Epstein Secrets

hed by Vanity Fair, Epstein may have good reason to keep his past cloaked in secrecy: his real mentoc it might seem, was not Leslie Mk:trier but Steven Jude Hoffen- berg. 5' 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

Mitch Brater arranged the various brokerage accounts for the bonds to be placed with in New York. and I think one in Chicago. Rodman & Ren- shaw: Hoffenberg reportedly said. Then. said Hofknberg, while making it appear as though they were investing the bonds in much safer financial instruments. they us

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 Hoffinberg's plane. all around the world. they were aF ways together." says a source. Hoffenberg has claimed that Epstein confided in him. saying. for examp

to Hollenberg, also came up with a scheme to manipulate the price of Emery Freight stock in an at- tempt to minimize the losses that occurred when Hoffenberfs bid went wrong and the share price began to fall. This was alleged to have invoked multiple clients' accounts con- trolled by Epstein. Everiuzilly

g a 20-year sentence for bilking investors out of more than 5450 million in one of the lamest Ponzi schemes in American history. When Epstein met HotTenberg in Lon- don in the 1980s. the latter was the char- ismatic, audacious head of the Towers Financial Corporation. a collection agency that was suppos

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

to Hoffenberg, also came up with a scheme to manipulate the price of Emery Freight stock in an at- tempt to minimize the losses that occurred when HotTenberg's bid went wrong and the share price began to fall. This was alleged to have imohed multiple clients' accounts con- trolled by Epstein. Eventually

urt of the Southern District of New York against Hoffenberg and TFC in connection with the TFC Ponzi Scheme:

v. Hoffenberg, et al filed 07/08/96 I080-WK-ICAR Shanmut flank v. Towers Financial, et al filed 02125/93 1:94-cv-0 1792-WK Shawmut Bank Conn. v. HotTenberg. el al filed 03/15/94 I:90-cv-00056-LBS Sahlim & Assac. v. Towers Financial Cor filed 01/04/90 I:88-cv-09178-RWS Associated Dry Goods v. Tossers