EFTA00018272
An internal SDNY prosecutor email from July 13, 2019 documenting US Attorney Geoffrey Berman's chance encounter with Jeffrey Epstein's defense attorney Reid Weingarten at a restaurant, and raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest requiring a Curcio hearing.
This is an internal Department of Justice email dated July 13, 2019, the day after Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in New York. US Attorney Geoffrey Berman reports running into Reid Weingarten, Epstein's lead defense attorney, at the Odeon restaurant. Weingarten informed Berman that after meeting with his client (Epstein), he may reach out to prosecutors for an 'interesting conversation.' Most significantly, Weingarten mentioned that his son—who works as a prosecutor in the same office prosecuting Epstein—had advised him that sex trafficking statutes are 'quite broad.' The forwarding prosecutor raises concerns about whether a 'protect-the-record Curcio' hearing should be conducted given this familial relationship within the prosecutorial team.
Key Highlights
- •Geoffrey Berman encountered Reid Weingarten at Odeon restaurant the day after Epstein's arrest
- •Weingarten signaled he wanted an 'interesting conversation' with prosecutors after meeting Epstein
- •Reid Weingarten's son worked as a prosecutor in the same SDNY office handling the Epstein case
- •Internal concern raised about potential conflict of interest requiring a Curcio hearing
- •Shows defense attorney receiving legal analysis from his son who was on the opposing prosecution side
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From: To: Cc: Subject: r ‘‘u. Lpstcm Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2019 14:43:20 +0000 Importance: Normal I didn't realize his son worked for We should consider whether we should do a protect-the-record Curcio given that his son works for Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: "Berman, Geoffrey (USANYS)" Date: July 12 2019 at 9:10:52 PM EDT To: I just ran into Reid Weingarten at Odeon, who told me that he had just met with his client and he may reach out to the team early next week to have an "interesting conversation". He added that he spoke to his son, who is an in • who told him that the sex trafficking statute is quite broad. (That he could have figured out for himself). Geoff EFTA00018272
Entities Mentioned
Geoffrey S. Berman
PERSON • 2 mentions
Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who oversaw the 2019 federal indictment of Jeffrey Epstein
Harry Reid
PERSON
American politician (1939–2021)
Reid Weingarten
PERSON • 2 mentions
American white-collar criminal defense attorney at Steptoe & Johnson, represented Jeffrey Epstein and other high-profile clients
Odeon
ORGANIZATION
London cinema in Leicester Square
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Entities:4
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