosecutors worked to cut him a break|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=November 28, 2018|work=Miami Herald|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802063313/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article214210674.html|archive-date=August 2, 2019|url-status=live}} During the investigation, Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter publicly accused the Palm Beach County state prosecutor, Barry Krischer, of being too lenient and called for help from the FBI.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) then became involved. Subsequently, the police alleged that Epstein had paid several girls to perform sexual acts with him. Interviews with five alleged victims and seventeen witnesses under oath, a high-school transcript and other items found in Epstein's trash and home allegedly showed that some of the girls involved were under 18, the youngest being 14, with many under 16.{{cite web |last1=Sarnoff |first1=Conchita |title=Jeffrey Epstein, Billionaire Pedophile, Goes Free |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-billionaire-pedophile-goes-free |website=Daily Beast |access-date=September 1, 2019 |date=August 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904095536/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-billionaire-pedophile-goes-free |archive-date=September 4, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url = https://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/14/m1a_EPSTEIN_0814.html |title = Jeffrey Epstein craved big homes, elite friends – and, investigators say, underage girls |last = Marra |first = Andrew |date = August 14, 2006 |work= The Palm Beach Post |publisher=GateHouse Media|location=Palm Beach, Florida|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110616194257/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/14/m1a_EPSTEIN_0814.html |archive-date = June 16, 2011 |df = mdy-all}} The police search of Epstein's home found two hidden cameras and large numbers of photos of girls throughout the house, some of whom the police had interviewed in the course of their investigation. Adriana Ross, a former model from Poland who became an Epstein assistant, reportedly removed computer drives and other electronic equipment from the financier's Florida mansion before Palm Beach Police searched the home as part of their investigation.{{Cite news|last1=McCoy|first1=Kevin|last2=Kelly|first2=Cara|last3=Phillips|first3=Kristine|date=August 23, 2019|title=Jeffrey Epstein is dead. Prosecutors could still go after his inner circle if they helped him prey on young girls|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/08/23/jeffrey-epstein-estate-prosecution-maxwell-jail-suicide-inner-circle/2018552001|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=June 3, 2020|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102151122/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/08/23/jeffrey-epstein-estate-prosecution-maxwell-jail-suicide-inner-circle/2018552001/|url-status=live}} The court documents record that a search of Epstein's residence by Palm Beach Police detective Joseph Recarey in 2005 uncovered an incriminating Amazon receipt containing books on S&M. The books he ordered are titled: SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, SlaveCraft: Roadmaps for Erotic Servitude—Principles, Skills and Tools and Training with Miss Abernathy: A Workbook for Erotic Slaves and Their Owners.{{Cite magazine|last1=Dickinson|first1=Tim|date=August 12, 2019|title=Court Documents Reveal Epstein's Incriminating Sex-Slave Study Habits|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/jeffrey-epstein-sex-slave-bdsm-books-amazon-870612/|access-date=June 3, 2020|archive-date=June 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603111945/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/jeffrey-epstein-sex-slave-bdsm-books-amazon-870612/|url-status=live}}

A former employee told the police that Epstein would receive massages three times a day. Eventually the FBI compiled reports on "34 confirmed minors" eligible for restitution (increased to forty in the non-prosecution agreement) whose allegations of sexual abuse by Epstein included corroborating details.{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2015/07/judge-unseals-more-details-in-jeffrey-epstein-underage-sex-lawsuit-210065|title=Judge unseals more details in Jeffrey Epstein underage sex lawsuit|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|date=July 7, 2015|work=Politico|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803065539/https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2015/07/judge-unseals-more-details-in-jeffrey-epstein-underage-sex-lawsuit-210065|archive-date=August 3, 2019|url-status=live}} Julie Brown's 2018 exposés in the Miami Herald identified eighty victims and located about sixty of them. She quotes the then police chief Reiter as saying "This was 50-something 'shes' and one 'he'—and the 'shes' all basically told the same story." Details from the investigation included allegations that 12-year-old triplets were flown in from France for Epstein's birthday, and flown back the following day after being sexually abused by the financier. It was alleged that young girls were recruited from Brazil and other South American countries, former Soviet countries, and Europe, and that Jean-Luc Brunel's "MC2" modeling agency was also supplying girls to Epstein.{{cite web |last1=Ziff |first1=Sarah |title=What Modeling Taught Me About Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/what-modeling-taught-me-about-jeffrey-epstein.html |date=July 22, 2019 |website=the Cut |publisher=New York |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929172519/https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/what-modeling-taught-me-about-jeffrey-epstein.html |archive-date=September 29, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Legendre |first1=Benjamin |title=French model tycoon at heart of Epstein scandal accusations |url=https://news.yahoo.com/french-model-tycoon-heart-epstein-scandal-accusations-155503090.html |website=Yahoo/AP |access-date=September 1, 2019 |date=August 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901051527/https://news.yahoo.com/french-model-tycoon-heart-epstein-scandal-accusations-155503090.html |archive-date=September 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}

In May 2006, Palm Beach police filed a probable cause affidavit saying that Epstein should be charged with four counts of unlawful sex with minors and one count of sexual abuse.{{cite web |url = http://thesmokinggun.com/documents/sex/billionaire-palm-beach-sex-scandal |title = Billionaire in Palm Beach sex scandal; Investigators: Moneyman Jeffrey Epstein solicited teen masseuses |date = July 26, 2006 |work = The Smoking Gun |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150112112028/http://thesmokinggun.com/documents/sex/billionaire-palm-beach-sex-scandal |archive-date = January 12, 2015 |df = mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://thesmokinggun.com/file/billionaire-palm-beach-sex-scandal|title=Palm Beach Police Dep't Probable Cause Affidavit|work=The Smoking Gun|date=May 1, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112112012/http://thesmokinggun.com/file/billionaire-palm-beach-sex-scandal |archive-date=January 12, 2015 |df = mdy-all}} On July 27, 2006, Epstein was arrested by the Palm Beach Police Department on state felony charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation of a prostitute. He was booked at the Palm Beach County jail and later released on a $3,000 bond.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-arrested-on-sex-trafficking-charges-reports/|title=Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein arrested on sex trafficking charges|website=The Times of Israel|date=July 7, 2019|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107235639/https://www.timesofisrael.com/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-arrested-on-sex-trafficking-charges-reports/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20080701/NEWS/190918539|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614061819/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20080701/NEWS/190918539|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 14, 2021|title=Indictment: Billionaire Solicited 3 Times|date=July 1, 2008|access-date=April 9, 2021}} State prosecutor Krischer later convened a Palm Beach County grand jury, which was usually only done in capital cases. Presented evidence from only two victims, the grand jury returned a single charge of felony solicitation of prostitution, to which Epstein pleaded not guilty in August 2006.{{Cite news|last=Goodnough|first=Abby|date=September 3, 2006|title=Questions of Preferential Treatment Are Raised in Florida Sex Case|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/us/03epstein.html|url-status=live|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006173900/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/us/03epstein.html|archive-date=October 6, 2011}} Epstein's defense lawyers included Roy Black, Gerald Lefcourt, Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz, and former U.S. Solicitor General Ken Starr.{{cite web|url=http://www.page2live.com/2007/09/12/lewinsky-prosecutor-joins-defense-of-clinton-crony/ |title=Lewinsky prosecutor joins defense of Clinton crony |work=The Palm Beach Post |date=September 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516122546/http://www.page2live.com/2007/09/12/lewinsky-prosecutor-joins-defense-of-clinton-crony/ |archive-date=May 16, 2012 |access-date=July 10, 2019|df = mdy-all |first=Jose |last=Lambiet}} Linguist Steven Pinker also assisted.{{Cite web|title=Steven Pinker's aid in Jeffrey Epstein's legal defense renews criticism of the increasingly divisive public intellectual|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/17/steven-pinkers-aid-jeffrey-epsteins-legal-defense-renews-criticism-increasingly|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=insidehighered.com|date=July 17, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106130756/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/17/steven-pinkers-aid-jeffrey-epsteins-legal-defense-renews-criticism-increasingly|url-status=live}}

File:Epstein Non-Prosecution Agreement and Addendum.pdf

In July 2006, the FBI began its own investigation of Epstein, nicknamed "Operation Leap Year".{{Cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html|title=Timeline of the Jeffrey Epstein sex abuse case|date=November 28, 2018|website=Miami Herald|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815165036/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html|archive-date=August 15, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2020}} It resulted in a fifty-three page indictment in June 2007. Alexander Acosta, then the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, agreed to a plea deal, which Alan Dershowitz helped to negotiate, to grant immunity from all federal criminal charges to Epstein, along with four named co-conspirators and any unnamed "potential co-conspirators". According to the Miami Herald, the non-prosecution agreement "essentially shut down an ongoing FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful people who took part in Epstein's sex crimes". At the time, this halted the investigation and sealed the indictment. The Miami Herald said: "Acosta agreed, despite a federal law to the contrary, that the deal would be kept from the victims."{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|title=How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html|access-date=November 28, 2018|work=Miami Herald|date=November 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128153832/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html|archive-date=November 28, 2018|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}}

Acosta later said he offered a lenient plea deal because he was told that Epstein "belonged to intelligence", was "above his pay grade" and to "leave it alone".{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Vicky |title=Jeffrey Epstein's Sick Story Played Out for Years in Plain Sight |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-sick-story-played-out-for-years-in-plain-sight |date=July 9, 2019 |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=July 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710232335/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-sick-story-played-out-for-years-in-plain-sight |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|first1=Anna|last1=North|access-date=December 11, 2019|title=Why the Jeffrey Epstein case inspires so many conspiracy theories|url=https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/14/20803950/jeffrey-epstein-conspiracy-theories-clinton-trump-acosta|date=August 14, 2019|website=Vox|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130170955/https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/14/20803950/jeffrey-epstein-conspiracy-theories-clinton-trump-acosta|archive-date=November 30, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein agreed to plead guilty in Florida state court to two felony prostitution charges, serve eighteen months in prison, register as a sex offender, and pay restitution to three dozen victims identified by the FBI. The plea deal was later described as a "sweetheart deal".{{cite web |title=Lawyer: Epstein's Abuse Continued While He Was on Work Release From Jail |first=Adam K. |last=Raymond |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/lawyer-epsteins-abuse-continued-while-on-work-release.html |date=July 16, 2019 |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901043817/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/lawyer-epsteins-abuse-continued-while-on-work-release.html |archive-date=September 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}

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|video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jDPzW9COsU Documentary: Who is Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sexually abusing teen girls?] Perversion of Justice, Miami Herald, November 29, 2018.

}} A federal judge later found that the prosecutors had violated victims' rights by concealing the agreement from the victims and instead urging them to have "patience".{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/judge-prosecutors-broke-law-deal-sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-n974181|title=Judge: Prosecutors broke law in deal with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein|last1=Fitzpatrick|first1=Sarah|last2=Winter|first2=Tom|date=February 22, 2019|work=NBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721033031/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/judge-prosecutors-broke-law-deal-sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-n974181|archive-date=July 21, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 21, 2019|last3=Welker|first3=Kristen|last4=Jackson|first4=Hallie|last5=Schapiro|first5=Rich}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2019/07/11/united-states/alan-dershowitz-helped-jeffrey-epstein-secure-his-controversial-plea-deal-he-has-no-regrets|title=Alan Dershowitz helped Jeffrey Epstein secure his controversial plea deal. He has no regrets.|date=July 11, 2019|first=Ben|last=Sales|access-date=July 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712140015/https://www.jta.org/2019/07/11/united-states/alan-dershowitz-helped-jeffrey-epstein-secure-his-controversial-plea-deal-he-has-no-regrets|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}} According to an internal review conducted by the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility, released in November 2020, Acosta showed "poor judgment" in granting Epstein a non-prosecution agreement and failing to notify Epstein's alleged victims about the agreement.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/12/politics/department-of-justice-alex-acosta-epstein/index.html |title=DOJ review finds Alex Acosta used 'poor judgment' in Jeffrey Epstein deal |work=CNN |last=Scannell |first=Kara |date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=August 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123160915/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/12/politics/department-of-justice-alex-acosta-epstein/index.html |url-status=live }}

On June 30, 2008, after Epstein pleaded guilty to a state charge of procuring for prostitution a girl below age 18,{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/13/jeffrey-epstein-donations-us-virgin-islands-review |title = Jeffrey Epstein's donations to young pupils prompts US Virgin Islands review |first = Jon |last = Swaine |work = The Guardian |location=London, England|date=January 13, 2015|url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161110194357/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/13/jeffrey-epstein-donations-us-virgin-islands-review |archive-date = November 10, 2016 |df = mdy-all }} he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. While most convicted sex offenders in Florida are sent to state prison, Epstein was instead housed in a private wing of the Palm Beach County Stockade and, according to the sheriff's office, was, after {{frac|3|1|2}}{{nbsp}}months, allowed to leave the jail on "work release" for up to twelve hours a day, six days a week. This contravened the sheriff's own policies requiring a maximum remaining sentence of ten months and making sex offenders ineligible for the privilege. He was allowed to come and go outside of specified release hours.{{cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article219494920.html|work=Miami Herald|first=Julie K.|last=Brown|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=November 28, 2018|title=Even from jail, sex abuser manipulated the system. His victims were kept in the dark|access-date=December 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201013512/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article219494920.html|archive-date=December 1, 2018|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}}

Epstein's cell door was left unlocked, and he had access to the attorney room where a television was installed for him, before he was moved to the Stockade's previously unstaffed infirmary. He worked at the office of a foundation he had created shortly before reporting to jail; he dissolved it after he had served his time. The Sheriff's Office received $128,000 from Epstein's non-profit to pay for the costs of extra services being provided during his work release. His office was monitored by "permit deputies" whose overtime was paid by Epstein. They were required to wear suits, and checked in "welcomed guests" at the "front desk". Later the Sheriff's Office said these guest logs were destroyed per the department's "records retention" rules, although the Stockade visitor logs were not.{{cite news|last=Rosza|first=Lori|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/captain-at-jail-where-epstein-served-time-in-2008-ordered-that-his-cell-door-be-left-unlocked/2019/07/19/93e38934-a972-11e9-86dd-d7f0e60391e9_story.html|title=For 'client' Jeffrey Epstein, an unlocked cell in a Florida jail|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 19, 2019|access-date=July 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720031830/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/captain-at-jail-where-epstein-served-time-in-2008-ordered-that-his-cell-door-be-left-unlocked/2019/07/19/93e38934-a972-11e9-86dd-d7f0e60391e9_story.html|archive-date=July 20, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein was allowed to use his own driver to drive him between jail and his office and other appointments.

File:Epstein 2013 mugshot.jpg]]

Epstein served almost thirteen months before being released on July 22, 2009, for a year of probation on house arrest until August 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.wflx.com/2019/08/06/jeffrey-epstein-sex-offenders-qualified-work-release-under-pbsos-policy/|title=Jeffrey Epstein, sex offenders qualified for work release under PBSO's 2007 policy|date=August 6, 2019|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=August 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806170511/https://www.wflx.com/2019/08/06/jeffrey-epstein-sex-offenders-qualified-work-release-under-pbsos-policy/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190719/jeffrey-epstein-jail-records-show-sex-offender-got-special-treatment|title=Jeffrey Epstein: Jail records show sex offender got special treatment|date=July 19, 2019|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027053840/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190719/jeffrey-epstein-jail-records-show-sex-offender-got-special-treatment|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article234108307.html|title=Why was Jeffrey Epstein allowed to purchase small women's panties from the Palm Beach jail?|website=Miami Herald|date=August 17, 2019|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=August 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804044437/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article234108307.html|url-status=live}} While on probation, he was allowed numerous trips on his corporate jet to his residences in Manhattan and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He was allowed long shopping trips and walks around Palm Beach "for exercise". After a contested hearing in January 2011, and an appeal, he stayed registered in New York State as a "level three" (high risk of repeat offense) sex offender, a lifelong designation.{{cite news |url = http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/jeffrey-epstein-must-register-as-nys-highest-level/nMD5m/ |work = Palm Beach Daily News |publisher=GateHouse Media|first = Michele |last = Dargan |title = Jeffrey Epstein must register as NY's highest level sex offender |date = November 22, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160917021737/http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/jeffrey-epstein-must-register-as-nys-highest-level/nMD5m/ |archive-date = September 17, 2016 |df = mdy-all }}{{cite news |last = Sutherland |first = Amber |title = Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein: I'm a sex offender, not a predator |work = New York Post |publisher=Tronc|date = February 25, 2011 |url = https://nypost.com/2011/02/25/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-im-a-sex-offender-not-a-predator/ |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150113112652/http://nypost.com/2011/02/25/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-im-a-sex-offender-not-a-predator/ |archive-date = January 13, 2015 |df = mdy-all }}

At that hearing, the Manhattan assistant district attorney, Jennifer Gaffney, argued unsuccessfully that the level should be reduced to a low-risk "level one" and was chided by the judge.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/nyregion/cyrus-vance-epstein.html | title=Cyrus Vance's Office Sought Reduced Sex-Offender Status for Epstein | work=The New York Times | date=July 9, 2019 | last1=Ransom | first1=Jan }} Despite opposition from Epstein's lawyer that he had a "main" home in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the judge confirmed he personally must check in with the New York Police Department every ninety days. Though Epstein had been a level-three registered sex offender in New York since 2010, the New York Police Department never enforced the ninety-day regulation, though non-compliance is a felony.

The immunity agreement and Epstein's lenient treatment were the subject of ongoing public dispute. The Palm Beach police chief accused the state of giving him preferential treatment, and the Miami Herald said U.S. Attorney Acosta gave Epstein "the deal of a lifetime". Following Epstein's arrest in July 2019, on sex trafficking charges, Acosta resigned as Secretary of Labor effective July 19, 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/12/politics/alex-acosta-donald-trump-labor-secretary/index.html|title=Acosta resigns amid furor over Epstein plea deal|first1=Maegan|last1=Vazquez|first2=Jim|last2=Acosta|website=CNN|date=July 12, 2019|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810150215/https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/12/politics/alex-acosta-donald-trump-labor-secretary/index.html|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}}

After the accusations against Epstein became public, several persons and institutions returned donations that they had received from him, including Eliot Spitzer, Bill Richardson,{{cite news |first = Nicholas M. |last = Ciarelli |url = https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2006/9/13/harvard-to-keep-epstein-gift-after/ |title = Harvard to Keep Epstein Gift |work = The Harvard Crimson |date = September 13, 2006 |access-date = September 13, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071027052635/http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=514187 |archive-date = October 27, 2007 |df = mdy-all }} and the Palm Beach Police Department. Harvard University announced it would not return any money. Various charitable donations that Epstein had made to finance children's education were also questioned.

On June 18, 2010, Epstein's former house manager, Alfredo Rodriguez, was sentenced to eighteen months' incarceration after being convicted on an obstruction charge for failing to turn over to police, and subsequently trying to sell a journal in which he had recorded Epstein's activities. FBI Special Agent Christina Pryor reviewed the material and agreed it was information "that would have been extremely useful in investigating and prosecuting the case, including names and contact information of material witnesses and additional victims".{{cite news |url = http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/former-epstein-house-manager-alfredo-rodriguez-sentenced-to-755446.html |title = Former Epstein house manager Alfredo Rodriguez sentenced to 18 months |work = Palm Beach Daily News |first = Michele |last = Dargan |date = June 18, 2010 |access-date = January 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110313035624/http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/former-epstein-house-manager-alfredo-rodriguez-sentenced-to-755446.html |archive-date = March 13, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}{{cite news |url = http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/ex-epstein-worker-faces-obstruction-charges-194669.html |title = Ex-Epstein worker faces obstruction charges |work = The Palm Beach Post |first = Susan |last = Spencer-Wendel |date = February 1, 2010 |access-date = January 12, 2012 |archive-date = January 31, 2013 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130131012317/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/crime-law/ex-epstein-worker-faces-obstruction-charges/nLzLt/ |url-status = dead }}

File:U.s. v. jeffrey epstein indictment 0.pdf

On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested by the FBI-NYPD Crimes Against Children Task Force at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on sex trafficking charges.{{cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232374872.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein arrested on sex trafficking charges|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=July 6, 2019|work=Miami Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707032426/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232374872.html|archive-date=July 7, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 7, 2019|df = mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-arrested-sex-trafficking|title=JEFFREY EPSTEIN ARRESTED ON SEX-TRAFFICKING CHARGES|website=Vanity Fair|date=July 7, 2019|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=September 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903105932/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-arrested-sex-trafficking|url-status=live}} He was jailed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.{{Cite news|url=https://www.insider.com/jeffrey-epstein-metropolitan-correctional-center-el-chapo-paul-manafort-2019-7|title=Jeffrey Epstein is now neighbors with El Chapo and Paul Manafort in a notorious Manhattan jail|last=McLaughlin|first=Kelly|date=July 10, 2019|work=Insider|access-date=September 6, 2019|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110170207/https://www.insider.com/jeffrey-epstein-metropolitan-correctional-center-el-chapo-paul-manafort-2019-7|url-status=live}} According to witnesses and sources on the day of his arrest, about a dozen FBI agents forced open the door to his Manhattan townhouse, the Herbert N. Straus House, with search warrants. The search of his townhouse turned up evidence of sex trafficking and also found "hundreds—and perhaps thousands—of sexually suggestive photographs of fully—or partially—nude females". Some of the photos were confirmed as those of underage females. In a locked safe, compact discs were found with handwritten labels including the descriptions: "Young [Name] + [Name]", "Misc nudes 1", and "Girl pics nude".{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/10/jeffrey-epstein-inside-billionaires-new-york-mansion/1691137001/|title=Inside Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion: 'Vast trove' of lewd photos, a life-size doll and other oddities|last=Stanglin|first=Doug|date=July 10, 2019|work=USA Today|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190710205151/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/10/jeffrey-epstein-inside-billionaires-new-york-mansion/1691137001/|archive-date=July 10, 2019|url-status=live}}

Also found in the safe were $70,000 in cash, forty-eight diamonds,{{cite news |first=Colin |last=Drury |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jeffrey-epstein-injured-jail-suicide-watch-sex-trafficking-prison-a9019896.html |title=Jeffrey Epstein: Billionaire paedophile 'found with neck injuries in jail' |work=The Independent |date=July 25, 2019 |access-date=July 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725222617/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jeffrey-epstein-injured-jail-suicide-watch-sex-trafficking-prison-a9019896.html |archive-date=July 25, 2019 |url-status=live }} and a fraudulent Austrian passport, which expired in 1987, that had Epstein's photo but another name. The passport had numerous entrance and exit stamps, including entrance stamps that showed the use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. The passport showed his place of residence as Saudi Arabia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-fake-foreign-passport-was-used-in-saudi-arabia-and-other-countries|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Fake Foreign Passport Was Used in Saudi Arabia and Other Countries|last=Connor|first=Tracy|date=July 17, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 17, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190722053035/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-fake-foreign-passport-was-used-in-saudi-arabia-and-other-countries|archive-date=July 22, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-had-cash-diamonds-foreign-passport-stashed-safe-prosecutors-n1029851|title=Jeffrey Epstein had cash, diamonds and a foreign passport stashed in safe, prosecutors say|last1=Winter|first1=Tom|last2=Li|first2=David K.|date=July 15, 2019|work=NBC News|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190716015257/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-had-cash-diamonds-foreign-passport-stashed-safe-prosecutors-n1029851|archive-date=July 16, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 16, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/found-in-epsteins-nyc-mansion-foreign-passport-underage-porn-cash-diamonds-and-more|title=Found in Epstein's NYC mansion: Foreign passport, underage porn, cash, diamonds, and more|last=Dunleavy|first=Jerry|date=July 15, 2019|work=Washington Examiner|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190715163752/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/found-in-epsteins-nyc-mansion-foreign-passport-underage-porn-cash-diamonds-and-more|archive-date=July 15, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 16, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/07/15/feds-find-diamonds-fake-saudi-passport-at-epsteins-townhouse/|title=Feds find diamonds, fake passport at Epstein's townhouse|last1=Denney|first1=Andrew|last2=Sheehy|first2=Kate|date=July 15, 2019|work=New York Post|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190715170508/https://nypost.com/2019/07/15/feds-find-diamonds-fake-saudi-passport-at-epsteins-townhouse/|archive-date=July 15, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 16, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jeffrey-epstein-s-lawyers-he-had-doctored-passport-ward-hijackers-n1030596 |title=Jeffrey Epstein's lawyers: He had a doctored passport to ward off hijackers |work=NBC News |access-date=July 17, 2019 |date=July 16, 2019 |first1=Tom |last1=Winter |first2=Rich |last2=Schapiro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717110723/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jeffrey-epstein-s-lawyers-he-had-doctored-passport-ward-hijackers-n1030596 |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |url-status=live }} According to his attorneys, Epstein had been advised to acquire the passport because "as an affluent member of the Jewish faith", he was in danger of being kidnapped while traveling abroad.{{cite web |title=Epstein lawyers claim fake passport was needed to hide Jewishness |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/epstein-lawyers-claim-fake-passport-was-needed-to-hide-jewishness |work=The Times of Israel |access-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718174116/https://www.timesofisrael.com/epstein-lawyers-claim-fake-passport-was-needed-to-hide-jewishness/ |archive-date=July 18, 2019 |url-status=live }}

On July 8, prosecutors with the Public Corruption Unit of the Southern District of New York charged him with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex. The grand jury indictment alleges that "dozens" of{{nbsp}}underage girls were brought into Epstein's mansions for sexual encounters.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-of-minors-source|title=Jeffrey Epstein Arrested for Sex Trafficking of Minors|last1=Shallwani|first1=Pervaiz|date=July 6, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 7, 2019|last2=Briquelet|first2=Kate|last3=Siegel|first3=Harry|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707020019/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-of-minors-source|archive-date=July 7, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/Jeffrey-Epstein-Arrest-Sources-Upper-East-Side-Mansion--512309731.html|title=Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein Arrested in NYC: Sources|last=Dienst|first=Jonathan|work=NBC New York|date=July 6, 2019|access-date=July 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707015058/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/Jeffrey-Epstein-Arrest-Sources-Upper-East-Side-Mansion--512309731.html|archive-date=July 7, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} Judge Kenneth Marra was to decide whether the non-prosecution agreement that protected Epstein from the more serious charges should still stand.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48898921|title=Jeffrey Epstein: US financier 'charged with sex trafficking'|work=BBC News|date=July 7, 2019|access-date=July 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707160108/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48898921|archive-date=July 7, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}}

File:Epstein Bail.png

Epstein requested to be released on bond, offering to post $100{{nbsp}}million with the condition that he would also submit to house arrest in his New York City mansion. U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman denied the request on July 18, saying that Epstein posed a danger to the public and a serious flight risk to avoid prosecution.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/jeffrey-epstein-bail-hearing-in-child-sex-traffic-case.html|title=Judge denies Jeffrey Epstein bail in child sex trafficking case, citing 'danger' to public|last1=Mangan|first1=Dan|last2=Breuninger|first2=Kevin|date=July 18, 2019|work=CNBC|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718155900/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/jeffrey-epstein-bail-hearing-in-child-sex-traffic-case.html|archive-date=July 18, 2019|url-status=live}} On August 29, 2019, nineteen days after Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, the case against Epstein was closed by Judge Berman. Prosecutors stated they would continue an investigation for potential co-conspirators.

On August 23, 2019, the prosecutor's office in Paris, France, opened a preliminary investigation into Epstein, after Yael Mellul wrote to the Paris prosecutor to report the international dimensions of the pedophile network involving Jeffrey Epstein, criticizing the slow pace of justice.{{cite web | url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/affaire-jeffrey-epstein/affaire-epstein-avec-l-ouverture-d-une-enquete-en-france-les-associations-esperent-une-liberation-de-la-parole-des-victimes_3587823.html | title=Affaire Epstein : Avec l'ouverture d'une enquête en France, les associations espèrent une "libération de la parole" des victimes | date=August 23, 2019 }} He is being investigated for rape and sexual assault of minors under and over the age of 15, criminal association with a view to committing crimes, and association with criminals with a view to committing offenses. The prosecutors said that the goal of the investigation is to find possible crimes committed in France and elsewhere against French citizens.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/europe/jeffrey-epstein-france-investigation-intl/index.html |title=Three alleged victims come forward in rape investigation into Jeffrey Epstein in Paris, prosecutor's office says |first1=Antoine |last1=Crouin |first2=Arnaud |last2=Siad |website=CNN |date=September 11, 2019 |access-date=September 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913225613/https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/europe/jeffrey-epstein-france-investigation-intl/index.html |archive-date=September 13, 2019 |url-status=live }}

{{external media

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On February 6, 2008, an anonymous Virginia woman, known as Jane Doe No. 2, filed a $50-million civil lawsuit{{cite web |url = http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/pi/doeepstein20608cmp5.html |title = 'Jane Doe' v. Jeffrey Epstein: Billionaire faces $50M sexual assault lawsuit |date = February 6, 2008 |work = FindLaw |publisher = Thomson Reuters |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129233701/http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/pi/doeepstein20608cmp5.html |archive-date = November 29, 2014 |df = mdy-all }} in federal court against Epstein, saying that when she was a 16-year-old minor in 2004 and 2005, she was "recruited to give Epstein a massage". She claims she was taken to his mansion, where he exposed himself and had sexual intercourse with her, and paid her $200 immediately afterward.{{cite news |first=Larry|last=Keller|url = http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/02/06/0206EPSTEIN.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080209131505/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/02/06/0206EPSTEIN.html |archive-date = February 9, 2008 |title = Second teen-sex suit seeks $50{{nbsp}}million from Jeffrey Epstein |work = The Palm Beach Post |publisher=GateHouse Media|date = February 6, 2008 |df = mdy-all}} A similar $50-million suit was filed in March 2008 by a different woman, who was represented by the same lawyer.{{cite news |last = Keller |first = Larry |title = Third alleged victim files sex suit against Jeffrey Epstein |work = The Palm Beach Post |publisher=GateHouse Media| date = March 5, 2008 |url = http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/03/05/0305epstein.html |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080308150500/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/03/05/0305epstein.html |archive-date = March 8, 2008 |df = mdy-all}} These and several similar lawsuits were dismissed. All other lawsuits had been settled by Epstein out of court;{{cite news |last1 = Rush |first1 = George |last2 = Molloy |first2 = Joanna |title = Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein shells out more money in latest sex abuse lawsuit |work = Daily News |location=New York |date = January 10, 2010 |url = http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-shells-money-latest-sex-abuse-lawsuit-article-1.436147 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141205083843/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/billionaire-jeffrey-epstein-shells-money-latest-sex-abuse-lawsuit-article-1.436147 |archive-date = December 5, 2014 |df = mdy-all }} Epstein made many out-of-court settlements with alleged victims.{{cite news |last1 = Lewis |first1 = Paul |last2 = Ball |first2 = James |title = Prince Andrew named in U.S. lawsuit over underage sex claims |work = The Guardian |date = January 3, 2015 |url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/02/prince-andrew-named-us-lawsuit-underage-sex-allegations |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161219131854/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/02/prince-andrew-named-us-lawsuit-underage-sex-allegations |archive-date = December 19, 2016 |df = mdy-all }}

A December 30, 2014, federal civil suit was filed in Florida by Jane Doe 1 (Courtney Wild) and Jane Doe 2 against the United States for violations of the Crime Victims' Rights Act by the U.S. Department of Justice's NPA with Epstein and his limited 2008 state plea. There was a later, unsuccessful effort to add Virginia Roberts (Jane Doe 3) and another woman (Jane Doe 4) as plaintiffs to that case.{{cite news |first = Philip |last = Sherwell |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/11520495/Prince-Andrew-sex-abuse-allegation-thrown-out-by-judge.html |title = Prince Andrew sex abuse allegation thrown out by judge |work = The Daily Telegraph |location=London, England|date = April 7, 2015 |access-date = November 7, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160719173320/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/11520495/Prince-Andrew-sex-abuse-allegation-thrown-out-by-judge.html |archive-date = July 19, 2016 |df = mdy-all }} The addition accused Alan Dershowitz of sexually abusing a minor, Jane Doe 3, provided by Epstein.{{cite web |first=Josh|last=Gerstein|url = http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/12/court-filing-levels-sex-claims-at-alan-dershowitz-200495.html |title = Woman who sued convicted billionaire over sex abuse levels claims at his friends |date = December 31, 2014 |work = Politico |publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150104085125/http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/12/court-filing-levels-sex-claims-at-alan-dershowitz-200495.html |archive-date = January 4, 2015 |df = mdy-all }} The allegations against Dershowitz were stricken by the judge and eliminated from the case because he said they were outside the intent of the suit to re-open the plea agreement.{{cite web |first = Sean P. |last = Murphy |url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/07/judge-drops-dershowitz-from-lawsuit-involving-lurid-allegations/rWS86rVg3zDXMMPrfc50rI/story.html |title = Judge drops Dershowitz from lawsuit involving 'lurid' allegations |work = The Boston Globe |date = April 7, 2015 |access-date = November 7, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161022205507/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/07/judge-drops-dershowitz-from-lawsuit-involving-lurid-allegations/rWS86rVg3zDXMMPrfc50rI/story.html |archive-date = October 22, 2016 |df = mdy-all }} A document filed in court alleges that Epstein ran a "sexual abuse ring", and lent underage girls to "prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister, and other world leaders".{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/02/jeffrey-epstein-rise-and-fall-of-teacher-turned-tycoon |title = Jeffrey Epstein: the rise and fall of teacher turned tycoon |first = Paul |last = Lewis |work = The Guardian |location=London, England|url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161126103523/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/02/jeffrey-epstein-rise-and-fall-of-teacher-turned-tycoon |archive-date = November 26, 2016 |df = mdy-all |date = January 4, 2015 }}

This long-running lawsuit is pending in federal court, aimed at vacating the federal plea agreement on the grounds that it violated victims' rights.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/04/politics/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuit-settled/index.html|title=Millionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein apologizes in settling malicious prosecution suit|last1=Flores|first1=Rosa|last2=McLaughlin|first2=Eliott C.|date=December 4, 2018|work=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems|location=Atlanta, Georgia|access-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204212935/https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/04/politics/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuit-settled/index.html|archive-date=December 4, 2018|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} On April 7, 2015, Judge Kenneth Marra ruled that the allegations made by alleged victim Virginia Roberts against Prince Andrew had no bearing on the lawsuit by alleged victims seeking to reopen Epstein's non-prosecution plea agreement with the federal government; the judge ordered that allegation to be struck from the record.{{cite news |title = US judge strikes out Prince Andrew sex claims |work = BBC News |date = April 7, 2015 |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/32210056 |access-date = November 8, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161202082100/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/32210056 |archive-date = December 2, 2016 |df = mdy-all }} Judge Marra made no ruling as to whether claims by Roberts are true or false. Though he did not allow Jane Does 3 and 4 to join the suit, Marra specifically said that Roberts may later give evidence when the case comes to court.{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/07/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-florida |title = Judge orders Prince Andrew sex allegations struck from court record |first = Jon |last = Swaine |work = The Guardian |location=London, England|date = April 7, 2015|url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160506070004/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/07/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-florida |archive-date = May 6, 2016 |df = mdy-all }}

On February 21, 2019, in the case of Two Jane Does v. United States, Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Kenneth Marra said federal prosecutors violated the law by failing to notify victims before they allowed him to plead guilty to only the two Florida offenses. The judge left open what the possible remedy could be.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/21/prosecutors-violated-law-jeffrey-epstein-1179120|title=Judge: Prosecutors violated law in dealings with Jeffrey Epstein victims|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|work=Politico|date=February 21, 2019|access-date=February 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222000500/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/21/prosecutors-violated-law-jeffrey-epstein-1179120|archive-date=February 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

{{external media

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}}

In a December 2014 Florida court filing by Bradley Edwards and Paul G. Cassell meant for inclusion in the Crime Victims Rights Act lawsuit,{{cite news|last1=Williams|first1=Timothy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/us/alan-dershowitz-denies-allegations-of-sex-with-minor.html|title=Alan Dershowitz Denies Suit's Allegations of Sex With a Minor|date=January 6, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 7, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107214335/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/us/alan-dershowitz-denies-allegations-of-sex-with-minor.html|archive-date=January 7, 2015}} Virginia Giuffre (then known as Virginia Roberts), alleged in a sworn affidavit that at age 17, she had been sexually trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for their own use and for use by several others, including Prince Andrew{{cite web |title=Everything We Know About Jeffrey Epstein's Private 'Pedophile Island' |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/everything-we-know-about-jeffrey-epsteins-private-islands.html |date=July 10, 2019 |first=Matt |last=Stieb |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903073646/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/everything-we-know-about-jeffrey-epsteins-private-islands.html |archive-date=September 3, 2019 |url-status=live }} and retired Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz.{{cite news|last1=Hartfield|first1=Elizabeth|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/17/us/dershowitz-defamation-lawsuit-epstein/index.html|title=Alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein files a defamation lawsuit against Alan Dershowitz|date=April 17, 2019|work=CNN|access-date=June 2, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503215153/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/17/us/dershowitz-defamation-lawsuit-epstein/index.html|archive-date=May 3, 2019}} Giuffre also claimed that Epstein, Maxwell and others had physically and sexually abused her.{{cite news|last=Withnall|first=Adam|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/prince-andrew-sex-allegations-virginia-roberts-claims-fbi-has-videos-of-her-underage-sex-with-jeffrey-epstein-and-powerful-friends-10031803.html|title=Virginia Roberts claims FBI has videos of her having underage sex with Jeffrey Epstein and 'powerful friends'|date=February 8, 2015|work=The Independent|access-date=November 7, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925183049/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/prince-andrew-sex-allegations-virginia-roberts-claims-fbi-has-videos-of-her-underage-sex-with-jeffrey-epstein-and-powerful-friends-10031803.html|archive-date=September 25, 2015}} She alleged that the FBI may have been involved in a cover-up.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/07/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-video-footage-sex-powerful-men|title=Jeffrey Epstein accuser: video exists of underage sex with powerful men|last=Swaine|first=Jon|date=February 7, 2015|work=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101133630/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/07/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-video-footage-sex-powerful-men|archive-date=November 1, 2016|access-date=November 3, 2016}} She said she had served as Epstein's sex slave from 1999 to 2002, and had recruited other underage girls.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/teenage-sex-slave-virginia-roberts-claims-she-was-paid-10000-by-jeffrey-epstein-to-have-sex-with-prince-andrew-at-london-home-9956338.html|title=Teenage 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts claims she was paid $15,593.58 by Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew|last=Withnall|first=Adam|date=January 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925151827/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/teenage-sex-slave-virginia-roberts-claims-she-was-paid-10000-by-jeffrey-epstein-to-have-sex-with-prince-andrew-at-london-home-9956338.html|archive-date=September 25, 2015|url-status=live|work=The Independent}} Prince Andrew, Epstein, and Dershowitz all denied having had sex with Giuffre. Dershowitz took legal action over the allegations.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/virginia-roberts-new-lease-on-life-after-escaping-from-billionaire-sexual-predator-jeffrey-epstein-20150105-12i9f8.html|title=Virginia Roberts' new lease on life after escaping from billionaire sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein|last=Han|first=Esther|date=January 6, 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107153443/http://www.smh.com.au/world/virginia-roberts-new-lease-on-life-after-escaping-from-billionaire-sexual-predator-jeffrey-epstein-20150105-12i9f8.html|archive-date=January 7, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-andrew-sex-allegations-virginia-roberts-met-the-queen-9957234.html|title=Prince Andrew 'sex slave' scandal: Virginia Roberts 'met the Queen'|last=Boren|first=Zachary|date=January 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031608/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-andrew-sex-allegations-virginia-roberts-met-the-queen-9957234.html|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live|quote=Roberts' father claims she was introduced to the Queen, but Buckingham Palace has 'no record' of a meeting.|work=The Independent}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30692699|title=U.S. lawyer Dershowitz sues in Prince Andrew sex claim case|date=January 6, 2015|work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111183049/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30692699|archive-date=January 11, 2015|url-status=live}}

Giuffre filed a defamation suit against Dershowitz, claiming he purposefully made "false and malicious defamatory statements" about her.{{cite web |last1=North |first1=Anna |title=Alan Dershowitz helped sex offender Jeffrey Epstein get a plea deal. Now he's tweeting about age of consent laws. |url=https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/7/30/20746983/alan-dershowitz-jeffrey-epstein-sarah-ransome-giuffre |date=July 31, 2019 |website=Vox.com |access-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821205948/https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/7/30/20746983/alan-dershowitz-jeffrey-epstein-sarah-ransome-giuffre |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |url-status=live }} A diary purported to belong to Giuffre was published online.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/prince-andrew-sex-claim-sex-slave-diary-published-containing-intimate-details-of-virginia-roberts-9978015.html |date=January 14, 2015 |url-status=live |title=Virginia Roberts: 'Sex slave diary' published containing alleged intimate details about Prince Andrew |first=Andrew |last=Buncombe |work=The Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925183053/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/prince-andrew-sex-claim-sex-slave-diary-published-containing-intimate-details-of-virginia-roberts-alleged-encounter-with-fifth-in-line-to-throne-9978015.html|archive-date=September 25, 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/11359788/Prince-Andrew-under-renewed-pressure-to-speak-about-sex-abuse-claims-after-flight-logs-emerge.html|title=Prince Andrew under renewed pressure to speak about 'sex abuse' claims after flight logs emerge|work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302105551/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/11359788/Prince-Andrew-under-renewed-pressure-to-speak-about-sex-abuse-claims-after-flight-logs-emerge.html|archive-date=March 2, 2016 |url-status=live|first1=Gordon |last1=Rayner |first2=Rob |last2=Crilly |date=January 21, 2015 }} Epstein entered an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre, as he had done in several other lawsuits. In 2019, Giuffre was interviewed by the BBC's Panorama where she continued to attest that Epstein had trafficked her to Prince Andrew.{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5742379/virginia-giuffre-prince-andrew-bbc-interview/|title='Only One of Us Is Telling the Truth.' The Biggest Moments From Prince Andrew Accuser Virginia Giuffre's BBC Interview|last1=Mansoor|first1=Sanya|magazine=Time|date=December 2, 2019 |publisher=Time|access-date=December 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421033950/https://time.com/5742379/virginia-giuffre-prince-andrew-bbc-interview/|archive-date=April 21, 2020|url-status=live}} She appealed directly to the public by stating: "I implore the people in the UK to stand up beside me, to help me fight this fight, to not accept this as being okay." These accusations had not been tested in any court of law.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/jan/05/prince-andrew-story-runs-and-runs-but-editors-should-beware|title=Prince Andrew story runs and runs – but editors should beware|last1=Greenslade|first1=Roy|date=January 5, 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316025803/https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/jan/05/prince-andrew-story-runs-and-runs-but-editors-should-beware|archive-date=March 16, 2017|url-status=live}}

As a result of Giuffre's allegations and Maxwell's comments about them, Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation in September 2015. After much legal confrontation, the case was settled under seal in May 2017. The Miami Herald, other media, and Alan Dershowitz filed to have the documents about the settlement unsealed. After the judge dismissed their request, the matter was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.{{cite news | first1=Dan | last1=Mangan | first2=Kevin | last2=Breuninger | title=Court releases documents about Jeffrey Epstein, accused in sex traffic case, and his alleged procurer Ghislaine Maxwell | website=CNBC | date=August 9, 2019 | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/09/documents-released-about-jeffrey-epstein-and-ghislaine-maxwell.html | access-date=August 10, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809231903/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/09/documents-released-about-jeffrey-epstein-and-ghislaine-maxwell.html | archive-date=August 9, 2019 | url-status=live }}

On March 11, 2019, in the appeal of the district judge's refusal to unseal the documents relating to the 2017 defamation settlement of Giuffre v. Maxwell, the Second Circuit Court gave parties one week to provide good cause as to why they should remain under seal, without which they would be unsealed on March 19, 2019. Later the Court ordered these documents to be unsealed after having them redacted to protect innocent parties.

In Giuffre's testimony, she claims that she was "directed" by Maxwell to give erotic massages and engage in sexual activities with Prince Andrew; Jean-Luc Brunel; Glenn Dubin; Marvin Minsky; Governor Bill Richardson; another unnamed prince; an unnamed foreign president; "a well known Prime Minister"; and an unnamed hotel chain owner from France, among others.{{cite news |last1=Briquelet |first1=Kate |last2=Baker |first2=Katie |last3=Miller |first3=Justin |last4=Melendez |first4=Pilar |last5=Connor |first5=Tracy |title=Jeffrey Epstein Accuser Names Powerful Men in Alleged Sex Ring |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-unsealed-documents-name-powerful-men-in-sex-ring |access-date=August 10, 2019 |work=The Daily Beast |date=August 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810011802/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-unsealed-documents-name-powerful-men-in-sex-ring |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} The deposition does not claim that any of these men in fact engaged with Giuffre, and none of these men have been indicted or sued for related sex crimes. Giuffre testified: "my whole life revolved around just pleasing these men and keeping Ghislaine and Jeffrey happy. Their whole entire lives revolved around sex."

On August 9, less than twenty-four hours before Epstein's death, 2,000 pages of previously sealed documents from the case were released. Two sets of additional sealed documents will be analyzed by a federal judge to determine whether they should also be made public. A "John Doe" asked the judge on September 3 to permanently keep the documents secret, claiming "unproven allegations of impropriety" could damage his reputation, though he had no evidence his name was included.{{cite web |last1=Larson |first1=Erik |title='John Doe' Wants to Keep Documents Sealed in Epstein Suit |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-03/-john-doe-asks-judge-to-keep-documents-sealed-in-epstein-suit |date=September 3, 2019 |website=Bloomberg |access-date=September 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204232351/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-03/-john-doe-asks-judge-to-keep-documents-sealed-in-epstein-suit |archive-date=December 4, 2019 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations}}

A federal lawsuit filed in California in April 2016 against Epstein and Donald Trump by a California woman alleged that the two men sexually assaulted her at a series of parties at Epstein's Manhattan residence in 1994, when she was 13 years old. The suit was dismissed by a federal judge in May 2016 because it did not raise valid claims under federal law. The woman filed another federal suit in New York in June 2016, but it was withdrawn three months later, apparently without being served on the defendants. A third federal suit was filed in New York in September 2016.{{cite web |title=New York suit, Case 1:16-cv-07673 |website=Politico |date=September 30, 2016 |url=https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000158-26b6-dda3-afd8-b6fe46f40000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101111421/https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000158-26b6-dda3-afd8-b6fe46f40000|archive-date=January 1, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/us/politics/sexual-harassment-politics-partisanship.html|title=Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims|last=Vogel|first=Kenneth P.|date=December 31, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608070733/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/us/politics/sexual-harassment-politics-partisanship.html|archive-date=June 8, 2019|url-status=live}}

The two latter suits included affidavits by an anonymous witness who attested to the accusations in the suits, asserting Epstein employed her to procure underage girls for him, and an anonymous person who declared the plaintiff had told him/her about the assaults at the time they occurred. The plaintiff, who had filed anonymously as Jane Doe, was scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles press conference six days before the 2016 election, but abruptly canceled the event; her lawyer Lisa Bloom asserted that the woman had received threats. The suit was dropped on November 4, 2016. Trump attorney Alan Garten denied the allegations, while Epstein declined to comment.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-dropped-230770|title=Woman suing Trump over alleged teen rape drops suit, again|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|date=November 4, 2016|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816061817/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-rape-lawsuit-dropped-230770|archive-date=August 16, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=August 15, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-rape-accuser-lawsuits-230647|title=Trump teen rape accuser abruptly calls off news conference|last1=Gerstein|first1=Josh|last2=Noah|first2=Timothy|date=November 3, 2016|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816061824/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-rape-accuser-lawsuits-230647|archive-date=August 16, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=August 15, 2018}}{{cite web |title=California suit, Case 5:16-cv-00797-DMG-KS |website=Politico |date=April 26, 2016 |url=https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000158-267d-dda3-afd8-b67d3bc00000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203025633/https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000158-267d-dda3-afd8-b67d3bc00000|archive-date=February 3, 2018}}

File:11 E71 doorway jeh.jpg.|upright]]

In 2017, Sarah Ransome filed a suit against Epstein and Maxwell, alleging that Maxwell had hired her to give massages to Epstein and later threatened to physically harm her or destroy her career prospects if she did not comply with their sexual demands at his mansion in New York City and on his private Caribbean island, Little Saint James. The suit was settled in 2018 under undisclosed terms.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-alleged-madam.html|title=Everything We Know About Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's Alleged Madam|last=Arnold|first=Amanda|date=July 12, 2019|work=New York|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712160225/https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-alleged-madam.html|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}}

A state civil lawsuit in Florida filed by attorney Bradley Edwards against Epstein was scheduled for trial in December 2018. The trial was expected to provide victims with their first opportunity to make their accusations in public. However, the case was settled on the first day of the trial, with Epstein publicly apologizing to Edwards; other terms of the settlement were confidential.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/04/673320224/sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-settles-defamation-suit-silencing-womens-testimony|title=Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein Settles Defamation Suit, Silencing Women's Testimony|last=Romo|first=Vanessa|date=December 4, 2018|work=National Public Radio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720014746/https://www.npr.org/2018/12/04/673320224/sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-settles-defamation-suit-silencing-womens-testimony|archive-date=July 20, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 20, 2019}}

On April 16, 2019, Maria Farmer went public and filed a sworn affidavit in federal court in New York, alleging that she and her 15-year-old sister, Annie, had been sexually assaulted by Epstein and Maxwell in separate locations in 1996. Farmer met Epstein and Maxwell at her graduate art gallery reception at the New York Academy of Art in 1995. The following year, in the summer of 1996, they hired her to work on an art project in Leslie Wexner's Ohio mansion, where she was then sexually assaulted.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article229277874.html|title=New Jeffrey Epstein accuser goes public; defamation lawsuit targets Dershowitz|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=April 16, 2019|work=Miami Herald|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190417145523/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article229277874.html|archive-date=April 17, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 21, 2019}} Farmer reported the incident to the New York City Police Department and the FBI. Farmer's affidavit also stated that during the same summer, Epstein flew her then-15-year-old sister to his New Mexico property where he and Maxwell sexually abused her on a massage table.{{cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/artist-accuses-jeffrey-epstein-1595977|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Latest Accuser Is an Artist Who Claims the Billionaire Sex Offender Lured Her in With Promises to Help Her Career|last=Corbett|first=Rachel|date=July 9, 2019|work=Artnet News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721002035/https://news.artnet.com/art-world/artist-accuses-jeffrey-epstein-1595977|archive-date=July 21, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 21, 2019}}

On July 22, 2019, while in jail awaiting trial, Epstein was served with a petition regarding a pending state civil lawsuit filed by Jennifer Araoz.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/10/us/jeffrey-epstein-accuser/index.html|title=New alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein says he raped her when she was 15|last=Orjoux|first=Alanne|date=July 10, 2019|website=CNN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218012533/https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/10/us/jeffrey-epstein-accuser/index.html|archive-date=February 18, 2020|access-date=February 17, 2020}} She stated that an associate for Epstein had recruited her outside Talent Unlimited High School at age 14 and she was gradually groomed for over a year before Epstein raped her in his New York City mansion when she was 15.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-he-raped-me-when-i-was-n1028011|title=New Jeffrey Epstein accuser: He raped me when I was 15|website=NBC News|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215180420/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-he-raped-me-when-i-was-n1028011|archive-date=February 15, 2020|url-status=live}} Araoz filed her suit on August 14, 2019, when New York State law was updated to allow one year for adult survivors of child sexual abuse to sue for previous offenses, regardless of how long ago the abuse took place.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/14/jeffrey-epstein-rape-accuser-jennifer-araoz-sues-ghislaine-maxwell-3-others.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein rape accuser Jennifer Araoz sues 'enablers' Ghislaine Maxwell, 3 others|last=Breuninger|first=Kevin|date=August 14, 2019|website=CNBC|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307061643/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/14/jeffrey-epstein-rape-accuser-jennifer-araoz-sues-ghislaine-maxwell-3-others.html|archive-date=March 7, 2020|url-status=live}} In October 2019, Araoz amended her complaint to include over twenty corporate entities associated with Epstein and named the additional individuals Lesley Groff and Cimberly Espinosa as enablers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/08/us/jennifer-araoz-suit-names-more-defendants/index.html|title=Lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell names more defendants|last=Vitagliano|first=Brian|date=October 8, 2019|website=CNN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113205934/https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/08/us/jennifer-araoz-suit-names-more-defendants/index.html|archive-date=January 13, 2020|access-date=February 17, 2020}}

Three women (Katlyn Doe, Lisa Doe and Priscilla Doe) sued the estate of Jeffrey Epstein on August 20, 2019. Two of the women were 17 and one was 20 when they met Epstein. The women allege they were recruited, subjected to unwanted sex acts, and controlled by Epstein and a "vast enterprise" of co-conspirators.{{cite web |last1=Nadeau |first1=Barbie |title=Epstein Victim Says He Forced Her to Marry Female Recruiter |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-new-lawsuits-against-estate-say-financier-forcibly-used-sex-toys-on-victims-took-passports |date=August 20, 2019 |website=Daily Beast |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905173922/http://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-new-lawsuits-against-estate-say-financier-forcibly-used-sex-toys-on-victims-took-passports |archive-date=September 5, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Three More Women Sue Epstein's Estate Over Alleged Abuse |first=Brendan |last=Pierson |date=August 20, 2019 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jeffrey-epstein-lawsuits-idUSKCN1VA1B4 |website=Reuters |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901055534/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jeffrey-epstein-lawsuits-idUSKCN1VA1B4 |archive-date=September 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}

A New York accuser of Epstein, known only as Jane Doe, announced a federal lawsuit against his estate in the Southern District of New York on September 18, 2019, stating that she was recruited in 2002 and sexually abused by Epstein for three years starting at age 14.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article235221457.html|title=New York accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, who says she was recruited for sex at 14, sues estate|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|date=September 18, 2019|work=Miami Herald|access-date=January 25, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225193947/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article235221457.html|archive-date=February 25, 2020}}

Five women (Teresa Helm, Annie Farmer, Maria Farmer, Juliette Bryant, and an unidentified woman), represented by David Boies, sued Epstein's estate in Federal District Court in Manhattan in November 2019, accusing him of rape, battery and false imprisonment and seeking unspecified damages.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/17/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuits-victims.html|title=Why These 5 Accusers of Jeffrey Epstein Want More Than Money|last=McKinley|first=Jesse|date=November 17, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125165922/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/17/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuits-victims.html|archive-date=January 25, 2020|url-status=live}}

On November 18, 2019, a woman identified as Jane Doe 15 made a public appearance with her attorney Gloria Allred to announce that she was suing the estate of Jeffrey Epstein in the District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that he manipulated, trafficked, and sexually abused her in 2004, when she was 15-years-old.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-sues-his-estate-calls-prince-andrew-n1085111|title=New Jeffrey Epstein accuser sues his estate, calls on Prince Andrew to speak under oath|last=Griffith|first=Janelle|date=November 18, 2019|website=NBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222002129/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-sues-his-estate-calls-prince-andrew-n1085111|archive-date=February 22, 2020|access-date=January 25, 2020}}

On November 21, 2019, Teala Davies appeared with her attorney Gloria Allred and announced her lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Epstein's estate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epsteins-estate-sued-woman-alleging-he-kept-her-dependent-him-repeatedly-raped-her-1473399|title=Jeffrey Epstein's estate sued by woman alleging he kept her dependent on him and repeatedly raped her|last=Lemieux|first=Melissa|date=November 21, 2019|website=Newsweek|access-date=January 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129100736/https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epsteins-estate-sued-woman-alleging-he-kept-her-dependent-him-repeatedly-raped-her-1473399|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/21/jeffrey-epstein-teala-davies-accuser-lawsuit|title=Jeffrey Epstein: newest accuser comes forward, says she was 'perfect victim'|date=November 21, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 25, 2020|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125200218/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/21/jeffrey-epstein-teala-davies-accuser-lawsuit|archive-date=January 25, 2020|url-status=live}} Davies stated that after meeting Epstein in 2002, he sexually assaulted and trafficked her in New York, New Mexico, Florida, the Virgin Islands and France.

On December 3, 2019, [https://mersonlaw.com/founder-jordan-merson/ lawyer Jordan Merson] filed a lawsuit in New York on behalf of nine anonymous accusers (Jane Does 1–9) and against Epstein's estate for battery, assault, and intentional emotional distress.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-new-sexual-harassment-accusers-push-new-law-giving-protections-for-adult-sex-abuse-survivors/|title=New Jeffrey Epstein accusers push for protections for adult sex abuse survivors|last=Donaghue|first=Erin|date=November 19, 2019|website=CBS News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130101731/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-new-sexual-harassment-accusers-push-new-law-giving-protections-for-adult-sex-abuse-survivors/|archive-date=January 30, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2020}} The claims date from 1985 through the 2000s, and include individuals who were 13, 14, and 15 when they first encountered Epstein.

The lawsuit was filed by Bradley Edwards on behalf of his client in late December 2019. The accuser, JJ Doe, is described as being a 14-year-old resident of Palm Beach County at the time Epstein abused her in 2004.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article238911453.html|title=In latest Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit, Palm Beach woman says she was abused as a 14-year-old|last=Hall|first=Kevin G.|date=January 3, 2020|work=Miami Herald|access-date=January 26, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105042047/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article238911453.html|archive-date=January 5, 2020}}

A lawsuit was filed in Superior Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2020 alleging that Epstein ran a sex trafficking conspiracy for over two decades, through 2018, with children as young as 11-years-old on Epstein's Caribbean islands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/797011139/u-s-virgin-islands-officials-epstein-trafficked-girls-on-private-island-until-20|title=U.S. Virgin Islands Officials: Epstein Trafficked Girls On Private Island Until 2018|last=Allyn|first=Bobby|date=January 16, 2020|website=NPR.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201150522/https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/797011139/u-s-virgin-islands-officials-epstein-trafficked-girls-on-private-island-until-20|archive-date=February 1, 2020|access-date=February 1, 2020}} According to Attorney General Denise George, his alleged criminal activities on the islands were concealed through a complex network of companies.

In January 2020, a lawsuit was filed against Maxwell and Epstein alleging that they recruited a 13-year-old music student at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in 1994 and subjected her to sexual abuse.{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-allege-ghislaine-maxwell-purposefully-evading-justice-system/story?id=68626164|title=Victims allege Ghislaine Maxwell is purposefully evading justice system|last=Hill|first=James|date=January 30, 2020|website=ABC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130123440/https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-allege-ghislaine-maxwell-purposefully-evading-justice-system/story?id=68626164|archive-date=January 30, 2020|access-date=January 30, 2020}} The suit states that Jane Doe was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Epstein over a four-year period and that Maxwell played a key role in both her recruitment and by participating in the assaults.

In August 2020, nine Jane Does filed suit accusing Epstein of sexual abuse. The alleged victims in the lawsuit include an 11-year-old and a victim who alleged abuse in 1975.{{Cite web|last=Al-Arshani|first=Sarah|title=9 accusers bring new lawsuit against Epstein's estate, alleging sexual abuse dating back to 1978, including an accusation that Epstein raped an 11-year-old|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/9-accusers-bring-new-lawsuit-against-jeffery-epsteins-estate-2020-8|access-date=September 14, 2020|website=Business Insider|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110012442/https://www.businessinsider.com/9-accusers-bring-new-lawsuit-against-jeffery-epsteins-estate-2020-8|url-status=live}}

In August 2020, Epstein was sued by a Jane Doe accusing him of sexually abusing her for over a year, beginning when she was 18.{{Cite web|date=August 26, 2020|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Estate Sued for Sexual Assault, Battery of 18 Year Old|url=https://www.thewrap.com/jeffrey-epsteins-estate-sued-for-sexual-assault-battery-of-18-year-old-woman/|access-date=September 14, 2020|website=TheWrap|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205060545/https://www.thewrap.com/jeffrey-epsteins-estate-sued-for-sexual-assault-battery-of-18-year-old-woman/|url-status=live}}

A civil suit was filed against Epstein's estate in March 2021 by a Broward County woman who accused Epstein and Maxwell of trafficking her after repeatedly raping her in Florida in 2008.{{Cite news|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|date=March 30, 2021|title=A lawsuit names Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell and alleges actions sinister even by his standards|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article250316759.html|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-date=August 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817011056/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article250316759.html|url-status=live}}

The U.S. government sued JP Morgan Chase Bank in 2022, alleging that JP Morgan "facilitated, sustained, and concealed the human trafficking network operated by Jeffrey Epstein."{{Cite web|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66683865/1/government-of-the-united-states-virgin-islands-v-jpmorgan-chase-bank-na/|title=Complaint – #1 in Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (S.D.N.Y., 1:22-cv-10904) – CourtListener.com|website=CourtListener|access-date=January 5, 2024|archive-date=January 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105160053/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66683865/1/government-of-the-united-states-virgin-islands-v-jpmorgan-chase-bank-na/|url-status=live}} A related class action alleged that the bank assisted in the structuring of Epstein's withdrawals of large amounts of cash.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67546974/2/jpmorgan-chase-bank-na-v-doe/|title=#2 in JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Doe (2d Cir., 23-939) – CourtListener.com|website=CourtListener|access-date=January 5, 2024|archive-date=January 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105163210/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67546974/2/jpmorgan-chase-bank-na-v-doe/|url-status=live}}

Previous long-term girlfriends of Epstein include Eva Andersson-Dubin{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/how-jeffrey-epstein-worked-wall-street|title=How Jeffrey Epstein Worked Wall Street|last=Cohan|first=William D.|date=July 22, 2019|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810063836/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/how-jeffrey-epstein-worked-wall-street|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}} and publishing heiress Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein dated Andersson-Dubin for an 11-year period{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-reportedly-wanted-to-marry-teenage-daughter-of-ex-girlfriend-eva-andersson-dubin|title=Jeffrey Epstein Wanted to Marry Teenage Daughter of Ex-Girlfriend: Report|last=Arciga|first=Julia|date=December 18, 2019|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-date=June 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607192757/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-reportedly-wanted-to-marry-teenage-daughter-of-ex-girlfriend-eva-andersson-dubin|url-status=live}} mostly in the 1980s and the two later remained friendly well after her marriage to Glenn Dubin. Epstein met Maxwell, daughter of disgraced media baron Robert Maxwell, by 1991.{{Cite book|title=Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein|last1=Patterson|first1=James|last2=Connolly|first2=John|date=2016|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=9780316362450|chapter=Chapter: Epilogue|quote=Photo: (L to R) Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Tony Randall, who presided over a November 1991 YIVO Institute event at the Plaza Hotel to honor the late Robert Maxwell (Marina Garnier)}} Epstein had Maxwell come to the United States in 1991 to recover from her grief following the death of her father.{{Cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2019/08/jeffrey-epstein-my-very-very-sick-pal/|date=August 23, 2019|title=Jeffrey Epstein, my very, very sick pal|last=Leland Nally|website=Mother Jones|access-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824014605/https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2019/08/jeffrey-epstein-my-very-very-sick-pal/|archive-date=August 24, 2019|url-status=live}} Maxwell was later implicated by several of Epstein's accusers as procuring or recruiting{{cite web | last=Schneier | first=Matthew | title=Ghislaine Maxwell, The Socialite on Jeffrey Epstein's Arm | website=The Cut | date=July 15, 2019 | url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/ghislaine-maxwell-the-socialite-on-jeffrey-epsteins-arm.html | access-date=October 1, 2024 | quote=In court documents, Epstein's accusers allege that Maxwell acted as a recruiter, an instructor, and in some cases a participant in the abuse he practiced. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims that Maxwell recruited her on behalf of Epstein when Giuffre was a 16-year-old spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, where Epstein has a home, said much of her grooming came from Maxwell herself. "The training started immediately," she said in a video interview with the Miami Herald. "It was everything down to how to give a blowjob, how to be quiet, be subservient, give Jeffrey what he wants. A lot of this training came from Ghislaine herself. Being a woman, it kind of surprises you that a woman could let stuff like that happen. Not only let it happen but to groom you into doing it." | archive-date=July 15, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715151606/https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/ghislaine-maxwell-the-socialite-on-jeffrey-epsteins-arm.html | url-status=live }} underage girls in addition to once being Epstein's girlfriend.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232385422.html|title=With Jeffrey Epstein locked up, these are nervous times for his friends, enablers|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=July 7, 2019|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707230038/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232385422.html|archive-date=July 7, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}}

Several of Epstein's household employees testified in 2009 that Maxwell had a central role in both his public and private life, referring to her as his "main girlfriend" who also handled the hiring, supervising, and firing of staff starting around 1992. In 1995, Epstein renamed one of his companies the Ghislaine Corporation in Palm Beach, Florida; the company was dissolved in 1998.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/following-epsteins-arrest-spotlight-shifts-to-financiers-longtime-associate-11562881299|title=Following Epstein's Arrest, Spotlight Shifts to Financier's Longtime Associate|last1=Hong|first1=Nicole|date=July 11, 2019|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=July 19, 2019|last2=O'Brien|first2=Rebecca Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719055325/https://www.wsj.com/articles/following-epsteins-arrest-spotlight-shifts-to-financiers-longtime-associate-11562881299|archive-date=July 19, 2019|url-status=live}} In 2000, Maxwell moved into a 7,000-square-foot townhouse, less than ten blocks from Epstein's New York mansion. This townhome was purchased for $4.95{{nbsp}}million by an anonymous limited liability company, with an address that matches the office of J. Epstein & Co. Representing the buyer was Darren Indyke, Epstein's longtime lawyer. In a 2003 Vanity Fair article, Epstein refers to Maxwell as "my best friend".

Epstein was a longtime acquaintance of Prince Andrew and Tom Barrack,{{cite book|first=Michael|last=Wolff|author-link=Michael Wolff (journalist)|title=Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House|publisher=Henry Holt and Company|location=New York City|year=2018|isbn=978-1-250-15806-2|page=53}} and attended parties with many prominent people, including Bill Clinton, George Stephanopoulos, Mark Zuckerberg,{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Rob |title=Mark Zuckerberg once met Jeffrey Epstein at a dinner hosted by LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman that Elon Musk also attended |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-jeffrey-epstein-reid-hoffman-report-2019-7 |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Business Insider}} Donald Trump,{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-jeffrey-epstien-alexander-acosta-sex-abuse-case-20170321-story.html|title=Trump's Labor nominee Acosta cut deal with billionaire in underage sex abuse case|date = March 21, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post |via=Chicago Tribune|first=Marc|last=Fisher|access-date=August 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731011746/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-jeffrey-epstien-alexander-acosta-sex-abuse-case-20170321-story.html|archive-date=July 31, 2018|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} Katie Couric, Woody Allen,{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/13/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein |title = Prince Andrew's link to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein taints royalty in US |work = The Guardian |date = March 12, 2011 |first = Paul |last = Harris |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161108052840/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/13/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein |archive-date = November 8, 2016 |df = mdy-all }} Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin,{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |title=Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Marissa Mayer reportedly attended an elite private dinner with Jeffrey Epstein just 2 years after he served a prison sentence for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-dinner-bezos-elon-musk-bill-gates-report-2011-2019-9 |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Business Insider}} Naomi Campbell, Stephen Hawking,{{Cite web |last1=Culture |first1=Ryan Smith Senior Pop |last2=Reporter |first2=Entertainment |date=2024-01-04 |title=These celebrities were named in Jeffrey Epstein list |url=https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-list-celebrities-named-unsealed-ghislaine-maxwell-1857767 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Newsweek |archive-date=January 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112085131/https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-list-celebrities-named-unsealed-ghislaine-maxwell-1857767 |url-status=live }} and Harvey Weinstein.{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/09/08/jeffrey-epstein-harvey-weinstein-attended-party-for-prince-andrews-daughter/|title=Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein attended party for Prince Andrew's daughter|date=September 8, 2019|work=New York Post|first=Max|last=Jaeger|access-date=September 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909141211/https://nypost.com/2019/09/08/jeffrey-epstein-harvey-weinstein-attended-party-for-prince-andrews-daughter/|archive-date=September 9, 2019|url-status=live}} Contacts listed in his printed phone directory included Rupert Murdoch, Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, John Kerry,{{Cite web |date=2019-07-22 |title=The High Society That Surrounded Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/jeffrey-epstein-high-society-contacts.html |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Intelligencer}} Richard Branson, Alec Baldwin, David Koch,{{Cite web |last=Loh |first=Matthew |title=Jeffrey Epstein's web: Search through more than 1,700 associates that the well-connected pedophile listed in 2 little black books |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-names-associates-1700-ghislaine-maxwell-pedophile-black-books-2024-1 |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Business Insider}} and Michael Jackson.{{cite news |title=Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sexually abusing teenage girls, surrounded himself with influential network of defenders |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jeffrey-epstein-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teenage-girls-surrounded-himself-with-influential-network-of-defenders/2019/07/09/67069e12-a259-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html |first=Marc |last=Fisher |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 9, 2019 |access-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810182657/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jeffrey-epstein-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teenage-girls-surrounded-himself-with-influential-network-of-defenders/2019/07/09/67069e12-a259-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} The "black book" also included Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, British prime minister Tony Blair, and Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/if-you-flew-the-lolita-express-the-feds-want-to-talk-to-you |title=If You Flew Epstein's 'Lolita Express' Private Jet—the Feds Want to Talk to You |first=Greg |last=Farrell |website=Bloomberg News |date=July 9, 2019|access-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710101612/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/if-you-flew-the-lolita-express-the-feds-want-to-talk-to-you |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all}}{{Cite news |first=Allison Kaplan |last=Sommer|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-netanyahu-trades-barbs-with-barak-over-epstein-sex-trafficking-scandal-1.7453690 |title=Netanyahu Trades Barbs With Barak Over Epstein Sex Trafficking Scandal |work=Haaretz|date=July 7, 2019 |access-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710064534/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-netanyahu-trades-barbs-with-barak-over-epstein-sex-trafficking-scandal-1.7453690 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html|title=The Day Jeffrey Epstein Told Me He Had Dirt on Powerful People|last=Stewart|first=James B.|date=August 12, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 14, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813204544/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html|archive-date=August 13, 2019|url-status=live}} Both Clinton{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/07/08/bill-clinton-claims-he-knows-nothing-about-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-sex-crimes/|title=Bill Clinton claims he 'knows nothing' about Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex crimes|last=Perez|first=Chris|date=July 9, 2019|work=New York Post|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190709012017/https://nypost.com/2019/07/08/bill-clinton-claims-he-knows-nothing-about-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-sex-crimes/|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 17, 2019|quote=He had one meeting with Epstein in his Harlem office in 2002, and around the same time made one brief visit to Epstein's New York apartment with a staff member and his security detail. He's not spoken to Epstein in well over a decade, and he has never been to Little St. James Island, Epstein's ranch in New Mexico, or his residence in Florida."}} and Trump{{cite news |last1=March |first1=Mary Tyler |title=Acosta out as Trump Labor secretary |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/452184-acosta-out-as-trump-labor-secretary |access-date=August 13, 2019 |work=The Hill |date=July 12, 2019 |quote='It shows you one thing, that I have good taste. OK. Now other people, they went all over with him they went to his island. They went all over the place. He was very well known in Palm Beach. His island, whatever this island was, wherever it is, I was never there. Find out the people that went to the island,' Trump said. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813192653/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/452184-acosta-out-as-trump-labor-secretary |archive-date=August 13, 2019 |url-status=live }} claimed that they never visited Epstein's island.

According to Michael Wolff, former Trump chief Strategist Steve Bannon and Epstein were introduced in December 2017.{{Cite magazine |last=Hettena |first=Seth |date=October 18, 2021 |title=Steve Bannon Thought Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-spy-trump-1242599/ |access-date=June 20, 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=October 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031115343/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-spy-trump-1242599/ |url-status=live }} Bannon met with Epstein several times at his mansion in New York.{{Cite web |author=Staff |date=July 22, 2019 |title=The High Society That Surrounded Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-high-society-contacts.html |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Intelligencer |archive-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914004217/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-high-society-contacts.html |url-status=live }} Also according to Wolff, Bannon coached Epstein for a 60 Minutes interview which never occurred.{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2021 |title=Steve Bannon prepped Jeffrey Epstein for CBS interview, Michael Wolff claims |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/13/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-cbs-interview-michael-wolff-book |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=the Guardian |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108193742/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/13/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-cbs-interview-michael-wolff-book |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Lahut |first=Jake |title=Jeffrey Epstein got media training from Steve Bannon for a '60 Minutes' interview that never happened, according to report |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-got-media-training-from-steve-bannon-report-2021-9 |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Business Insider |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620022914/https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-got-media-training-from-steve-bannon-report-2021-9 |url-status=live }} A New York Times article reported that Bill Gates's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein started in 2011, just a few years after Epstein's conviction, and continued for some years.{{cite news |last1=Flitter |first1=Emily |last2=Stewart |first2=James B. |date=October 12, 2019 |title=Bill Gates Met With Jeffrey Epstein Many Times, Despite His Past |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html |access-date=July 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html |archive-date=December 29, 2021}} In August 2021, Gates said the reason he had meetings with Epstein was because Gates hoped Epstein could provide money for philanthropic work, though nothing came of the idea. Gates added, "It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there."{{cite news |date=August 5, 2021 |title=Epstein meetings a huge mistake, says Bill Gates |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58099778 |access-date=July 17, 2022 |archive-date=March 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330032153/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58099778 |url-status=live }}

Epstein owned a private Boeing 727 jet and traveled in it frequently, logging "600 flying hours a year ... usually with guests on board".{{cite news |date=January 29, 2015 |url=https://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/06/sex-offender-who-mixes-princes-and-premiers-302877.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein: The Sex Offender Who Mixes With Princes and Premiers|last1=Ostler|first1=Catherine|work=Newsweek|access-date=September 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052429/https://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/06/sex-offender-who-mixes-princes-and-premiers-302877.html|archive-date=September 4, 2018|url-status=live}} The jet was nicknamed the Lolita Express by the locals in the Virgin Islands, because of its frequent arrivals at Little Saint James with apparently underage girls.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-lolita-express-bill-clinton-flight-logs-1448367|title=What is the Lolita Express? Epstein's infamous sex plane included VIPS like Bill Clinton|last=Whalen|first=Andrew|date=July 9, 2019|work=Newsweek|access-date=November 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127015830/https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-lolita-express-bill-clinton-flight-logs-1448367|archive-date=November 27, 2019|url-status=live}} In 2003, Epstein flew to Cuba aboard his plane with Colombian president Andrés Pastrana Arango at the invitation of Cuban president Fidel Castro. According to Fabiola Santiago of the Miami Herald, Epstein was likely considering relocating to Cuba in order to escape U.S. law enforcement; Epstein was under investigation from U.S. law enforcement at the time.{{cite news |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article234027867.html |title=A match made in hell: Epstein, Fidel Castro, and the Lolita Express that flew to Cuba |work=Miami Herald |date=August 16, 2019 |first=Fabiola |last=Santiago |access-date=September 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830071100/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article234027867.html |archive-date=August 30, 2019 |url-status=live }}

In 2009, Epstein's brother Mark claimed Trump had flown on Epstein's plane at least once. He later told The Washington Post that Trump flew "numerous times" on Epstein's airplane, although Mark was present on only one of the flights.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/donald-trump-and-jeffrey-epstein-partied-together-then-an-oceanfront-palm-beach-mansion-came-between-them/2019/07/31/79f1d98c-aca0-11e9-a0c9-6d2d7818f3da_story.html|title=Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein partied together. Then an oceanfront Palm Beach mansion came between them.|first1=Beth|last1=Reinhard|first2=Rosalind S.|last2=Helderman|first3=Marc|last3=Fisher|date=July 31, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801233717/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/donald-trump-and-jeffrey-epstein-partied-together-then-an-oceanfront-palm-beach-mansion-came-between-them/2019/07/31/79f1d98c-aca0-11e9-a0c9-6d2d7818f3da_story.html|archive-date=August 1, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-called-epstein-a-terrific-guy-before-denying-relationship-with-him/2019/07/08/a01e0f00-a1be-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html? |title=Trump called Epstein a 'terrific guy' who enjoyed 'younger' women before denying relationship with him |first1=David A. |last1=Fahrenthold |first2=Beth |last2=Reinhard |first3=Kimberly |last3=Kindy |date=July 8, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 30, 2019 |quote="Epstein's brother, Mark, recalled in 2009 that Trump had flown on Epstein's plane at least once" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801114312/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-called-epstein-a-terrific-guy-before-denying-relationship-with-him/2019/07/08/a01e0f00-a1be-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |url-status=live }} According to Michael Corcoran, Trump flew Epstein on his own airplane at least once.{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/remembering-the-time-jeffrey-epstein-rode-on-trumps-plane.html|title=Remembering the Time Jeffrey Epstein Rode on Donald Trump's Plane|last=Walsh|first=James D.|date=July 15, 2019|work=New York|access-date=July 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802181230/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/remembering-the-time-jeffrey-epstein-rode-on-trumps-plane.html|archive-date=August 2, 2019|url-status=live}} In September 2002, Epstein flew Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Chris Tucker to Africa in this jet.{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Epstein, friend of presidents and princes, charged with sex trafficking |date=July 8, 2019 |agency=Reuters, AP |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190708-usa-court-documents-jeffrey-epstein-expose-sex-crimes |work=France24 |access-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712101253/https://www.france24.com/en/20190708-usa-court-documents-jeffrey-epstein-expose-sex-crimes |archive-date=July 12, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=What Is The Lolita Express? Epstein's Infamous Sex Plane Included VIPs Like Bill Clinton |url=https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-lolita-express-bill-clinton-flight-logs-1448367 |date=July 9, 2019 |first=Andrew |last=Whalen |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711221723/https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-lolita-express-bill-clinton-flight-logs-1448367 |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |url-status=live }} Flight records obtained in 2016 show Bill Clinton flew twenty-seven times to at least a dozen international locations.{{cite web |first = Malia |last = Zimmerman |url = https://www.foxnews.com/us/flight-logs-show-bill-clinton-flew-on-sex-offenders-jet-much-more-than-previously-known |title = Flight logs show Bill Clinton flew on sex offender's jet much more than previously known. |work = Fox News |access-date = October 9, 2016 |date = May 13, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161009135600/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/13/flight-logs-show-bill-clinton-flew-on-sex-offenders-jet-much-more-than-previously-known.html |archive-date = October 9, 2016 |df = mdy-all |quote=26 trips aboard the "Lolita Express" -- even apparently ditching his Secret Service detail for at least five of the flights}}

Flight logs did not list any Secret Service detail for at least five flights on a 2002 trip to Asia, and Secret Service stated that there is no evidence of the former president making a trip to Epstein's private island. In 2019, a Clinton spokesperson stated that, in 2002 and 2003, Clinton took four trips on Epstein's airplane, making stops on three continents, all with his staff and Secret Service detail.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/3d0490c6774048dc8a5f4fe80d0cf71f|title=What did Jeffrey Epstein's famous friends know and see?|last=Colvin|first=Jill|date=July 9, 2019|work=Associated Press|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709184117/https://apnews.com/3d0490c6774048dc8a5f4fe80d0cf71f|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} At the time of Epstein's 2019 arrest, Clinton's spokeswoman Angel Ureña stated that Clinton had "not spoken to Epstein in well over a decade, and has never been to Little St. James Island, Epstein's ranch in New Mexico, or his residence in Florida".{{cite news |last1=Morin |first1=Rebecca |title=Spokesman: Bill Clinton 'knows nothing' about 'terrible crimes' alleged against Epstein |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/08/bill-clinton-knows-nothing-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-crimes/1679345001/ |date=July 10, 2019 |website=USA Today |access-date=August 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728073036/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/08/bill-clinton-knows-nothing-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-crimes/1679345001/ |archive-date=July 28, 2019 |url-status=live }}

File:President Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with the Amir of the State of Qatar.webm knew him."]]

In a profile of Epstein in New York magazine in 2002 Donald Trump remarked: "I've known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it – Jeffrey enjoys his social life."{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-accusations-new-york-virgin-islands-florida-new-mexico-ranch|title=Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking involved locations in NY, Virgin Islands, Florida, NM ranch: attorney|first=Frank|last=Miles|date=July 7, 2019|work=Fox News|access-date=July 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708033810/https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-accusations-new-york-virgin-islands-florida-new-mexico-ranch|archive-date=July 8, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} In July 2019, Trump said "I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him", stating four times he had not been "a fan" of Epstein and that he had not spoken to him in about fifteen years. A video shot in 1992 surfaced showing the two men partying together at Mar-a-Lago.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article232444927.html|title=Trump backs Acosta as NY case renews criticism of Epstein's Florida deal|last1=Smiley|first1=David|last2=Daugherty|first2=Alex|date=July 9, 2019|work=Miami Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717073052/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article232444927.html|archive-date=July 17, 2019|url-status=live|quote=But he said Tuesday that they had a falling out and hadn't spoken in 15 years.|access-date=July 17, 2019}}{{cite news |title=Trump Defends Labor Secretary Acosta But Will Look 'Very Closely' Into the Epstein Plea Deal |first1=Jill |last1=Colvin |first2=Alan |last2=Fram|url=https://time.com/5623295/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-alex-acosta/ |access-date=July 14, 2019 |magazine=Time |date=July 10, 2019 |quote=Trump—who had once praised the financier as "a terrific guy"—distanced himself from the hedge-fund manager now charged with abusing minors, saying the two had had a falling-out 15 or so years ago |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710124157/https://time.com/5623295/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-alex-acosta/ |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |first=Colby |last=Hall |work=Mediaite |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/morning-joe-airs-footage-of-trump-and-jeffrey-epstein-at-mar-a-lago-party-in-1992/ |title=Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Footage Mar a Lago in 1992 |date=July 17, 2019 |access-date=July 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718023359/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/morning-joe-airs-footage-of-trump-and-jeffrey-epstein-at-mar-a-lago-party-in-1992/ |archive-date=July 18, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/07/09/trump_not_a_fan_of_jeffrey_epstein_feel_very_badly_for_alex_acosta.html|title=Trump: "Not A Fan" Of Jeffrey Epstein; "Feel Very Badly" For Alex Acosta|work=realclearpolitics|first=Ian|last=Schwartz|date=July 9, 2019|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710183424/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/07/09/trump_not_a_fan_of_jeffrey_epstein_feel_very_badly_for_alex_acosta.html|archive-date=July 10, 2019|url-status=live}} By 2007, Trump reportedly banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club for unseemly pursuit of young girls.{{cite news|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/trump-backs-labor-secretary-as-democrats-demand-resignation-1706933/|title=Trump backs Labor secretary as Democrats demand resignation|last1=Saunders|first1=Debra J.|date=July 9, 2019|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190709221841/https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/trump-backs-labor-secretary-as-democrats-demand-resignation-1706933/|archive-date=July 9, 2019|quote=news reports dating to 2007, Trump's Palm Beach resort Mar-a-Lago barred Epstein from the premises because of his unseemly pursuit of young females.|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|title=Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zOH-CwAAQBAJ&q=chapter+33 |last1=Patterson|first1=James|last2=Connolly|first2=John|publisher=Little, Brown|date=2017|isbn=9780316362450|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190717174946/https://books.google.com/books?id=zOH-CwAAQBAJ&q=chapter+33|archive-date = July 17, 2019|quote=It cost $100,000 to join the club. Members paid $14,000 yearly in dues. And although Epstein had never properly joined the club, Trump's friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell gave Epstein unlimited use of the facilities.}}{{cite news |last1=Marc Fisher |title=Palm Beach trial could reveal details of billionaire's alleged abuse of teen girls |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/palm-beach-trial-could-reveal-details-of-billionaires-alleged-abuse-of-teen-girls/2018/12/03/f42e0c4e-f4d0-11e8-bc79-68604ed88993_story.html |access-date=July 14, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 3, 2018 |quote=Trump barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago "because Epstein sexually assaulted an underage girl at the club", according to court documents |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714080329/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/palm-beach-trial-could-reveal-details-of-billionaires-alleged-abuse-of-teen-girls/2018/12/03/f42e0c4e-f4d0-11e8-bc79-68604ed88993_story.html |archive-date=July 14, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Adam K. |last=Raymond |title=What We Learned From James Patterson's Jeffrey Epstein Book |url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-details-from-james-pattersons-2017-book.html |access-date=July 14, 2019 |work=New York |date=July 11, 2019 |quote=Epstein was banned from Trump's Palm Beach club, where he was never an official member, after he invited a young woman he met there back to his house. She went, and Epstein tried to get her to undress. The girl refused and told her father, who went to Trump. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713232217/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-details-from-james-pattersons-2017-book.html |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |url-status=live }} The ban allegation was included in court documents filed by attorney Bradley Edwards,{{cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5450513ce4b048855519f0da/t/5745c37e2b8dded5358a9c51/1464189835182/affidavit-of-edwards-exh-n-to-stm-undisputed-facts.pdf|title=Epstein v. Edwards, et al. EXHIBITN Case No.: 50 2009 CA 040800W(MBAG|date=2009|work=squarespace|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711034751/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5450513ce4b048855519f0da/t/5745c37e2b8dded5358a9c51/1464189835182/affidavit-of-edwards-exh-n-to-stm-undisputed-facts.pdf|archive-date=July 11, 2019|access-date=July 9, 2019|quote=I learned through a source that Trump banned Epstein from his Maralago Club.}} although Edwards later said it was a rumor he tried to, but could not, confirm.{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/all-we-know-about-the-new-case-against-jeffrey-epstein.html|title=Everything We Know About the Sex Crimes Case Against Jeffrey Epstein|first1=Chas|last1=Danner|first2=Matt|last2=Stieb|first3=Adam K.|last3=Raymond|date=July 8, 2019|work=New York|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709174346/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/all-we-know-about-the-new-case-against-jeffrey-epstein.html|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AdamReigner/status/1147899138878693377|title=Bradley Edwards, Epstein's victims lawyer, on Trump kicking #Epstein out of Mar-A-Lago, "I've heard the rumor that Epstein was kicked out of there for allegedly trying to pick up someone's daughter, I think I did chase that down as far as I could and was never able to confirm it." pic.twitter.com/N8Uthyjsh1|first=Adam|last=Reigner|date=July 7, 2019|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816112302/https://twitter.com/AdamReigner/status/1147899138878693377|archive-date=August 16, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2002, a spokesman of Bill Clinton lauded Epstein as "a committed philanthropist" with "insights and generosity".{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/clinton-trump-plead-ignorance-as-jeffrey-epstein-friends-begin-to-sweat|title=Clinton and Trump Plead Ignorance as Epstein's Old Friends Begin to Sweat|last=Lutz|first=Eric|date=July 9, 2019|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=September 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816030110/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/clinton-trump-plead-ignorance-as-jeffrey-epstein-friends-begin-to-sweat|archive-date=August 16, 2019|url-status=live}} At the time Epstein was on the board of Rockefeller University, a member of the Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign Relations, and was a major donor to Harvard University. Epstein visited the White House while Clinton was president on four known occasions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-visited-clinton-white-house-multiple-times-in-early-90s|title=Jeffrey Epstein Visited Clinton White House Multiple Times in Early '90s|first1=Emily|last1=Parker|first2=Suzi|last2=Shugerman|date=July 24, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728015057/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-visited-clinton-white-house-multiple-times-in-early-90s|archive-date=July 28, 2019|url-status=live}} In 1993, he went to a donor event at the White House with his companion Ghislaine Maxwell. Around the same time, he also met with President Clinton's aide Mark Middleton on at least three occasions at the White House. In 1995, financier Lynn Forester discussed "Jeffrey Epstein and currency stabilization" with Clinton. Epstein, according to his own accounts, was heavily involved in the foreign exchange market and traded large amounts of currency in the unregulated forex market. In 1995, Epstein also attended a small political fundraiser dinner for Bill Clinton which included fourteen other people including Ron Perelman, Don Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, and dinner organizer Paul Prosperi.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/bill-clinton-failed-to-mention-his-intimate-1995-dinner-with-epstein|title=Bill Clinton Failed to Mention His Intimate 1995 Dinner With Epstein|last=Melendez|first=Pilar|date=July 11, 2019|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727215356/https://www.thedailybeast.com/bill-clinton-failed-to-mention-his-intimate-1995-dinner-with-epstein|archive-date=July 27, 2019|url-status=live}}

From the 1990s to mid-2000s, Epstein often socialized with Donald Trump.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-epstein-friendship-timeline-history-2019-7|title=Inside the relationship of Trump and convicted sex offender Epstein, from party buddies to 'not a fan'|last=Pasley|first=James|date=July 18, 2019|work=Business Insider|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719163339/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-epstein-friendship-timeline-history-2019-7|archive-date=July 19, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 20, 2019}} Author Michael Wolff wrote that Trump, Epstein, and Tom Barrack were at the time like a "set of nightlife musketeers" on the social scene.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E3M-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT26|title=Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House|last=Wolff|first=Michael|date=2018|publisher=Henry Holt and Company|isbn=9781250158079|access-date=December 2, 2020|archive-date=January 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112073653/https://books.google.com/books?id=E3M-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT26#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}} In a 2017 recording, Epstein stated that he was "Donald’s closest friend for ten years."{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Aja |date=2024-11-05 |title=The new Jeffrey Epstein tapes and his friendship with Trump, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/382550/jeffrey-epstein-tapes-donald-trump-friendship |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=3 November 2024 |title=In audio clip from 2017, Jeffrey Epstein said he was once Trump's 'closest friend' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-audio-clip-from-2017-jeffrey-epstein-said-he-was-once-trumps-closest-friend/ |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Times of Israel |language=en-US}} Epstein and Trump socialized both in New York City and Palm Beach, where they both had houses. In April 2003, New York magazine reported Epstein hosted a dinner party in his Manhattan residence to honor Bill Clinton, who did not attend, although Trump did attend.{{cite news|url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_8672/|title=The Dish On Dinner|last1=Bernard|first1=Sarah|date=April 25, 2003|work=New York|access-date=July 12, 2019|last2=Schoeneman|first2=Deborah|quote=Alas, Clinton—around whom the evening had been organized—never showed...Guest list: Mort Zuckerman, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, David Blaine, Donald Trump, Leslie Wexner of the Limited, disgraced British Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson, Bill Clinton aide Doug Band|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711221805/http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_8672/|archive-date=July 11, 2019|url-status=live}} According to The Washington Post, one person who knew Epstein and Trump during this time noted that "they were tight" and "they were each other's wingmen". In November 2004, Epstein and Trump's friendship ran into trouble when they became embroiled in a bidding war for a $40{{nbsp}}million mansion, Maison de L'Amitié, which was being auctioned in Palm Beach. Trump won the auction for $41{{nbsp}}million, and successfully sold the property four years later for $95{{nbsp}}million to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev. That month was the last time Epstein and Trump were recorded to have interacted.

File:Swissleaks - the map of the bank accounts.jpg files indicate Epstein had millions stored in offshore accounts. Map shows global extent of account holders in the leaked files.]]

The exact origin of Epstein's wealth is unknown. Leslie Wexner was one source of Epstein's original wealth. An assistant of Epstein also stated that he got his fortune started through Robert Maxwell, the media mogul father of Ghislaine Maxwell.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-recruiter-history-871182/|title=With Jeffrey Epstein Dead, the Search Is on for Alleged Recruiter Ghislaine Maxwell|last1=Burleigh|first1=Nina|date=August 15, 2019|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119044241/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-recruiter-history-871182/|archive-date=November 19, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1509483-exhibits-stm-undisputed-facts-part1.html|title=EXHIBITS STM UNDISPUTED FACTS Part1(a)|last=Bensinger (BuzzFeed)|first=Ken|website=www.documentcloud.org|page=605|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115095947/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1509483-exhibits-stm-undisputed-facts-part1.html|archive-date=November 15, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019}} When Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting and procuring prostitution, his lawyers stated he was a billionaire with a net worth of over one billion dollars. A number of sources, however, have questioned the extent of Epstein's wealth and his status as a billionaire. According to an article in The New York Times, his "fortune may be more illusion than fact". Epstein lost "large sums of money" in the 2008 financial crisis, and "friends and patrons"—including retail billionaire Leslie Wexner—"deserted him" following his pleading guilty to prostitution charges in 2008. New York magazine claimed that "there's scant proof" of Epstein's "financial bona fides",{{cite news |last1=Stieb |first1=Matt |title=How Jeffrey Epstein Made His Money: Four Wild Theories |url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/how-did-jeffrey-epstein-make-his-fortune.html |access-date=July 11, 2019 |work=New York |date=July 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711001443/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/how-did-jeffrey-epstein-make-his-fortune.html |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |url-status=live }} and Forbes also ran an article entitled "Why sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is not a billionaire".

Spencer Kuvin, an attorney for three of Epstein's alleged victims in the case where Epstein pleaded guilty to sexual activity with minors, stated that "he and his team 'pursued every possible angle' to find out Epstein's net worth but found that much of his wealth is offshore".{{cite news |last1=Kirsch |first1=Noah |title=Why Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein Is Not A Billionaire |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2019/07/08/why-sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-is-not-a-billionaire/ |access-date=July 11, 2019 |work=Forbes |date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710235203/https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2019/07/08/why-sex-offender-jeffrey-epstein-is-not-a-billionaire/ |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} An investigation by the Miami Herald of the Swiss Leaks documents indicated that Epstein had multiple financial accounts with millions of dollars in offshore tax havens. In the Paradise Papers, records showed that Epstein in February 1997, became a client of Appleby, a Bermuda-based law firm which specialized in the creation of offshore companies and investment vehicles for the ultra-wealthy. A client profile of Epstein described his job cryptically as the "Manager of Fortune".{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article232799597.html|title=Leaked documents show Jeffrey Epstein kept funds offshore. Can the money even be tracked?|first1=Kevin G.|last1=Hall|first2=Nicholas|last2=Nehamas|date=July 18, 2019|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718152906/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article232799597.html|archive-date=July 18, 2019|url-status=live}}

Federal prosecutors on July 12, 2019, stated in court documents that, based on records from one financial institution, Jeffrey Epstein was "extravagantly wealthy" and had assets worth at least $500{{nbsp}}million and earned more than $10{{nbsp}}million a year. The extent of his wealth, however, was not known, since he had not filled out a financial affidavit for his bail application.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-12/u-s-urges-judge-not-to-free-epstein-pending-sex-traffick-trial |title=Epstein Is Worth $500 Million and Is Flight Risk, U.S. Says |first1=Bob |last1=Van Voris |first2=Matt |last2=Robinson |first3=Patricia |last3=Hurtado |date=July 12, 2019 |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713071916/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-12/u-s-urges-judge-not-to-free-epstein-pending-sex-traffick-trial |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/federal-prosecutors-shed-light-on-jeffrey-epsteins-wealth-in-latest-filing/|title=Federal Prosecutors Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein's Wealth in Effort to Keep Him Locked Up|last=Naham|first=Matt|date=July 12, 2019|work=Law & Crime|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713015947/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/federal-prosecutors-shed-light-on-jeffrey-epsteins-wealth-in-latest-filing/|archive-date=July 13, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news | first=Benjamin | last=Weiser | title=Epstein Paid $350,000 to Possible Witnesses Against Him, Prosecutors Say | work=The New York Times | date=July 12, 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/nyregion/epstein-witness-tampering.html | access-date=July 12, 2019 | quote=The prosecutors, in asking Judge Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court to deny Mr. Epstein's bail request, offered new information about his holdings. They described him as 'extravagantly wealthy', saying he was worth more than $500{{nbsp}}million and earned at least $10{{nbsp}}million per year, according to the records. | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712215337/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/nyregion/epstein-witness-tampering.html | archive-date=July 12, 2019 | url-status=live }} According to Bloomberg News, "Today, so little is known about Epstein's current business or clients that the only things that can be valued with any certainty are his properties."{{cite news |last1=Metcalf |first1=Tom |last2=Melby |first2=Caleb |last3=Alexander |first3=Sophie |title=Mystery Around Jeffrey Epstein's Fortune and How He Made It |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/the-mystery-around-jeffrey-epstein-s-fortune-and-how-he-made-it |access-date=July 11, 2019 |work=Bloomberg |date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711001439/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/the-mystery-around-jeffrey-epstein-s-fortune-and-how-he-made-it |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |url-status=live }} The Miami Herald in their investigation of the Paradise Papers and Swiss Leaks documents concluded that Epstein's wealth is likely spread secretly across the globe.

In 2020, Epstein estate's finances revealed that it had paid out nearly $50 million between June 2020 and December 2020 to more than one-hundred women who brought claims to the "Epstein Victims Compensation Fund" set up in the U.S. Virgin Islands.{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Kevin G.|date=February 3, 2021|title=Biggest cut of Jeffrey Epstein's fortune goes to a non-victim — the U.S. Treasury|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article248960184.html|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Miami Herald|archive-date=February 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208130845/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article248960184.html|url-status=live}} By February 2021, the estate was valued at about $240 million, down from estimates of $630 million a year earlier. This prompted the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Denise George, to file an emergency motion seeking the immediate asset freeze. She contended in the court filing, which the victims joined, that the estate executors had "mismanaged" the money.{{Cite web|title=Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims demand freeze on estate assets|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/jeffrey-epstein-victims-fund-suspend-compensation-offers/story?id=75682137|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=ABC News|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110011826/https://abcnews.go.com/US/jeffrey-epstein-victims-fund-suspend-compensation-offers/story?id=75682137|url-status=live}}

File:Little St James Island (9165947585).jpg in the U.S. Virgin Islands]]

Epstein owned the Herbert N. Straus House on 9 East 71st Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City.{{cite news | title=Jeffrey Epstein Is Accused of Luring Girls to His Manhattan Mansion and Abusing Them | work=The New York Times | date=July 7, 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/07/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking.html | access-date=July 11, 2019 | first1=Ali | last1=Watkins | first2=Vivian | last2=Wang | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710171908/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/07/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking.html | archive-date=July 10, 2019 | url-status=live }} It was originally purchased for $13.2{{nbsp}}million in 1989 by Epstein's mentor, Les Wexner, who renovated it completely.{{cite web |first=Ellyn |last=Santiago |date=July 8, 2019 |title=Here's the $77M Mansion the Feds Want to Seize from Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://heavy.com/news/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-house/ |work=Heavy |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708214120/https://heavy.com/news/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-house/ |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.curbed.com/2015/1/9/10004040/jeffrey-epstein-property-real-estate-holdings|title=The property holdings of financier Jeffrey Epstein|last=Peterson|first=Spencer|date=January 9, 2015|work=Curbed|access-date=July 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814184933/https://www.curbed.com/2015/1/9/10004040/jeffrey-epstein-property-real-estate-holdings|archive-date=August 14, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Widdicomb |first1=Ben |title=Jeffrey Epstein Installed a Mural of a Prison Yard at His Townhouse |date=August 10, 2019 |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/a28340797/jeffrey-epstein-townhouse-upper-east-side/ |work=Town and Country Mag |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805152258/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/a28340797/jeffrey-epstein-townhouse-upper-east-side/ |archive-date=August 5, 2019 |url-status=live }} Epstein moved into the mansion in 1995 after Wexner married and moved with his wife to Columbus, Ohio, to raise their family. He took full possession of the mansion in 1998, when he paid Wexner $20{{nbsp}}million for it. The house was valued in 2019 by federal prosecutors at $77 million, while the city assessed its value at $56 million. The mansion is reputedly the largest private residence in Manhattan at {{convert|21000|sqft|m2|adj=on|abbr=on}}.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/08/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-nyc-mansion.html|title=$56 Million Upper East Side Mansion Where Epstein Allegedly Abused Girls|date=July 8, 2019|first=Matthew |last=Haag |work=The New York Times|access-date=July 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709193204/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/08/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-nyc-mansion.html|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live|df = mdy-all}} Hidden under a flight of stairs, there is a lead-lined bathroom fitted with its own closed-circuit television screens and a telephone, both concealed in a cabinet under the sink. The house also has its own heated sidewalk to melt away the snow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/11/garden/home-sweet-elsewhere.html|title=Home Sweet Elsewhere|last=Mason|first=Christopher|date=January 11, 1996|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 21, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712230743/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/11/garden/home-sweet-elsewhere.html|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}} The entrance hall is lined with rows of individually framed prosthetic eyeballs that were made in England for injured soldiers.

The financier's other properties include a residence in Palm Beach, Florida, purchased in 1990;{{cite web|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190708/palm-beach-house-in-spotlight-in-epstein-case|date=July 8, 2019|title=Palm Beach house in the spotlight in Epstein case|last=Hofheinz|first=Darrell|work=The Palm Beach Post|access-date=July 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726222009/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190708/palm-beach-house-in-spotlight-in-epstein-case|archive-date=July 26, 2019|url-status=live}} seven units in an apartment building near the Arc de Triomphe at 22 Avenue Foch in Paris, France; a {{Convert|7500|acre|km2|abbr=on|adj=on}} ranch named Zorro Ranch near Stanley, New Mexico, purchased in 1993;{{cite web | last=Oswald | first=Mark | title=Billionaire in sex crime case has NM ties | work=Albuquerque Journal | date=July 8, 2019 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1337805/billionaire-in-sex-crime-case-has-nm-ties-ex-epsteins-ranch-near-stanley-named-in-lawsuits-and-news-reports.html | access-date=July 11, 2019 | df=mdy-all | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710174907/https://www.abqjournal.com/1337805/billionaire-in-sex-crime-case-has-nm-ties-ex-epsteins-ranch-near-stanley-named-in-lawsuits-and-news-reports.html | archive-date=July 10, 2019 | url-status=live }}{{cite news |url = http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/print_it.pl?page=/news/state/484333nm08-16-06.htm |title = Gov. to Give Away $50,000 Campaign Gift |work = Albuquerque Journal |date = August 16, 2006 |first = Trip |last = Jennings |access-date = August 8, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160117030036/http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/print_it.pl?page=%2Fnews%2Fstate%2F484333nm08-16-06.htm |archive-date = January 17, 2016 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all}} a private island near Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands called Little Saint James, which includes a mansion and guest houses, purchased in 1998; and the neighboring island of Great Saint James purchased in 2016.{{cite web | last=Stieb | first=Matt | title=Everything We Know About Jeffrey Epstein's Private 'Pedophile Island' | work=New York | date=July 10, 2019 | url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/everything-we-know-about-jeffrey-epsteins-private-islands.html | access-date=July 11, 2019 | df=mdy-all | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711033417/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/everything-we-know-about-jeffrey-epsteins-private-islands.html | archive-date=July 11, 2019 | url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-jeffrey-epstein-private-island-20190712-story.html|title=Mystery surrounds Jeffrey Epstein's private island in the Caribbean|first1=Jonathan|last1=Levin|first2=Greg|last2=Farrell|first3=Tom|last3=Metcalf|date=July 12, 2019|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 12, 2019|agency=Bloomberg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713012944/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-jeffrey-epstein-private-island-20190712-story.html|archive-date=July 13, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein was building a compound on the latter including an amphitheater and "underwater office & pool" but ran into problems when a stop-work order was issued in late 2018; work continued despite the order.{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/09/billionaire-pedophile-jeffrey-epstein-illegally-building-virgin-islands-compound/|title=Billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein illegally building Virgin Islands compound|last=Andrew Denney|date=May 9, 2019|work=New York Post|access-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713093234/https://nypost.com/2019/05/09/billionaire-pedophile-jeffrey-epstein-illegally-building-virgin-islands-compound/|archive-date=July 13, 2019|url-status=live}}

Epstein, previous to his final Manhattan home, lived in a spacious townhouse, which was a former Iranian government building that had been taken over by the State Department during the Iranian revolution, at 34 East 69th Street for a rate of $15,000 a month from 1992 to 1995.{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/jeffrey-epstein-state-department|title=The State Department Once Rented a Townhouse Seized from Iran to Jeffrey Epstein—Then Sued Him for Subletting It|last=Gray|first=Rosie|date=July 14, 2019|work=Buzzfeed News|access-date=August 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805124910/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/jeffrey-epstein-state-department|archive-date=August 5, 2019|url-status=live}} He also previously owned a mansion outside Columbus, Ohio, near Wexner's home from 1992 to 1998 which he purchased from his mentor. Before the Herbert Straus house was purchased, Wexner purchased in 1988 the adjacent townhouse at 11 East 71st Street. Like in the case of the 9 East 71st Street house, Epstein was on the deed of the 11 East 71st Street house as the trustee. The townhouse was sold in 1996 to the Comet trust which holds part of the assets of the de Gunzburg/Bronfman family.{{Cite news|url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/unraveling-web-epsteins-manhattan-real-estate|title=Unraveling the web of Epstein's Manhattan real estate|last=Bredderman|first=Will|date=July 11, 2019|work=Crain's New York Business|access-date=August 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808103434/https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/unraveling-web-epsteins-manhattan-real-estate|archive-date=August 8, 2019|url-status=live}}

Epstein rented offices for his business dealings in the Villard House at 457 Madison Avenue. Steven Hoffenberg originally set up the offices for Epstein in 1987 when he was consulting for Tower Financial. Epstein used these offices until at least 2003. Around this time, Michael Wolff saw the financier in his office, which in the past were the offices of Random House. Wolff noted that Epstein's offices were a strange place which did not have a corporate feel at all. Wolff stated that the offices were "almost European. It's old—old-fashioned, unrehabbed in its way." Wolff continued that "the trading floor is filled with guys in yarmulkes. Who they are, I have no idea. They're like a throwback, a bunch of guys from the fifties. So here is Jeffrey in this incredibly beautiful office, with pieces of art and a view of the courtyard, and he seems like the most relaxed guy in the world. You want to say 'What's going on here?' and he gives you that Cheshire smile."

Epstein rented multiple apartment units for his employees, models, and guests since the 1990s at 301 East 66th Street. The majority of the apartment complex at this address is owned by Ossa properties, which is owned by Jeffrey Epstein's brother, Mark, who purchased the complex in the early 1990s from Wexner. Over the years Epstein has housed different friends at 11 East 71st Street, including his ex-girlfriend Eva Andersson, who is now married to his hedge-fund friend Glenn Dubin, MC2 Models founder Jean-Luc Brunel, and on occasions former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He has housed some of his workers, including his pilot, housekeeper and office work staff, in the apartment complex. Epstein has also housed underage girls, who Brunel scouted for his MC2 modeling agency. On August 6, 2012, a model and party promoter associated with MC2, Pedro Gaspar, who lived above another of the modeling agency's locations in Manhattan, died of what some consider to be a suspicious drug overdose.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/13/the-dead-model-and-the-dirty-billionaire|title=The Dead Model and the Dirty Billionaire|first=M. L.|last=Nestel|date=February 13, 2015|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=August 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515131045/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/13/the-dead-model-and-the-dirty-billionaire|archive-date=May 15, 2017|url-status=live}}

File:Maxwell Epstein Clinton 1993 1.jpg at the White House, September 1993 (with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background on the right)]]

In 2002 Epstein said "I invest in people — be it politics or science. It’s what I do".{{cite web |last1=Dickson |first1=EJ |title=Accused Sex Trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's Political Connections: A Guide |date=July 9, 2019 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/jeffrey-epstein-political-connections-sex-trafficker-856642/ |publisher=Rolling Stone |access-date=November 24, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120093509/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/jeffrey-epstein-political-connections-sex-trafficker-856642/ |url-status=live }} From 1989 until 2003, Epstein donated more than $139,000 to U.S. Democratic Party federal candidates and committees and over $18,000 to U.S. Republican Party candidates and groups.{{cite web | first=Grace | last=Haley | title=Billionaire sex offender Epstein gave heavily to Democrats, until he didn't | publisher=OpenSecrets | date=December 4, 2018 | url=https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/12/billionaire-sex-offender-epstein-gave-heavily/ | quote=From 1989 up until 2003, Epstein donated more than $139,000 to Democratic federal candidates and committees and over $18,000 to Republican candidates and groups, according to data from OpenSecrets. Notable recipients include Bill Clinton and former Senator Bob Packwood, an Oregon Republican. In 2003, a couple of years before a full-scale investigation into the allegations of sexual exploitation of underage girls, his political giving abruptly stopped. | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816112303/https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/12/billionaire-sex-offender-epstein-gave-heavily/ | archive-date=August 16, 2019 | url-status=live }} Epstein contributed $50,000 to Democrat Bill Richardson's successful campaign for Governor of New Mexico in 2002 and again for his successful run for reelection in 2006. Also that year, he contributed $15,000 to Democrat Gary King's successful campaign for Attorney General of New Mexico. He later contributed $35,000 to King's 2014 unsuccessful campaign for Governor. Other contributions in New Mexico included $10,000 toward Jim Baca's campaign to become head of the land commission and $2,000 toward Santa Fe County Sheriff Jim Solano's bid for reelection. In 2010, Epstein received a notice from New Mexico Department of Public Safety which said, "You are not required to register [as a sex offender] with the state of New Mexico." This was in contravention of federal law, which would seem to say that the conviction in Florida required him to register in New Mexico.{{cite web | first=Michael | last=Daly | title=Epstein Seen With Young Girls as He Shopped for 'Baby Ranch' in New Mexico | work=DailyBeast | date=August 6, 2019 | url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-new-mexicans-saw-young-girls-with-him-as-he-shopped-for-his-baby-ranch | access-date=July 12, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806131810/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-new-mexicans-saw-young-girls-with-him-as-he-shopped-for-his-baby-ranch | archive-date=August 6, 2019 | url-status=live }}

Epstein was rumored to be associated with intelligence.{{Cite magazine |last=Ward |first=Vicky |date=2021-07-15 |title=Was Jeffrey Epstein a Spy? |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jeffrey-epstein-steven-hoffenberg-intelligence-agencies-spy-1197708/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127164640/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jeffrey-epstein-steven-hoffenberg-intelligence-agencies-spy-1197708/ |url-status=live }} The U.S. journalists Dylan Howard, Melissa Cronin and James Robertson linked Epstein to the Israeli Mossad in their book Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales. They relied for the most part on the former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-09 |title=The disturbing reason Jeffrey Epstein's homes had a camera in every room |url=https://7news.com.au/the-morning-show/jeffrey-epstein-was-a-mossad-spy-says-investigative-journalist-dylan-howard-c-595812 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=7NEWS |archive-date=December 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227003644/https://7news.com.au/the-morning-show/jeffrey-epstein-was-a-mossad-spy-says-investigative-journalist-dylan-howard-c-595812 |url-status=live }} According to him, Epstein's activities as a spy served to gather compromising material on powerful people in order to blackmail them.{{Cite web |last=McKay |first=Hollie |date=2020-06-17 |title=Jeffrey Epstein's alleged 'spy' ties under fresh scrutiny in new book |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-spy-ties-under-fresh-scrutiny-in-new-book |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Fox News |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107120103/https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-spy-ties-under-fresh-scrutiny-in-new-book |url-status=live }} There is also a possible connection to the Mossad via Ghislaine Maxwell, whose father Robert Maxwell is said to have had contacts with the Mossad.{{Cite web |last=O’ Malley |first=JP |title=For writer who broke Epstein case, a rumored Mossad link is worth digging into. |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-writer-who-broke-epstein-case-a-rumored-mossad-link-is-worth-digging-into/ |website=The Times of Israel |access-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-date=January 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104185331/https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-writer-who-broke-epstein-case-a-rumored-mossad-link-is-worth-digging-into/ |url-status=live }} Epstein's victim Virginia Giuffre also alleged Epstein to be an intelligence asset, linking on Twitter to a Reddit page, that alleged Epstein being a spy, running a blackmail operation.{{Cite web |last=Correspondent |first=Jack Royston Chief Royal |date=2023-10-05 |title=Prince Andrew's accuser shares Jeffrey Epstein spy theory |url=https://www.newsweek.com/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-jeffrey-epstein-spy-theory-1832295 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Newsweek |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107063023/https://www.newsweek.com/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-jeffrey-epstein-spy-theory-1832295 |url-status=live }}

As U.S. Attorney in Florida, the later U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta reached a settlement with Epstein's lawyers (including Alan M. Dershowitz) in 2008, which allowed him to receive a very light prison sentence. Acosta later reportedly stated that he was told that Epstein "belonged to intelligence" and that the issue was above his "pay grade." According to Acosta, he was pushed to give him a good deal.{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Nicole Goodkind Staff |date=2019-07-10 |title='No Regrets is a Very Hard Question': Alex Acosta Defends Epstein Plea Deal |url=https://www.newsweek.com/alex-acosta-epstein-sex-trafficking-department-labor-1448568 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Newsweek |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107120057/https://www.newsweek.com/alex-acosta-epstein-sex-trafficking-department-labor-1448568 |url-status=live }} Former CIA Director and diplomat William J. Burns met with Epstein three times. According to a CIA spokesperson, Burns hoped that Epstein would help him "transition to the private sector."{{Cite news |last=Helmore |first=Edward |date=2023-05-07 |title='He used people': Jeffrey Epstein scandal rolls on as new names emerge |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/07/jeffrey-epstein-legal-documents-meetings-names |access-date=2024-01-07 |work=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=January 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104212647/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/07/jeffrey-epstein-legal-documents-meetings-names |url-status=live }}

File:Harvard college - annenberg hall.jpg

In 1991, Epstein was one of four donors who pledged to raise {{US$|2{{nbsp}}million}} for a Hillel student building Rosovsky Hall at Harvard University.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/07/11/how-jeffrey-epstein-made-himself-into-harvard-man/m672RjwFJFwWOVzF9WRNjO/story.html|title=How Jeffrey Epstein made himself into a 'Harvard man|last=Greenberg|first=Zoe|date=July 11, 2019|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712012257/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/07/11/how-jeffrey-epstein-made-himself-into-harvard-man/m672RjwFJFwWOVzF9WRNjO/story.html|archive-date=July 12, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/5/1/mogul-donor-gives-harvard-more-than/?page=single|title=Mogul Donor Gives Harvard More Than Money|last=Scharnick|first=Jaquelyn M.|date=May 1, 2003|work=The Harvard Crimson|access-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202034230/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/5/1/mogul-donor-gives-harvard-more-than/|archive-date=February 2, 2017|url-status=live}} In the 1990s Epstein donated $10,000 to the White House Historical Association.{{cite news |title=Jeffrey Epstein Visited Clinton White House Multiple Times in Early '90s |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-visited-clinton-white-house-multiple-times-in-early-90s |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728015057/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-visited-clinton-white-house-multiple-times-in-early-90s |url-status=live }} In 2000, Epstein established the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, which funds science research and education. Prior to 2003, the foundation funded Martin Nowak's research at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In May 2003, Epstein pledged a series of donations totaling {{US$|30{{nbsp}}million}} to create a mathematical biology and evolutionary dynamics program at Harvard which was run by Martin Nowak. According to The Boston Globe, the actual amount received from Epstein was {{US$|6.5{{nbsp}}million}}. In 2019, Forbes deleted a 2013 article that called Epstein "one of the largest backers of cutting edge science" after The New York Times revealed its author, Drew Hendricks, had been paid $600 to submit it falsely as his own.{{cite news |title=Jeffrey Epstein Was a Sex Offender. The Powerful Welcomed Him Anyway. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/13/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-new-york-elite.html |access-date=July 14, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=July 13, 2019 |first1=Jodi |last1=Kantor |first2=Mike |last2=McIntire |first3=Vanessa |last3=Friedman |quote=A writer employed by his foundation churned out the news releases, and Drew Hendricks, the supposed author of a Forbes story calling Mr. Epstein "one of the largest backers of cutting edge science", conceded in an interview that he was given $600 to post the pre-written article under his own name. (Forbes removed the piece after The New York Times published its article.) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714012141/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/13/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-new-york-elite.html |archive-date=July 14, 2019 |url-status=live }}

According to attorney Gerald B. Lefcourt, Epstein was "part of the original group that conceived of the Clinton Global Initiative"{{cite web|last1=Hill|first1=James|first2=Matthew|last2=Mosk|date=February 11, 2016|title=Victims: Feds Hid 'Sweetheart' Deal for Sex Offender With Deep Political Ties|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-feds-hid-sweetheart-deal-sex-offender-deep/story?id=36843144|work=ABC|access-date=July 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720073439/https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-feds-hid-sweetheart-deal-sex-offender-deep/story?id=36843144|archive-date=July 20, 2019|url-status=live}} and in 2006 he donated $25,000 to the Clinton Foundation.{{cite news |last1=Nicole Rogers |first1=Taylor |title=Here are all the politicians Jeffrey Epstein, the money manager arrested on charges of sex trafficking, has donated to |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-politicians-connections-donations-2019-7?r=US&IR=T |work=Business Insider |date=11 July 2019 |access-date=January 4, 2024 |archive-date=January 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104113958/https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-politicians-connections-donations-2019-7?r=US&IR=T |url-status=live }}

Epstein co-organized a science event with illusionist and skeptic Al Seckel called the Mindshift Conference.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/191806/the-illusionist-al-seckel|title=The Illusionist|last=Oppenheimer|first=Mark|date=July 20, 2015|work=Tablet|access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812181912/https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/191806/the-illusionist-al-seckel|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=live}} The conference took place in 2010 on Epstein's private island Little Saint James. In attendance were scientists Murray Gell-Mann, Leonard Mlodinow, and Gerald Jay Sussman. The true extent of Epstein's donations is unknown. The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation fails to disclose information which other charities routinely disclose. Concerns have been raised over this lack of transparency. In 2015, the Attorney General of the state of New York was reported to be trying to gain information but was refused since the charities were based outside of the state and did not solicit in New York State.{{cite news | first=David |last=Ingram |date=March 5, 2015 |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-epstein-charity-idUSKBN0M200V20150306 |title = Exclusive: New York attorney general seeks information on financier Epstein's philanthropy |work= Reuters |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151006071823/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/06/us-epstein-charity-idUSKBN0M200V20150306 |archive-date = October 6, 2015 |df = mdy-all }}

Epstein, besides making donations through the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, also made a number of charitable donations through his three private charities: Epstein Interest, the COUQ Foundation, and Gratitude American Ltd. According to federal tax filings, Epstein donated $30{{nbsp}}million between 1998 and 2018, through these three charities.{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article233028682.html|title=Here's exactly how Jeffrey Epstein spent $30 million|last=Brezel|first=Aaron|date=July 24, 2019|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724210822/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article233028682.html|archive-date=July 24, 2019|url-status=live}} Following his death, a number of scientists and institutions—including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)—came under criticism for accepting money from Epstein and his foundation, with some individuals offering to give away money donated by Epstein.{{cite news |last1=Millward |first1=David |title=Scientists apologise for accepting money from Jeffrey Epstein as academia engulfed by scandal |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/22/scientists-apologise-accepting-money-epstein-academia-engulfed/ |access-date=August 23, 2019 |work=The Telegraph |date=August 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822171133/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/22/scientists-apologise-accepting-money-epstein-academia-engulfed/ |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |url-status=live }}

According to various sources, beginning in the early-2000s Epstein developed a strong interest in "improving" the human race through genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, including using his own sperm. He addressed the scientific community at various events and occasions and communicated his fascination with eugenics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/business/jeffrey-epstein-eugenics.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNA|last1=Stewart|first1=James B.|date=July 31, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 1, 2019|last2=Goldstein|first2=Jacob|last3=Silver-Greenberg|first3=Jessica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731235929/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/business/jeffrey-epstein-eugenics.html|archive-date=July 31, 2019|url-status=live}} It was reported in August 2019 that Epstein had planned to "seed the human race with his DNA" by impregnating up to twenty women at a time using his New Mexico compound as a "baby ranch", where mothers would give birth to his offspring. He was an advocate of cryonics and his own idiosyncratic version of transhumanism, and had said that he intended to have his penis and head frozen.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Ryan W. |title=3 startling takeaways from the New York Times' report on Jeffrey Epstein, DNA obsession |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/01/jeffrey-epstein-new-york-times-details-dna-eugenics-interest/1886777001/ |work=USA Today |date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802050030/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/01/jeffrey-epstein-new-york-times-details-dna-eugenics-interest/1886777001/ |archive-date=August 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Steig |first1=Corey |title=What Is Transhumanism & Why Is Jeffrey Epstein Into It? |date=August 1, 2019 |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/08/239383/what-is-eugenics-transhumanism-jeffrey-epstein-baby-ranch |work=Refinery29 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802233105/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/08/239383/what-is-eugenics-transhumanism-jeffrey-epstein-baby-ranch |archive-date=August 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania said: "Scientists need funding for important work ... if the funding is for legitimate scientific work, there is nothing wrong with accepting support from a billionaire. However it would have been wrong for scientists to accept his funding if they were aware that he was planning a eugenics experiment that might draw legitimacy from his association with them." Professor George Church also publicly apologized for meeting Epstein after his 13-month sentence, saying: "There should have been more conversations about, should we be doing this, should we be helping this guy? There was just a lot of nerd tunnel vision."

{{Main|Death of Jeffrey Epstein}}

File:MCC New York jeh.JPG, awaiting trial for sex trafficking.]]

On July 23, 2019, Epstein was found injured and semiconscious at 1:30{{nbsp}}a.m. on the floor of his cell, with marks around his neck.{{cite news | title=Inmate 76318-054: The Last Days of Jeffrey Epstein | work=The New York Times | date=August 17, 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/nyregion/epstein-suicide-death.html | access-date=August 18, 2019 | last1=Watkins | first1=Ali | last2=Ivory | first2=Danielle | first3=Christina | last3=Goldbaum | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818003222/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/nyregion/epstein-suicide-death.html | archive-date=August 18, 2019 | url-status=live }} His cellmate, former New York City police officer Nicholas Tartaglione, who was at the time awaiting trial for four counts of murder, was questioned about Epstein's condition. He denied having any knowledge of what happened. Correctional staff suspected attempted suicide, but did not rule out the possibility that it was staged or that he was assaulted by another inmate.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Jeffrey-Epstein-Found-Injured-in-NYC-Jail-Cell-After-Possible-Suicide-Attempt-or-Assault-Sources-513174311.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein Found Injured in NYC Jail Cell After Possible Suicide Attempt: Sources|work=WNBC|last=Dienst|first=Jonathan|date=July 24, 2019|access-date=July 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725030038/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Jeffrey-Epstein-Found-Injured-in-NYC-Jail-Cell-After-Possible-Suicide-Attempt-or-Assault-Sources-513174311.html|archive-date=July 25, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news | first1=William K. | last1=Rashbaum | first2=Benjamin | last2=Weiser | first3=Michael | last3=Gold | title=Jeffrey Epstein Is Found Injured in Jail Cell | work=The New York Times | date=July 25, 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-injured-jail.html | access-date=July 25, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725152515/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-injured-jail.html | archive-date=July 25, 2019 | url-status=live }} According to NBC News, two sources said that Epstein might have tried to hang himself, a third said the injuries were not serious and could have been staged, and a fourth source said that an assault by his cellmate had not been ruled out.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/jeffrey-epstein-found-injured-marks-his-neck-new-york-jail-n1034301|title=Jeffrey Epstein found injured with marks on his neck in New York jail cell, sources say|last1=Dienst|first1=Jonathan|last2=Winter|first2=Tom|date=July 25, 2019|work=NBC News|access-date=July 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725044246/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/jeffrey-epstein-found-injured-marks-his-neck-new-york-jail-n1034301|archive-date=July 25, 2019|url-status=live}} After that incident, he was placed on suicide watch.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/10/jeffrey-epstein-dead-prison-report-latest|title=Jeffrey Epstein dies after apparent suicide in New York jail|last=Helmore|first=Edward|date=August 10, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=August 10, 2019|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810131327/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/10/jeffrey-epstein-dead-prison-report-latest|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}} Six days later, on July 29, 2019, Epstein was taken off suicide watch and placed in a special housing unit with another inmate. Epstein's close associates said he was in "good spirits".

When Epstein was placed in the special housing unit, the jail informed the Justice Department that he would have a cellmate, and that a guard would look into the cell every thirty minutes. These procedures were not followed on the night of his death.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-watch.html|title=Why Wasn't Jeffrey Epstein on Suicide Watch When He Died?|last=Watkins|first=Ali|date=August 10, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815132051/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-watch.html|archive-date=August 15, 2019|url-status=live}} On August 9, 2019, Epstein's cellmate was transferred out, but no one took his place.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/it-was-inevitable-officers-watching-epstein-were-on-overtime-due-to-jail-staffing-shortage-union-president-says/2019/08/11/2b611404-bc5e-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html|title=Correction officers, did not check on Epstein for several hours before his death, violating protocol, person familiar with the case says.|first1=Matt|last1=Zapotsky|first2=Devlin|last2=Barrett|date=August 11, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813233658/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/it-was-inevitable-officers-watching-epstein-were-on-overtime-due-to-jail-staffing-shortage-union-president-says/2019/08/11/2b611404-bc5e-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html|archive-date=August 13, 2019|url-status=live}} Later in the evening, contrary to the jail's normal procedure, Epstein was not checked every thirty minutes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/nyregion/epstein-death-manhattan-correctional-center.html|title=Before Jail Suicide, Epstein Was Left Alone and Not Closely Monitored|last1=Benner|first1=Katie|date=August 11, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 11, 2019|last2=Ivory|first2=Danielle|issn=0362-4331|last3=Oppel|first3=Richard A. Jr.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811152002/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/nyregion/epstein-death-manhattan-correctional-center.html|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}} The two guards who were assigned to check his jail unit that night fell asleep and did not check on him for about three hours; the guards falsified related records.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-jail-officers.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein Death: 2 Guards Slept Through Checks and Falsified Records|last1=Benner|first1=Katie|date=August 13, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 14, 2019|last2=Ivory|first2=Danielle|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813225824/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-jail-officers.html|archive-date=August 13, 2019|url-status=live}} Two cameras in front of Epstein's cell also malfunctioned that night.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York City at 6:30{{nbsp}}a.m. EDT on August 10, 2019.{{cite news | url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-suicide.html | title= Jeffrey Epstein Dead in Suicide at Jail, Spurring Inquiries | first1= William K. | last1= Rashbaum | first2= Benjamin | last2= Weiser | first3= Michael | last3= Gold | date= August 10, 2019 | access-date= August 10, 2019 | work= The New York Times | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190810131318/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-suicide.html | archive-date= August 10, 2019 | url-status= live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-found-dead-nyc-jail-n1041081 |title=Jeffrey Epstein, accused sex trafficker, is dead by apparent suicide, found in his Manhattan jail cell |last1=Winter |first1=Tom |last2=Dienst |first2=Jonathan |publisher=NBC News |date=August 10, 2019 |access-date=August 10, 2019 |last3=McCausland |first3=Phil |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810134732/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-found-dead-nyc-jail-n1041081 |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} The Bureau of Prisons said lifesaving measures were initiated immediately upon the discovery of Epstein's body. Emergency responders were called and he was taken to a hospital. On August 10, 2019, the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Attorney General William Barr called the death an apparent suicide, although no final determination had been made.{{cite news | title=Jeffrey Epstein dead after apparent suicide in New York jail | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=August 10, 2019 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/jeffrey-epstein-kills-himself-in-jail-according-to-media-reports/2019/08/10/a3d48862-bb73-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html | access-date=August 10, 2019 | first1=Matt | last1=Zapotosky | first2=Devlin | last2=Barrett | first3=Renae | last3=Merle | first4=Carol D. | last4=Leonnig | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810152502/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/jeffrey-epstein-kills-himself-in-jail-according-to-media-reports/2019/08/10/a3d48862-bb73-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html | archive-date=August 10, 2019 | url-status=live }} The United States Department of Justice's Inspector General's investigation report released on June 27, 2023, criticized jail officials for repeated "negligence, misconduct, and outright job performance failures" in connection with Epstein's incarceration and death. It also denied the suggestion that what happened was anything other than a suicide.{{cite news |last1=Berman |first1=Mark |title=Inspector general says Jeffrey Epstein's death enabled by jailers' negligence |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/27/inspector-general-report-jeffrey-epstein-death/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 28, 2023}}

File:Epstein Body Moved From New York Hospital to Medical Examiner's Office.webm

On August 11, 2019, an autopsy was performed.{{cite web|last1=Johnson|first1=Alex|last2=Madani|first2=Doha|last3=Winter|first3=Tom|title=After autopsy, cause of Jeffrey Epstein's death awaits 'further information'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/after-autopsy-cause-jeffrey-epstein-s-death-awaits-further-information-n1041216|website=NBC News|date=August 11, 2019|access-date=August 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812000755/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/after-autopsy-cause-jeffrey-epstein-s-death-awaits-further-information-n1041216|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=live}} It appeared likely that Epstein had thrown himself violently off the cell's top bunk, which would explain the damage he suffered, other than strangulation.{{Cite web|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Blood Vessels in Eyes Popped During Hanging|url=https://www.tmz.com/2019/08/15/jeffrey-epstein-hanging-injuries-broken-neck-strangulation/|access-date=June 1, 2021|website=TMZ |date=August 15, 2019}} The preliminary result of the autopsy found that Epstein sustained multiple breaks in his neck bones. Among the bones broken in Epstein's neck was the hyoid bone. Such breaks of the hyoid bone can occur from those who hang themselves, but they are more common in victims of homicide by strangulation. A 2010 study found broken hyoids in twenty-five percent of cases of hangings. A larger study conducted from 2010 to 2016 found hyoid damage in just 16 of 264, or six percent, of cases of hangings. Hyoid bone breaks become more common with age, as the bones become more brittle.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/autopsy-finds-broken-bones-in-jeffrey-epsteins-neck-deepening-questions-around-his-death/2019/08/14/d09ac934-bdd9-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html|title=Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein's neck, deepening questions around his death|last1=Leonnig|first1=Carol|date=August 14, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 14, 2019|last2=Davis|first2=Aaron|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815044336/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/autopsy-finds-broken-bones-in-jeffrey-epsteins-neck-deepening-questions-around-his-death/2019/08/14/d09ac934-bdd9-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html|archive-date=August 15, 2019|url-status=live}} Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht noted that hanging by leaning forward would not result in broken cervical bones.{{cite web|last1=Wecht|first1=Cyril|title=Jeffrey Epstein's death ruled suicide by hanging|url=https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/jeffrey-epsteins-death-ruled-suicide-by-hanging|website=Fox News|date=August 17, 2019|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821061031/https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/jeffrey-epsteins-death-ruled-suicide-by-hanging|archive-date=August 21, 2019|url-status=live}}

On August 16, 2019, Barbara Sampson, the New York City medical examiner, ruled Epstein's death a suicide by hanging.{{cite web|url=https://www.apnews.com/a947e0d85d31496eb5bd9ff4994c9718|first1=Michael R.|last1=Sisak|first2=Michael|last2=Balsamo|first3=Larry|last3=Neumeister|title=Medical examiner rules Epstein death a suicide by hanging|date=August 17, 2019|website=AP News|access-date=August 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816220542/https://www.apnews.com/a947e0d85d31496eb5bd9ff4994c9718|archive-date=August 16, 2019|url-status=live}} The medical examiner, according to Epstein's defense counsel, only saw nine minutes of footage from one security camera to help her arrive at her conclusion.{{cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/epstein-death-murder-suicide-victims-hearing-1456397|title=Epstein Lawyers say evidence 'far more consistent' with murder than suicide|last=Stockler|first=Asher|date=August 27, 2019|work=Newsweek|access-date=August 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827195303/https://www.newsweek.com/epstein-death-murder-suicide-victims-hearing-1456397|archive-date=August 27, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein's defense lawyers were not satisfied with the conclusion of the medical examiner and were conducting their own independent investigation into the cause of Epstein's death, including taking legal action, if necessary, to view the pivotal camera footage near his cell during the night of his death.{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epsteins-lawyers-to-launch-own-investigation-into-his-death-2019-8|title=Jeffrey Epstein's lawyers blast 'medieval conditions' at federal jail where he died by suicide and say they are launching their own investigation|last=Frias|first=Lauren|date=August 16, 2019|work=Business Insider|access-date=August 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818174940/https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epsteins-lawyers-to-launch-own-investigation-into-his-death-2019-8|archive-date=August 18, 2019|url-status=live}} Epstein's lawyers said that the evidence concerning Epstein's death was "far more consistent" with murder than suicide. Michael Baden, an independent pathologist hired by the Epstein estate, observed the autopsy. In October 2019, Baden said that Epstein had experienced a number of injuries—among them a broken bone in his neck—that "are extremely unusual in suicidal hangings and could occur much more commonly in homicidal strangulation". Baden stated that he thinks that the evidence points to homicide rather than suicide.{{cite news|last=Paybarah|first=Azi|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/30/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-homicide-autopsy-michael-baden.html|title=Epstein's Autopsy 'Points to Homicide,' Pathologist Hired by Brother Claims|work=The New York Times|date=October 30, 2019|access-date=October 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030234501/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/30/nyregion/jeffrey-epstein-homicide-autopsy-michael-baden.html|archive-date=October 30, 2019|url-status=live}}

File:Epstein Final Mugshot.png

On August 18, 2019, it was reported that Jeffrey Epstein had signed his last will and testament on August 8, 2019, two weeks after being found injured in his cell and two days before his death. Until this time, Epstein had been depositing money in other inmates' commissary accounts to avoid being attacked. The signing of the will was witnessed by two attorneys that knew him. The will named two longtime employees as executors, and immediately gifted all of his assets, and any assets remaining in his estate, to a trust.{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/08/19/jeffrey-epstein-signed-will-two-days-before-suicide/|title=Jeffrey Epstein signed will just two days before suicide|last1=DeGregory|first1=Priscilla|last2=Sheehy|first2=Kate|date=August 19, 2019|website=New York Post|access-date=August 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819234233/https://nypost.com/2019/08/19/jeffrey-epstein-signed-will-two-days-before-suicide/|archive-date=August 19, 2019|url-status=live}}

Following the autopsy, Epstein's body was claimed by his brother Mark.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/jeffrey-epstein-s-body-claimed-unidentified-associate-n1042551 |title=Jeffrey Epstein's body claimed by unidentified 'associate' |date=August 14, 2019 |work=NBC News |access-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121172613/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/jeffrey-epstein-s-body-claimed-unidentified-associate-n1042551 |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-body-claimed-by-brother-mark-epstein |title=Jeffrey Epstein's Body Claimed by His Brother |date=August 16, 2019 |newspaper=The Daily Beast |last1=Shallwani |first1=Pervaiz |access-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121153100/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-body-claimed-by-brother-mark-epstein |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |url-status=live }} On September 5, 2019, Epstein's body was buried in an unmarked grave next to those of his parents at the I.J. Morris Star of David Cemetery in Palm Beach, Florida. The names of his parents were also removed from their tombstone in order to prevent vandalism.{{cite news |url=https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Jeffery-Epstein-buried-in-unmarked-grave-with-family-names-removed-600753 |title=Jeffery Epstein buried in unmarked grave with family names removed |date=September 5, 2019 |work=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409120954/https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Jeffery-Epstein-buried-in-unmarked-grave-with-family-names-removed-600753 |archive-date=April 9, 2020 |url-status=live }}

{{Commons category|Epstein Files Phase 1|Epstein Files: First Phase}}

Attorney General Barr ordered an investigation by the Department of Justice Inspector General in addition to the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying that he was "appalled" by Epstein's death in federal custody.{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epstein-dead-by-suicide-found-in-manhattan-jail-cell|title=Jeffrey Epstein dead from apparent suicide in Manhattan jail cell; FBI investigating|last=Suarez Sang|first=Lucia I.|date=August 10, 2019|work=Fox News|access-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810143738/https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epstein-dead-by-suicide-found-in-manhattan-jail-cell|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}} Two days later Barr said there had been "serious irregularities" in the prison's handling of Epstein, promising: "We will get to the bottom of what happened, and there will be accountability."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/12/bill-barr-blasts-jail-where-jeffrey-epstein-killed-himself.html|title=Attorney General William Barr says there were 'serious irregularities' at jail where Jeffrey Epstein killed himself|last=Breuninger|first=Kevin|date=August 12, 2019|work=CNBC|access-date=August 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812151004/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/12/bill-barr-blasts-jail-where-jeffrey-epstein-killed-himself.html|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=live}} On August 14, 2019, Manhattan federal court Judge Richard M. Berman, who was overseeing Epstein's criminal case, wrote to the Metropolitan Correctional Center warden Lamine N'Diaye inquiring as to whether an investigation into the millionaire's apparent suicide would include a probe into his prior (July 23) injuries. Judge Berman wrote that to his knowledge it has never been definitely explained what they concluded about the incident.{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-08-14/the-latest-epstein-accuser-sues-his-estate-ex-girlfriend|title=The Latest: Judge Asks for Details About Epstein Jail Injury|date=August 14, 2019|agency=Associated Press|work=US News|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821004159/https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-08-14/the-latest-epstein-accuser-sues-his-estate-ex-girlfriend|archive-date=August 21, 2019|url-status=live}}

The national president of the Council of Prison Locals C-33, E. O. Young, stated that prisons "can't ever stop anyone who is persistent on killing themselves". Between 2010 and 2016, around 124 inmates killed themselves while in federal custody, or around twenty prisoners per year, out of an inmate population of 180,000.{{Cite news|url=https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Autopsy-of-Epstein-performed-but-details-yet-to-be-released-536763661.html|title=One of Epstein's guards the night he hanged himself wasn't a correctional officer|work=Kolo 8 News Now|first1=Jim|last1=Mustian|first2=Michael|last2=Sisak|first3=Michael|last3=Balsamo|date=August 12, 2019|agency=Associated Press|access-date=August 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812143700/https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Autopsy-of-Epstein-performed-but-details-yet-to-be-released-536763661.html|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/population_statistics.jsp|title=BOP: Population Statistics|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821045504/https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/population_statistics.jsp|archive-date=August 21, 2019|url-status=live}} The previous reported inmate suicide in the MCC facility in Manhattan was in 1998.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/12/jeffrey-epstein-death-suicide-prison|title=Jeffrey Epstein's death: what we know and don't know|last=Aratani|first=Lauren|date=August 13, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813081529/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/12/jeffrey-epstein-death-suicide-prison|archive-date=August 13, 2019|url-status=live}} The union leader Young said it was unclear if there was video of Epstein's hanging or direct observations by jail officials. He said that while cameras are ubiquitous in the facility, he did not believe that the interior of inmates' cells were within their range. Young said union officials had long been raising concerns regarding staffing, as the Trump administration had imposed a hiring freeze and budget cuts on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), adding: "All this was caused by the administration."

President Serene Gregg, of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3148, said MCC is functioning with fewer than seventy percent of the needed correctional officers, forcing many to work mandatory overtime and 60-to-70-hour workweeks.{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-metropolitan-correctional-center-mcc-where-jeffrey-epstein-died-is-a-place-that-time-forgot |title=The MCC, Where Jeffrey Epstein Died, Is a Place That Time Forgot |work=The Daily Beast |first=Michael |last=Daly |date=August 13, 2019 |access-date=August 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813122009/https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-metropolitan-correctional-center-mcc-where-jeffrey-epstein-died-is-a-place-that-time-forgot |archive-date=August 13, 2019 |url-status=live }} In previous congressional testimony, Attorney General Barr admitted the BOP was "short" about 4,000 to 5,000 employees. He had lifted the freeze and was working to recruit sufficient new officers to replace those who had departed.{{cite news |url=https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2019/08/11/officers-watching-epstein-were-on-overtime-due-to-staffing-shortage-union-president-says/ |title=Officers watching Epstein were on overtime due to staffing shortage, union president says |work=Anchorage Daily News |first1=Matt |last1=Zapotosky |first2=Devlin |last2=Barrett |date=August 11, 2019 |access-date=August 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812022633/https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2019/08/11/officers-watching-epstein-were-on-overtime-due-to-staffing-shortage-union-president-says/ |archive-date=August 12, 2019 |url-status=live }}

Epstein's attorneys asked Judge Berman to probe their client's death, alleging they could provide evidence that the incident resulting in his death was "far more consistent with assault" than suicide. One week after having signed his final will, it had been reported that at least one camera in the hallway outside Epstein's cell had footage that was unusable, although other usable footage was recorded in the area.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigators-scrutinizing-video-outside-epsteins-cell-find-some-footage-unusable-according-to-people-familiar-with-the-inquiry/2019/08/26/df405636-c827-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html|title=Investigators scrutinizing video outside Epstein's cell find some footage unusable, according to people familiar with the inquiry|first1=Carol D.|last1=Leonnig|author-link1=Carol D. Leonnig|first2=Matt|last2=Zapotosky|date=August 26, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827055339/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigators-scrutinizing-video-outside-epsteins-cell-find-some-footage-unusable-according-to-people-familiar-with-the-inquiry/2019/08/26/df405636-c827-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html|archive-date=August 27, 2019|url-status=live}} Two cameras that malfunctioned in front of Epstein's cell were sent to an FBI crime lab for examination.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jeffrey-epstein-cameras-idUSKCN1VI2LC|title=FBI studies two broken cameras outside cell where Epstein died: source|last=Hosenball|first=Mark|date=August 28, 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=August 29, 2019|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829015821/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jeffrey-epstein-cameras-idUSKCN1VI2LC|archive-date=August 29, 2019|url-status=live}} Federal prosecutors subpoenaed up to twenty correctional officers concerning the cause of Epstein's death.{{Cite news|url=https://www.winchesterstar.com/associated_press/washington/ap-source-prison-staff-members-subpoenaed-in-epstein-probe/article_c7801317-aefc-5b6d-8caf-5f255322a5f2.html|title=Prison staff members subpoenaed in Epstein probe|first1=Tom |last1=Hays |first2=Michael |last2=Balsamo|date=August 22, 2019|url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190827073038/https://www.winchesterstar.com/associated_press/washington/ap-source-prison-staff-members-subpoenaed-in-epstein-probe/article_c7801317-aefc-5b6d-8caf-5f255322a5f2.html|work=The Winchester Star|archive-date=August 27, 2019|access-date=December 5, 2019|agency=Associated Press}}

On November 19, 2019, federal prosecutors in New York charged Metropolitan Correctional Center guards Michael Thomas and Tova Noel with creating false records, and with conspiracy, after video footage obtained by prosecutors revealed that Epstein had, against regulation, been in his cell unchecked for eight hours prior to being found dead.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/11/19/780794931/prosecutors-charge-correctional-officers-who-guarded-jeffrey-epstein-before-his-|title=Jeffrey Epstein's Prison Guards Are Indicted On Federal Charges|website=NPR|access-date=November 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119231002/https://www.npr.org/2019/11/19/780794931/prosecutors-charge-correctional-officers-who-guarded-jeffrey-epstein-before-his-|archive-date=November 19, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50480172|title=Epstein guards charged with falsifying records|work=BBC News|date=November 19, 2019|access-date=November 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119182715/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50480172|archive-date=November 19, 2019|url-status=live}}[https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1218466/download U.S. v. Noel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120184024/https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1218466/download |date=November 20, 2019 }} 19-CR-830. Indictment. On May 22, 2021, the two guards admitted they falsified records but were spared from any time behind bars under a deal with federal prosecutors.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/22/jeffrey-epstein-prison-guards-manhattan-prosecutors|title=Jeffrey Epstein prison guards spared jail time in deal with US prosecutors|work=The Guardian|agency=Associated Press|date=May 22, 2021|access-date=May 27, 2021}} As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, on May 25, both officers pleaded guilty to falsifying records and conspiracy to defraud the United States. They were sentenced to six months supervisory release and were required to perform 100 hours of community service.Julie K. Brown (May 25, 2021). [https://www.mcclatchydc.com/article251666428.html "In latest Epstein deal, officers who slept while financier died plead guilty, avert trial"]. McClatchy. Retrieved May 27, 2021. On December 19, 2023, New York judge Loretta Preska ordered a list with names of more than 170 Epstein associates to be unsealed on January 1, 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67769039|title=US judge orders names of more than 170 Jeffrey Epstein associates to be released|date=December 20, 2023 |publisher=BBC News}} Anyone on the list had until January 1 to appeal to have their name removed.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-21 |title=Liste over navne i Epstein-sag skal offentliggøres - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/udland/2023-12-20-liste-over-navne-i-epstein-sag-skal-offentliggoeres |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-list-associates-unsealed-judge-rules/|title=List of Jeffrey Epstein's associates named in lawsuit must be unsealed, judge rules. Here are details on the document release.|date=January 2, 2024 |publisher=CBS news}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/01/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-associates-list|title=Nearly 200 names linked to Jeffrey Epstein expected to be made public|work=The Guardian|date=January 2024 |last1=Helmore |first1=Edward }}{{cite news |last1=Bekiempis |first1=Victoria |date=January 5, 2024 |title=Second wave of court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein unsealed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/04/jeffrey-epstein-second-round-documents-unsealed |work=the guardian}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jeffrey-epstein-names-list-documents-b2473538.html|title=Jeffrey Epstein list – live: Fresh Clinton claims revealed in second batch of unsealed documents|date=January 14, 2024 |publisher=independent}}

{{Further|Epstein didn't kill himself}}

File:Epstein Bridge Nov2019 2 (cropped).jpg in Cincinnati]]

Epstein's death became the subject of widespread controversy and debate, with the belief that his death was a homicide becoming a popular meme.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/epstein-didnt-kill-himself-conspiracy/|title='Epstein Didn't Kill Himself' and the Meme-ing of Conspiracy|magazine=Wired |via=www.wired.com|access-date=November 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129233836/https://www.wired.com/story/epstein-didnt-kill-himself-conspiracy/|archive-date=November 29, 2019|url-status=live|last1=Ellis |first1=Emma Grey }} HBO is creating a limited series on Epstein's life and death to be directed and executive produced by Adam McKay.{{cite news |url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/tv/jeffrey-epstein-hbo-series-adam-mckay-julie-k-brown-20191031.html |title=HBO orders Jeffrey Epstein series based on book by former Daily News reporter |first1=Nick |last1=Vadala |work=Inquirer.com |date=October 31, 2019|access-date=November 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211094609/https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/tv/jeffrey-epstein-hbo-series-adam-mckay-julie-k-brown-20191031.html |archive-date=December 11, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/jeffrey-epstein-series-hbo-adam-mckay-1203388518/ |title=Adam McKay Sets Jeffrey Epstein Limited Series at HBO Under New First-Look Deal |first1=Joe |last1=Otterson |work=Variety |date=October 30, 2019 |access-date=November 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108211641/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/jeffrey-epstein-series-hbo-adam-mckay-1203388518/ |archive-date=November 8, 2019 |url-status=live }} Sony Pictures Television is additionally developing a miniseries based on Epstein's life.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/09/sony-pictures-television-jeffrey-epstein-conchita-sarnoff-trafficking-1202743804/|title=Sony Pictures Television To Shop Jeffrey Epstein Story As Limited Series After Optioning Conchita Sarnoff Book 'TrafficKing'|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Peter|last=White|date=September 25, 2019|access-date=August 1, 2020}} In the season four finale of the CBS series The Good Fight, the plot revolves around Epstein's death.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-good-fight-turns-into-a-parody-of-itself-with-its-t-1843735673|title=The Good Fight turns into a parody of itself with its tangled Jeffrey Epstein episode|website=TV Club|date=May 28, 2020|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506065004/https://tv.avclub.com/the-good-fight-turns-into-a-parody-of-itself-with-its-t-1843735673|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2020/05/good-fight-finale-jeffrey-epstein-episode-final-shot.html|title=The Good Fight's Jeffrey Epstein Episode Was Bananas Even by Good Fight Standards|first=Sam|last=Adams|date=May 28, 2020|website=Slate Magazine}} The Netflix documentary series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich premiered in May 2020.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-jeffrey-epstein-filthy-rich-docuseries-998981/|title=See First Trailer for Netflix's 'Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich' Docuseries|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Daniel|last=Kreps|date=May 13, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020}} The Lifetime documentary Surviving Jeffrey Epstein premiered in August 2020.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/jeffrey-epstein-documentary-trailer-lifetime-1234711357/|title=Lifetime Releases 'Surviving Jeffrey Epstein' Trailer (Watch)|website=Variety|first=Janet|last=W. Lee|date=July 20, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020}}

On July 1, 2020, a statue of Epstein was left outside the City Hall in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a satirical commentary on opposition to the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials.{{cite web|url=https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/statue-of-jeffrey-epstein-mysteriously-appears-in-albuquerque/5778652/|title=Statue of Jeffrey Epstein mysteriously appears in Albuquerque|work=KOB|author=Panas, Joshua|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915042523/https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/statue-of-jeffrey-epstein-mysteriously-appears-in-albuquerque/5778652/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.koat.com/article/mystery-jeffrey-epstein-statue-found-in-downtown-albuquerque/33025531|title=Mystery Jeffrey Epstein statue found in Downtown Albuquerque|work=KOAT-TV|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://nypost.com/2020/07/02/jeffrey-epstein-statue-left-outside-albuquerques-city-hall/ | title=Jeffrey Epstein statue left outside Albuquerque's city hall | date=July 2, 2020 }} Footage of Trump and Epstein talking at the 1992 Mar-a-Lago party appears in the 2020 comedy mockumentary Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, where the footage is shown inspiring Borat to gift his teen daughter to someone in Trump's inner circle (with Borat deciding on Mike Pence, and later Rudy Giuliani). Later in the film, one of Borat's children also changes his name to Jeffrey Epstein.{{Cite web|last=Reilly|first=Dan|date=October 22, 2020|title=Who's Who in Borat 2: A Guide to Every Notable Cameo|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/whos-who-in-borat-2-a-guide-to-every-notable-cameo.html|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Vulture}}{{Cite web|date=October 23, 2020|title=Borat 2: Amazon Drop Sequel Early, Opposite Final Presidential Debate|url=https://www.cbr.com/borat-2-amazon-early-presidential-debate/|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=CBR}}

{{Clear}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite news |last=Brown |first=Julie K. |author-link=Julie K. Brown |date=November 28, 2018 |title=Even from jail, sex abuser manipulated the system. His victims were kept in the dark |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article219494920.html |work=Miami Herald}}
• {{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Julie K. |author-link=Julie K. Brown |date=November 28, 2018 |title=For years, Jeffrey Epstein abused teen girls, police say. A timeline of his case |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html |work=Miami Herald}}
• {{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Julie K. |author-link=Julie K. Brown |date=November 28, 2018 |title=How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html |work=Miami Herald}}
• {{cite news |last=Bruck |first=Connie |author-link=Connie Bruck |date=August 5, 2019 |title=Devil's Advocate: Alan Dershowitz's long, controversial career{{snd}}and the accusations against him |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/08/05/alan-dershowitz-devils-advocate |magazine=The New Yorker |pages=32–47 }}
• {{cite news |last1=Coaston |first1=Jane |first2=Anna |last2=North |date=July 10, 2019 |title=Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who is friends with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/12/3/18116351/jeffrey-epstein-trump-clinton-crimes-molestation |work=Vox}}
• {{cite magazine |author=Sherman, Gabriel |author-link=Gabriel Sherman |date=July–August 2021 |title=The mogul and the monster |magazine=Vanity Fair |volume=730 |pages=60–65, 133–134 |url=https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2021/7/the-mogul-and-the-monster |url-access=limited }}
• {{cite news |last=Stewart |first=James B. |date=August 12, 2019 |title=The Day Jeffrey Epstein Told Me He Had Dirt on Powerful People |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=August 12, 2019}}

• James Patterson; John Connolly; Tim Molloy: Filthy Rich: The true story behind the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal. Little, Brown and Company, 2016, {{ISBN|978-0-316-27405-0}}.
• Dylan Howard; Melissa Dylan; James Robertson: Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Simon and Schuster, 2019, {{ISBN|978-1-5107-5823-0}}.
• Bradley J. Edwards; Brittany Henderson: Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Simon & Schuster, 2020, {{ISBN|978-1-4711-9529-7}}.
• Barry Levine: The Spider: Inside the Criminal Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Crown, 2020, {{ISBN|978-0-593-23718-2}}.
• Julie K. Brown: Perversion of Justice. The Jeffrey Epstein Story. Dey Street, 2021, {{ISBN|978-0-06-300058-2}}.
• Sarah Ransome: Silenced No More. Surviving My Journey to Hell and Back. HarperOne, 2021, {{ISBN|978-0-06-321371-5}}.
• Whitney Alyse Webb: One Nation Under Blackmail: The Sordid Union Between Intelligence and Organized Crime that Gave Rise to Jeffrey Epstein. Trine Day, 2022, {{ISBN|978-1-63424-301-8}}. (online)

{{Sister project links|d=Q2904131|c=Category:Jeffrey Epstein|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|species=no}}

• [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1508273-jeffrey-epsteins-little-black-book-redacted.html Jeffrey Epstein's Little Black Book] (Epstein's first discovered redacted contact book)
• [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20973204-jeffrey-epsteins-other-little-black-book-redacted#document/p3 Jeffrey Epstein's Other Black Book] (Epstein's second discovered redacted contact book)
• [https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1507315/epstein-flight-manifests.pdf Jeffrey Epstein Flight Logs]
• 2007 Non-prosecution agreement
• [http://www.sa15.state.fl.us/stateattorney/NewsRoom/_content/PublicRecords/Epstein/STATE%20FILE%20REDACTED%20AND%20RELEASED/JEFFREY%20EPSTEIN%20PART%2001%20REDACTED.pdf State of Florida vs. Jeffrey E. Epstein (Criminal Information, 2008)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910210713/http://www.sa15.state.fl.us/stateattorney/NewsRoom/_content/PublicRecords/Epstein/STATE%20FILE%20REDACTED%20AND%20RELEASED/JEFFREY%20EPSTEIN%20PART%2001%20REDACTED.pdf |date=September 10, 2021 }}
• {{New York Times topic|people/e/jeffrey_e_epstein}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091223074727/http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jeffrey%2BEpstein Collected news] at the New York Daily News
• [https://vault.fbi.gov/jeffrey-epstein FBI records]
• [https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/page/file/1183116/download Epstein Indictment]

{{Jeffrey Epstein Sex Trafficking Scandal}}

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