After everything I have read about Epstein since his death that is exactly what I surmised. He was running a high end extortion racket. He would lure in rich people into his trap. First at the Manhattan townhouse, then the Palm Beach house, the NM ranch and finally the Virgin Island.
He may have been sponsored by our government or even the Mosad due to his girlfriends fathers connections. Probably not directly, more like a private contractor. We will never know. I do not believe he is alive because dead men tell no tales. He was expendable.
I don’t think Epstein was running a honey trap on naive billionaires. I think he was running a fraternity initiation.
Participate in Epstein’s games, and you gain access to the club of the global elites. Decline, and you are shut out of the major deals that their access and influence give them.
That’s the only thing that makes sense, that he had very high level protection for years.