Epstein Secrets

thed by Vanity Fair, Epstein may have good reason to keep his past cloaked in secrecy: his real mentor. it might seem. was not Leslie Wexner but Steven Jude Hoffen- berg. 57. who. for a few months before the S.E.C. sued to freeze his assets in 1993. was trying to buy the New York Post. He is cur- rently incarcerated

ice a lavish lifestyle that included a mansion on Long Island. homes on Man- hattan's Sutton Place and in Florida. and a fleet of cars and planes. Hoffenbeng and Epstein had much in common. Both were smart and obsessed with making money. Both were from Brook- lyn. According to HotTenbers. the two men we

ces. set Epstein up in the offices he still occu- pies in the Villard House. on Madison Av- enue. across a courtyard from the restaurant Le Cirque. Holfenberg hired his new pro- tege as a consultant at 525.000 a month. and the relationship flourished. "They tray. eled everywhere together—on Hoffenberg's

s attention-grabbing moves was flying President Clinton and Kevin Spacey to Africa on a private jet. The article says that when Epstein worked for [Steve Hoffenberg], he cooked up some of Hoffenberg's questionable financing deals - a claim Epstein has denied. Full Text (249 words) (Copyright 2003, The New York

! Rights Reserved) CALL it "The Three Amigos' Most Excellent African Adventure." Former President Bill Clinton is on a trip through Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa with Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, the star of "Rush Hour" and its sequel. The three are being fl

ners and Citigroup. • Rumors that he left Bear Stearns under an SEC inquiry cloud. • Also rumored to have been a spook of some sort. • Mentored by Steven Hoffenberg "now serving a prison term after 'bilking investors out of more than $450 million in one of the largest Ponzi schemes in American history.' • His r

thed by Vanity Fair. Epstein may have good reason to keep his past cloaked in secrecy: his real mentor. it might seem, was not Leslie Wexner but Steven Jude Hoffen- berg, 57, who, for a few months before the S.E.C. sued to freeze his assets in 1993, was trying to buy the New York Post. He is cur- rently incarcerated

que. Hoffenberg hired his new pro- tege as a consultant at 525.000 a month. and the relationship flourished. "They trav- eled everywhere together—on Hoffenberg s plane. all around the world, they were al- ways together.- says a source. Hoffenberg has claimed that Epstein confided in him. saying. for examp

a Cessna 421, and a helicopter to ferry him from his island to St. Thomas). Clinton had organized a weeklong tour of South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, and Mozambique to do what Clinton does. So when the president's advance man Doug Band pitched the idea to Epstein, he said sure. As an added bonus,

thed by Vanity Fair, Epstein may have good reason to keep his past cloaked in secrecy: his real mentor. it might seem, was not Leslie Wexner but Steven Jude Hoffen- berg, 57, who, for a few months before the S.E.C. sued to freeze his assets in 093, was trying to buy the New York Asst. He is cur- rently incarcerated

dollars," Stroll has said. Hoffenberg, says a close friend, "really liked Jeffrey... Jeffrey has a way of getting under your skin, and he was under Hoffenberg's." Also appealing to Hoffenberg were Epstein's social connections; they included oil mogul Cece Wang (father of the designer Vera) and Mohan Murja

person in charge or the trans- actions. and Mitchell Bracer was assisting him with it in coordination on behalf or the insurance companies' money." Hoffinberg, claimed at the time. At one point. according to Hoffinberg. a broker forged the documents necessary for a SI.S million check to be written on in

l Rights Reserved) CALL it "The Three Amigos' Most Excellent African Adventure." Former President Bill Clinton is on a trip through Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa with Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, the star of "Rush Hour' and its sequel. The three are being fl

umen than his connections to two men — Steven J. Hoffenberg, a onetime owner of The New York Post and a noto

ittle evidence that Mr. Epstein is a billionaire. Mr. Epstein's wealth may have depended less on his math acumen than his connections to two men — Steven J. Hoffenberg, a onetime owner of The New York Post and a notorious fraudster later convicted of running a $460 million Ponzi scheme, and Leslie H. Wexner, the

th employment and entrepreneurship, and provide women in business with access to financing and other assistance. They range from an effort in Rwanda to help 1,400 women get into the African country's fast- growing energy sector, to a Latin American initiative that aims to equip 8,700 women w

umen than his connections to two men — Steven J. Hoffenberg, a onetime owner of The New EFTA00044386 York

ittle evidence that Mr. Epstein is a billionaire. Mr. Epstein's wealth may have depended less on his math acumen than his connections to two men — Steven J. Hoffenberg, a onetime owner of The New EFTA00044386 York Post and a notorious fraudster later convicted of running a $460 million Ponzi scheme, and Leslie H

with employment and entrepreneurship, and provide women in business with access to financing and other assistance. They range from an effort in Rwanda to help 1.400 women get into the African country's fast-growing energy sector, to a Latin American initiative that aims to equip 8,700 women wit