What is document EFTA00027873?

This is an October 2010 email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Matthew Menchel, a partner at Kobre & Kim LLP. Epstein initiated contact asking to meet 'now that there can be no conflict,' and Menchel responded that he enjoyed their recent conversation and looked forward to 'the possibility of working together.'

Who is Matthew Menchel and why is his connection to Epstein significant?

Matthew Menchel was the chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. He spearheaded Jeffrey Epstein's 2007 prosecution that resulted in the controversial 'sweetheart' plea deal. Menchel left the DOJ in August 2007 — before the deal was finalized in 2008 — to join Kobre & Kim. This email from 2010 shows Epstein reaching out to Menchel after he entered private practice, raising questions about the nature of their post-prosecution relationship.

What does 'now that there can be no conflict' mean in this email?

Epstein's phrase 'now that there can be no conflict' appears to reference the fact that Menchel had left his government prosecutor position and was now in private practice at Kobre & Kim. While Menchel was a federal prosecutor, meeting with a defendant he had prosecuted would have been a clear conflict of interest. Once in private practice, Epstein apparently saw an opportunity to build a relationship with the former prosecutor.

Did Matthew Menchel work for Jeffrey Epstein?

Menchel has denied having any business relationship with Epstein 'at any point, not before, during or after my tenure at the U.S. attorney's office.' However, this email shows Menchel expressing interest in 'the possibility of working together,' and House Oversight Committee documents later revealed that Menchel had multiple appointments, phone calls, and dinners with Epstein in 2011, 2013, and 2017.

What is document EFTA00027873?

This is an October 2010 email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Matthew Menchel, a partner at Kobre & Kim LLP. Epstein initiated contact asking to meet 'now that there can be no conflict,' and Menchel responded that he enjoyed their recent conversation and looked forward to 'the possibility of working together.'

Who is Matthew Menchel and why is his connection to Epstein significant?

Matthew Menchel was the chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. He spearheaded Jeffrey Epstein's 2007 prosecution that resulted in the controversial 'sweetheart' plea deal. Menchel left the DOJ in August 2007 — before the deal was finalized in 2008 — to join Kobre & Kim. This email from 2010 shows Epstein reaching out to Menchel after he entered private practice, raising questions about the nature of their post-prosecution relationship.

What does 'now that there can be no conflict' mean in this email?

Epstein's phrase 'now that there can be no conflict' appears to reference the fact that Menchel had left his government prosecutor position and was now in private practice at Kobre & Kim. While Menchel was a federal prosecutor, meeting with a defendant he had prosecuted would have been a clear conflict of interest. Once in private practice, Epstein apparently saw an opportunity to build a relationship with the former prosecutor.

Did Matthew Menchel work for Jeffrey Epstein?

Menchel has denied having any business relationship with Epstein 'at any point, not before, during or after my tenure at the U.S. attorney's office.' However, this email shows Menchel expressing interest in 'the possibility of working together,' and House Oversight Committee documents later revealed that Menchel had multiple appointments, phone calls, and dinners with Epstein in 2011, 2013, and 2017.

EFTA00027873 - EFTA00027874

Email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Matthew Menchel, the former federal prosecutor who led Epstein's 2007 plea deal, discussing meeting up after Menchel left the DOJ for law firm Kobre & Kim.

This October 2010 email exchange reveals Jeffrey Epstein reaching out to Matthew Menchel at Kobre & Kim with the phrase 'now that there can be no conflict' — referring to Menchel's departure from the U.S. Attorney's Office where he had been the chief criminal prosecutor who spearheaded Epstein's controversial 2007 plea deal. Menchel responds enthusiastically about their recent conversation and expresses interest in 'the possibility of working together.' This document is significant because it shows Epstein actively cultivating a relationship with the very prosecutor who had given him a sweetheart deal, raising serious questions about potential conflicts of interest and the ethics of post-government relationships.

Key Highlights

•Epstein writes 'now that there can be no conflict' — acknowledging the timing of his outreach after Menchel left the DOJ
•Menchel was the Miami U.S. Attorney's Office chief criminal prosecutor who led Epstein's 2007 plea deal before leaving for Kobre & Kim
•Menchel expresses interest in 'the possibility of working together' with Epstein
•House Oversight Committee documents later revealed Menchel had multiple dinners with Epstein in 2011, 2013, and 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein

Bradley J. Edwards

Victims' attorney's firsthand account

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00027873 - EFTA00027874

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00027873

To: Gm From: Jeffrey Epstein Sent: Sun 10/24/2010 4:20:05 PM (UTC) Subject: Fwd: Forwarded message From: Matthew I. Menchel Date: Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 10:34 AM Subject: RE: To: Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey, I very much enjoyed our talk the other night. I look forward to the possibility of working together, but regardless let's keep in touch. Best, Man Matthew I. Menchel KOBRE & KIM LLP www.kobrekim.com New York I London I Hong Kong I Washington DC I Miami From: Jeffrey Epstein [mailto: Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 8:08 AM To: Matthew 1. Menchel Subject: now that there can be no conflict. when are you next in new york The information contained in this communication is confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may constitute inside information, and is intended only for the use of the addressee. It is the property of Jeffrey Epstein Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by EFTA00027873

Page 2 - EFTA00027874

return e-mail or by e-mail to destroy this communication and all copies thereof, including all attachments. and This e-mail message is from Kobre & Kim LLP, a law firm, and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this e-mail message and any attachments from your computer without retaining a copy. IRS Circular 230 disclosure: Any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments or enclosures) was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed in this communication. (The foregoing disclaimer has been affixed pursuant to U.S. Treasury regulations governing tax practitioners.) ******************************************################# The information contained in this communication is confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may constitute inside information, and is intended only for the use of the addressee. It is the property of Jeffrey Epstein Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail or by e-mail to and destroy this communication and all copies thereof, including all attachments. EFTA00027874