© Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast/Getty
Epstein has been in jail since he was arrested by authorities at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on his way home from Paris this weekend. His indictment, unsealed Monday, alleges that he "sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls at his homes in Manhattan, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida, among other locations" between 2002 and 2005, according to a 14-page federal indictment. Epstein, a registered sex offender, pleaded not guilty to the new charges Monday.
During a lengthy court filing Thursday arguing that Epstein should be allowed to be kept essentially under house arrest at his Manhattan mansion instead of being held behind bars, Epstein's attorneys requested that the court allow Epstein's finances be provided as "sealed supplemental disclosure" and be kept secret from the public. Epstein's attorneys also said that they would provide a "sealed list of his philanthropic donations."
The DOJ's attorneys responded that "the government takes no position on the defendant's application" to keep his finances sealed, but they did complain that they had not yet received financial information from Epstein themselves, despite deadlines for him to do so. The DOJ told the judge that they "still have not yet received any financial disclosure or information from the defense in connection with the defendant's application for bail" and claimed that "there is no reason that the defendant need have waited until this evening to submit his sealing motion."
And the DOJ asked for an extra 24 hours to respond to Epstein's financial information when the defense submits it.
The lawyers for Epstein claimed that "Epstein has, to this point, not provided a complete financial disclosure on advice of counsel, motivated by a desire to ensure the accuracy of the information provided to the Court."
Epstein's attorneys provided scant details about his financial dealings and about how much money he has, saying that "through his business and the five residences he maintains in the United States, Mr. Epstein employs people, many of whom have been with him for more than a decade, and feels personally responsible for their livelihoods." The lawyers said that Epstein is "admittedly wealthy" and claimed that "all of his financial resources (other than his Paris residence)" were held inside the U.S., including the U.S. Virgin Islands.
But Epstein's lawyers wanted the specific details about Epstein's wealth kept sealed, and that request was without objection from the DOJ.
It remains to be seen how Judge Richard Berman will rule on that request.
The sources of Epstein's wealth and how much money he is actually worth have long been shrouded in mystery, although he is worth enough to own a $77 million Manhattan mansion, a Palm Beach estate, a ranch in New Mexico, an apartment in Paris, and a private island in the Caribbean, often dubbed the "Island of Sin" or "Pedophile Island."
And Epstein is wealthy enough to afford a private jet, nicknamed the "Lolita Express," and to travel all over the world on a regular basis with a variety of politicos, celebrities, and tycoons.
Former President Bill Clinton, who has praised Epstein in the past, released a statement on Monday evening claiming that he had taken four total trips on Epstein's jet, but a review of flight records indicates Clinton actually took at least 27 flights totaling at least six trips.
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I go over some of the lesser known connections & history of accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. I'm hoping that there are more arrests to come after his! Many powerful people are at risk if he talks. more...