# Jeffery Epstein has been arrested for sex trafficking a minor **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 7, 2019, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658 "2019-07-07T05:03:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/101 "2019-07-09T13:08:09Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > [https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1148256436369186816](https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1148256436369186816) > > "Fox anchor on Epstein charges: “Why now? 11 years ago that then-secret plea deal was reached, why is the US government taking another run at putting him behind bars.” If one actually watches the tape in context this kind of misrepresents the meaning of this question. It was an introductory question that meant “So, Mister Guest, please explain what is happening,” not an editorial question that implied “This should not be happening.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/102 "2019-07-09T13:28:28Z")
[Democrats can’t be bothered to attack Acosta](https://twitter.com/LAM_Barrett/status/1148428574770245633) They’ve apparently decided “politics ain’t beanbag” means that throwing beanbags is more than they should do. :headdesk: ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/103 "2019-07-09T13:56:11Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > All the Fox website headlines I saw yesterday were implicating Clinton and the Democrats. I’m guessing some Republicans are about to be exposed. Maybe in more ways than one. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/104 "2019-07-09T14:16:28Z")
As I’ve been following this story, there is one thing that I find a little surprising. Everyone seems awfully incurious about the source and legitimacy of Epstein’s gargantuan wealth. There was some attention given to this old Vanity Fair article because of the revelation that the information the reporter uncovered about his rapes was edited from the story without the author’s consent. But I found what the story said as interesting as what it didn’t say. > **[The Talented Mr. Epstein](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/03/jeffrey-epstein-200303)** > > Lately, Jeffrey Epstein’s high-flying style has been drawing oohs and aahs: the bachelor financier lives in New York’s largest private residence, claims to take only billionaires as clients, and flies celebrities including Bill Clinton and Kevin... I’ll admit that I’ve always had an interest in the mechanics of financial crimes. And I have to say the red flags are waving wildy in breeze and no one seems to notice. 1. Epstein allegedly manages the investments of clients worth 1 billion or more. Because they allegedly demand privacy, no one knows who his clients are or how many he has. 2. As per the linked article, there seems to be a cloud around his dismissal from his early job at Bear Stearns, and malfeasance is implied 3. At some time after he left Bear Stearns, he became a close friend and highly paid consultant to financier Steven Hoffenberg. Hoffenberg was later found to be running a massive Ponzi scheme and spent 15 years in federal prison. Epstein seems to have been a player in some shady Hoffenberg dealings. 4. Epstein’s current financial management business doesn’t have much of a footprint. If he really was legitimately managing large sums of money, one would expect to see him executing large trades and transactions. He would be dealing with brokers and market making firms. But this activity seems to be strangely missing. 5. Their is a wealth of circumstantial evidence that suggests that the dude is a sociopath. #4, especially, keeps bringing me back to comparisons to Madoff. Because Madoff’s business would’ve failed all but the most casual scrutiny but no one ever looked too hard. Mostly because his clients ( the more knowledgeable ones, at least) had to know or at least strongly suspect that he was cheating, but they thought they were the benefactors, not the marks. And Epstein’s previous sex conviction incarceration was structured so he never had to miss a day of work. Not sure if that’s relevant, but a lot of financial crimes committed by employees have been revealed when they go on vacation. Which is why certain employees of investment firms have to take a mandated vacation every year and they aren’t allowed to work during that time. It’s just something to keep my eye on. I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t some bankrupted billionaires before this is all said and done. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/105 "2019-07-09T14:32:15Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > As I’ve been following this story, there is one thing that I find a little surprising. Everyone seems awfully incurious about the source and legitimacy of Epstein’s gargantuan wealth. Author Tim O’Brien mentioned this last night on Lawrence O’Donnell’s show: [Jeffrey Epstein, Called ‘Terrific’ By Trump, Charged With Sex Trafficking | The Last Word | MSNBC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-UvUcoOFRg) Mention at about 14:30 mins into clip. O’Brien notes the similarity with the unknown sources of money that flow into the Trump Organization. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/106 "2019-07-09T16:34:48Z")
I’m weirdly fascinated by an aspect of Epstein’s history that I just learned about… When Epstein was 20 years old he was hired to teach mathematics at the very prestigious and private preparatory Dalton School in NYC despite not having a college degree. Who hired an unqualified future pedophile to teach coeducational high school classes? Donald Barr who is attorney general William Barr’s father. What the shit? Really? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/107 "2019-07-09T16:47:04Z")
For those who don’t want to politicize this case, I will say the actions of AG Barr is making it hard not to do so. 1. First he was going to recuse himself because his old law firm handled the Acosta settlement for Epstein. 2. Whoops! [Gotta take that one back](https://twitter.com/eorden/status/1148606992308670464)! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/108 "2019-07-09T16:58:50Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Who hired an unqualified future pedophile to teach coeducational high school classes? Donald Barr who is attorney general William Barr’s father. In fairness, “future pedophile” is unlikely to appear in a background check. High school yearbook, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/109 "2019-07-09T17:32:27Z")
I think Epstein’s probable financial crimes are in a different league than Trump’s. I suspect that the Trump Organization is involved in money-laundering and all sorts of illegal leveraging of their financial assets. But they do have visible assets, even though they are overpriced and shoddily built. Whereas I suspect Epstein is involved in actual outright theft (Ponzi style), major league blackmail, or a combination of the two. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/110 "2019-07-09T17:45:58Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I think Epstein’s probable financial crimes are in a different league than Trump’s. I suspect that the Trump Organization is involved in money-laundering and all sorts of illegal leveraging of their financial assets. But they do have visible assets, even though they are overpriced and shoddily built. > > Whereas I suspect Epstein is involved in actual outright theft (Ponzi style), major league blackmail, or a combination of the two. Knowing that Trumps ‘tastes’ lean toward younger women, one wonders if he is one that was blackmailed. And/or if he laundered money that Epstein blackmailed from others. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/111 "2019-07-09T17:55:17Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And/or if he laundered money that Epstein blackmailed from others. Or Epstein himself has been laundering money for overseas sex trade contacts. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/112 "2019-07-09T18:07:46Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > …Donald Barr … My grade school principal, as it happens (at his previous gig in a suburban NY private day school). ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/113 "2019-07-09T18:41:46Z")
His rise to wealth seems rather improbable. He dropped out of two colleges (Cooper Union and NYU). The Wikipedia entry describing his career starts this way: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Epstein taught calculus and physics at the Dalton School in Manhattan from 1973 to 1975. In 1976, Epstein started work as an options trader at Bear Stearns, where he worked in the special products division, advising high-net-worth clients on tax strategies. Proving successful in his financial career, Epstein became a limited partner at Bear Stearns in 1980. The source for a lot of that information is [this article](http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/n_7912/) in New York magazine, published in 2002, before his legal problems in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/114 "2019-07-09T18:58:59Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > In all honesty, I do not understand why banging children has so often been treated as a quirk in “sophisticated” circles. Roman Polanski, Jeffery Epstein, Kevin Spacey, those British dudes. God only knows how many others. Conspicuous consumption. Sleeping with a 14-year-old and getting away with it is a way of showing your peers how rich and powerful you are - “I do what I want and nobody can touch me.” It works, too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/115 "2019-07-09T19:11:55Z")
Y’know, if Trump were laundering blackmail payments to Epstein through his various companies, that would explain both how Epstein managed to get so rich and how Trump managed to lose money on a casino. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/116 "2019-07-09T19:20:24Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > All the Fox website headlines I saw yesterday were implicating Clinton and the Democrats. I’m guessing some Republicans are about to be exposed. I checked out Fox while I was at home for lunch. They are pushing hard the tweet from Christine Pelosi about some “faves” being outed in the case. Of course, she said Democrats and Republicans, but they are conveniently leaving out the Republican part. And, of course, shoehorning “Bill Clinton” into any sentence they can. > [@Christine Pelosi](#): > > This Epstein case is horrific and the young women deserve justice. It is quite likely that some of our faves are implicated but we must follow the facts and let the chips fall where they may - whether on Republicans or Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/117 "2019-07-09T20:10:29Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > [This article went into a lot of detail:](https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html) Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/118 "2019-07-09T21:12:08Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > For those who don’t want to politicize this case, I will say the actions of AG Barr is making it hard not to do so. > > 1. First he was going to recuse himself because his old law firm handled the Acosta settlement for Epstein. > 2. Whoops! [Gotta take that one back](https://twitter.com/eorden/status/1148606992308670464)! It says that he consulted with ethics officials; didn’t say what their response was and whether he ignored their input. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/119 "2019-07-09T21:30:33Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Knowing that Trumps ‘tastes’ lean toward younger women, one wonders if he is one that was blackmailed. > > And/or if he laundered money that Epstein blackmailed from others. From a [recent article](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/08/opinion/jeffrey-epstein-trump.html): "In 2000, a porter who worked next door to Epstein’s Manhattan home told a British newspaper, admiringly, “I often see Donald Trump and there are loads of models coming and going, mostly at night. It’s amazing.” Note that this was a quote from 2000. Before it was known about Epstein’s proclivities. The porter in question here would have no reason to make this up to tarnish Trump or Epstein, as it amounted to nothing at the time except evidence that Epstein was cavorting with the aristocratic class. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658/120 "2019-07-09T22:15:51Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I checked out Fox while I was at home for lunch. They are pushing hard the tweet from Christine Pelosi about some “faves” being outed in the case. Of course, she said Democrats and Republicans, but they are conveniently leaving out the Republican part. And, of course, shoehorning “Bill Clinton” into any sentence they can. To be somewhat fair, Clinton issued a statement that he’s been on Epstein’s plane four times when the flight logs reportedly list him a dozen times (I found three separate entries just in 2002, only a few months apart and then gave up counting since it looked pretty slam-dunky, but if anyone wants to do a thorough double-check, feel free to go for it). > **[Epstein Flight Manifests](https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1507315-epstein-flight-manifests.html)** He also said that they were going to Africa and other charity locations in Europe and Asia. However, the first entry is Miami to New York. Another is from New York to London, which matches what Clinton said. The one after appears to be between Japan and Hong Kong - which feels more like Clinton was just in the area and bummed a ride to Hong Kong than that they were on any sort of real, planned trip together. We’re just looking at a small slice of time. The odds that you happened to only be bumming flights off Epstein just happens to be the same time that his flight logs were confiscated by the law seems suspect. I’ll also note that while it does seem to be that Epstein literally takes his plane everywhere, doing so in a 727 is a pretty odd choice. Usually you would want a bigger airplane if you’re crossing the ocean. Chris Tucker was on the charity event to Africa. It’s curious that he is staying silent on the matter, one way or the other. At any rate, Clinton does deserve the scrutiny, most likely. But so does Trump. Trump is on the record of knowing about Epstein’s fondness for young girls. That’s far more damning than just flying together. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeffery-epstein-has-been-arrested-for-sex-trafficking-a-minor/836658.md?page=7)