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 Semiconductor Manufactoring, Taipei Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States; former Chai

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 hisio- As he am

siness mentors and previous employers was Steven Hoffenberg, now serving a prison term after "bilking inves

ational Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, Sen. Lieberman's loss means "defeat- ism and isolation are now Democratic Party orthodoxy" Vice President Dick Cheney even suggested that Sen. Liebt•rman's defeat might en- courage "Al-C./atria types." according to The New )irk Times. Al-Qaeda types? They've been

Iraq's breakdown: and a dispropor- tionate Israeli response to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The mujahedetin couldn't care less about Connecticut. But Mr. Cheney and his ilk con- tinue to beat the war drum because it worked before. In 2002, then-US. Rep. Saxby Chambliss. RCa.. defeated Sen. Max Cleland, 1)-

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

ney — the top-ranking woman among House Republicans - said the party needs to do more to win the votes of women. Kane and Felicia Sonmez report: "Cheney (Wyo.), chair of the House Republican Conference, was speaking one day after state Rep. Murphy bested pediatrician Joan Perry to win the GOP nomi

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

ey — the top-ranking woman among House Republicans - said the party needs to do more to win the votes of women. M Kane and Felicia Sonmez report: "Cheney (Wyo.), chair of the House Republican Conference, was speaking one day after state Rep. M Murphy bested pediatrician Joan Perry to win the GOP no