Jeffrey Epstein’s Opaque Finances Could Become Focal Point for Investigators
nyt ^ | 8/11/2019 | EMILY STEEL
FR Posted on 8/11/2019, 5:33:23 PM by bitt
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The money, tens of millions of dollars of it, would flow among Jeffrey Epstein’s dozens of bank accounts, shell companies and, at times, charities linked to high-powered friends.
Where was the money going? What was it for? Who was actually sending and receiving it?
A convicted pedophile and accused sex trafficker who surrounded himself with an elite network of business and political leaders, Mr. Epstein enjoyed the trappings of great wealth: private jets, mansions, his own island. But much remains unknown about the sources of his wealth.
Legions of lawyers, bankers and accountants have been trying in recent weeks to solve that mystery, and their quest is unlikely to end after Mr. Epstein was found dead on Saturday morning. The answers could illuminate how Mr. Epstein allegedly operated a long-running sex-trafficking operation, whether he had help from others and who — including Mr. Epstein’s victims — will receive any of his remaining assets. It is not known if Mr. Epstein had a will.
[Update: Why the Epstein investigation is not over.]
Interviews with people briefed on various investigations into Mr. Epstein’s wealth, and legal and financial documents in multiple countries, show that tens of millions of dollars coursed through his offshore companies and foundations in sometimes unusual ways. In the early 2000s, for example, $88 million appeared in Mr. Epstein’s Virgin Islands-registered company that normally was home to only small amounts of money. At another point, an entity once linked to Mr. Epstein sent tens of millions of dollars to the charity of a billionaire retail tycoon, Leslie H. Wexner — years after Mr. Wexner has said he severed ties with Mr. Epstein.
Executives at the companies with the deepest connections to Mr. Epstein expect that federal prosecutors will intensify their focus on his financial affairs. ..
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I think this is the real story about Epstein. The sex part of, although serious crimes were probably committed, is meant to titillate and distract. Where did the money come from, and if it was laundered, why did it need laundering?