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- Wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein is facing charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy in federal court, after multiple drawn-out legal battles between him and alleged victims that began in 2005.
- As the case against Epstein proceeds, plenty of strange and bizarre details about the mysterious financier have re-surfaced or been discovered.
- These include many aspects of his odd personal history, his assets, and his "collection" of famous friends and acquaintances, many of whom are now distancing themselves from Epstein.
- Follow along with Business Insider’s coverage of the case against Jeffrey Epstein.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein has tended to stay in the shadows over the course of his mysterious career. Besides a few profiles of the man now facing charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy, along with the trove of court documents that have accompanied him, little is known about Epstein.
What is known is very confusing. Epstein sits at the center of a tangled web of expensive assets and famous friends who are now desperate to distance themselves, given the accusations against him.
Here are the most bizarre aspects of Epstein’s life, and the case being brought against him.
Epstein is purportedly very wealthy, although the origins of his money, vehicles, and property are largely unknown.
Corbis via Getty Images
There is no definitive estimation of what Epstein is worth. One of his associates, Harvard professor and prominent lawyer Alan Dershowitz, said in 2003 that Epstein "has so much money that you can’t give him anything."
But Forbes denies that Epstein is a billionaire, noting that his money management firm, based in the US-owned Virgin Islands, has generated no public records and very few public clients.
Leslie Wexner, CEO and founder of Victoria’s Secret owner L Brands, was reportedly one of Epstein’s first clients, and eventually transferred his NYC mansion to him for an unknown, if any, sum.
Epstein once served on the board of L Brands, but a spokesperson for Wexner said the two severed ties a decade ago.
Business Insider revealed Tuesday that Epstein also directed private-equity guru Leon Black’s family foundation for years.
Epstein’s assets include residences around the world, including a private island.
Emily Michot/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty
Despite not knowing how much or where his money comes from, it is true that Epstein owns numerous properties. He has five homes scattered around the globe: his Manhattan and Palm Beach residences, both named in the indictment he currently faces, along with his private island, Little Saint James, in the Virgin Islands.
The 3-D view of that island on Google Maps shows off a sprawling mansion, auxiliary buildings, and a strange temple-like building at the opposite end of Epstein’s perceived residence, complete with Grecco-Roman architecture, anthropomorphic statues, and a golden dome.
Epstein also owns a ranch in New Mexico and an apartment in Paris, according to real estate blog TheRealDeal.
A video of a police walkthrough of Epstein’s Palm Beach residence shows off unsettling furnishings.
REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Epstein’s $12 million Palm Beach estate was raided by authorities in 2005, and they took video of what they saw.
Strange and upsetting furnishings included framed naked photos of apparently pre-pubescent girls and a portrait of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and reported ex-girlfriend of Epstein, who allegedly coerced underaged girls into Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
There’s a massage chair in the bathroom, where women allege Epstein coerced them into sex acts, along with what appears to be dentistry equipment. There was also a lot of art depicting nude women.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- From Bill Clinton to Naomi Campbell: Here are some of the famous people who have flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane, which has been dubbed the ‘Lolita Express’
- What to know about British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam
- Prosecutors want to seize financier Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan mansion where they say he trafficked teenage girls for sexual encounters
Source: Business Insider – ktenbarge@businessinsider.com (Kat Tenbarge)