Epstein Secrets

took Cana- dian heiress Wendy Belzberg on a date he hired a Rolls-Royce especially for the oc- casion. (Epstein has claimed he owned it.) In 1987. Hoffenberz, according to sources. set Epstein up in the offices he still occu- pies in the Villard House. on Madison Av- enue. across a courtyard from the rest

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 incarcerate

ue. Hoffenberg hired his new pro- tégé as a consultant at 525.000 a month, and the relationship flourished. "They trav- eled everywheie 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

t Citibank once sued him for defaulting on a $20 million loan. The article suggested that one of his business mentors and previous employers was 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 histo- rY%" As

the stock market, just as the 1987 crash was approach- ing. His story has subsequently changed. When asked if Wexner knew about his con- nection to Hoffenbere. Epstein said that he began working for Wexner in 1989, and that "it was certainly not the same time." Wherever and whenever it was that Ep- stein

n in a woman who could take him on if any woman could: Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, the British newspaper baron, a Jew born in Czechoslovakia, who died mysteriously off his yacht in 1991. The British tabloids say that Epstein reminded Maxwell of her father and that she brought him into a

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

n in a woman who could take him on if any woman could: Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, the British newspaper baron, a Jew born in Czechoslovakia, who died mysteriously off his yacht in 1991. The British tabloids say that Epstein reminded Maxwell of her father and that she brought him into a

DD BLANCHE: Do you know somebody named 16 Steven Hoffenberg? 17 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Only from the

you weren't 13 there, you weren't part of that? 14 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Correct. 15 TODD BLANCHE: Do you know somebody named 16 Steven Hoffenberg? 17 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Only from the press. 18 TODD BLANCHE: Okay. And so you don't 19 know anything about whatever business

liked him very much. And I think, should be said MAGNA9 LEGAL SERVICES Page 10 1 that he also very much liked Ivana, because she was 2 also from Czechoslovakia where my dad was from. 3 So I don't -- I don't remember if I did 4 meet him or not in 1990 with my dad, but I knew that 5 that's how I kne

you weren't 13 there, you weren't part of that? 14 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Correct. 15 TODD BLANCHE: Do you know somebody named 16 Steven Hoffenberg? 17 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Only from the press. 18 TODD BLANCHE: Okay. And so you don't 19 know anything about whatever business

DD BLANCHE: Do you know somebody named 16 Steven Hoffenberg? 17 GHISLAINE MAXWELL: Only from the

much. And I think, should be said 4 (Pages 10 to 13) 4 (Pages 10 to 13) Page 10 1 that he also very much liked Ivana, because she was 2 also from Czechoslovakia where my dad was from. 3 So I don't -- I don't remember if I did 4 meet him or not in 1990 with my dad, but I knew that 5 that's how I kne

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3,4 critical 49:22 cross 5:8,15 93:22 crossed 93:7 Cuba 201:9,12,16 Cuomo 154:1 Cuomo's 153:24 154:3 curious 69:15 CVRA 37:9 146:21 169:23 170:8,9,20 Czechoslovakia 10:2 Czechoslovakian 104:24 D dad 10:2,4,17 12:9 13:19 15:4,11 16:4 159:24 177:17 daily 9:12,22 43:1 Dalton 54:25 55:1,2 191:24 Dan 101:1 dance 176:4