Epstein's philanthropy since sex plea included all-girl school

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This was published 4 years ago

Epstein's philanthropy since sex plea included all-girl school

By Bernard Condon and Ali Swenson

New York: In the decade since striking a deal that required him to register as a sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein has sought to underwrite all manner of youth causes, such as a baseball program near his retreat in the US Virgin Islands and an all-girls' school a few blocks from his Manhattan mansion.

The Associated Press found that the wealthy financier's donations included $US15,000 ($21,000) to the exclusive Hewitt School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, $US35,000 to the Junior Tennis Champions Centre in College Park, Maryland, and $US25,000 to the Ecole du Bel-Air grade school in Haiti - all after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Jeffrey Epstein donated funds to the Hewitt School, an all-girls' school located blocks from his Upper East Side mansion in New York.

Jeffrey Epstein donated funds to the Hewitt School, an all-girls' school located blocks from his Upper East Side mansion in New York.Credit: AP

Epstein's donations through his charitable foundations, though not in violation of his status as a sex offender, were nonetheless awkward for some recipients. They were also, at times, difficult to trace.

It wasn't until later, when they realised a sex offender was behind the donations, that the school, the tennis centre and the Haiti project returned the money.

It's not clear why Epstein, who taught calculus and physics at Manhattan's co-educational Dalton School in the 1970s, singled out the Hewitt School for the 2016 gift. Administrators at the 500-student school responded to questions by saying only that it immediately gave the money back after learning of the Epstein connection several months ago.

Billionaire and convicted sex offender  Jeffrey Epstein, is alleged to have paid co-conspirators for "influence".

Billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is alleged to have paid co-conspirators for "influence".Credit: AP

The revelations come as New York prosecutors alleged overnight that Epstein paid people identified in the 2008 child sex crimes allegations as possible co-conspirators.

Then the 66-year-old hedge fund manager was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars for massages and then molesting them at various locations from 2002 through 2005.

This week Epstein was arrested and charged with sexually abusing dozens of young girls during those years. The arrest set in motion a chain of events that led to the resignation of US Labour Secretary Alex Acosta, who was the US attorney in Miami during the 2008 investigation.

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US President Donald Trump, left, said Labour Secretary Alex Acosta, right, didn't have to resign.

US President Donald Trump, left, said Labour Secretary Alex Acosta, right, didn't have to resign. Credit: AP

President Donald Trump told reporters that Acosta had decided to step aside.

"This was him, not me," Trump said, as Acosta stood by his side. "I said to Alex, you don't have to do this."

Acosta, the only Hispanic in Trump's Cabinet, said he had submitted his resignation to take effect in a week.

"I don't think it's right or fair to have this administration's labour department have Epstein be the focus instead of the incredible economy we have today," he said. "It would be selfish for me to stay in the position and continue talking about a case that is 12 years old."

In seeking to keep the multimillionaire in jail pending the new trial, also overnight prosecutors in New York argued Epstein had a history of trying to obstruct inquiries into his misdeeds, including those from journalists.

Geoffrey Berman, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, details the new charges, while standing next to a poster displaying the image of fund manager Jeffrey Epstein last week.

Geoffrey Berman, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, details the new charges, while standing next to a poster displaying the image of fund manager Jeffrey Epstein last week.Credit: Bloomberg

Prosecutors wrote they had obtained financial records showing that in November 2018, just two days after The Miami Herald reported on the favourable plea arrangement Epstein received, Epstein wired $US100,000 to someone identified as possible co-conspirator in the case. Three days after that, he wired $US250,000 to another person identified as a possible co-conspirator, prosecutors wrote.

The co-conspirators are not named, and prosecutors did not say in precisely what manner Epstein was trying to influence them.

Officials have credited investigative journalism with helping reignite the investigation into Epstein, who resolved the 2008 investigation by pleading guilty to just two state charges and spending about 13 months in jail, with privileges including leaving custody to work from his office during the week.

Around the time he struck his 2008 plea deal, Epstein handed $US46 million to a foundation linked to a longtime money management client, Ohio billionaire Leslie Wexner. After that, his donations appeared to fall off.

Michelle Licata, left, and Courtney Wild, alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, outside the federal court in New York on Monday.

Michelle Licata, left, and Courtney Wild, alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, outside the federal court in New York on Monday.Credit: Bloomberg

Since then, tax records for three Epstein charitable foundations show $US2.25 million in overall donations, of which $US136,000 was for organisations related to children's education and youth programs. Those totals are probably incomplete, however, because tax documents for one of Epstein's foundations, the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, were not publicly available.

Epstein has created several foundations over the decades under various names, including Epstein Interests, Enhanced Education, the Florida Science Foundation and, most recently, Gratitude America.

Tax documents for Gratitude America show that he gave nearly $US2 million in 2016 and 2017 to 27 organisations focusing on cancer research, young musicians, world peace and other issues.

The entrance to Bard High School on the Lower East Side of New York. An Epstein foundation release lists the school as a donation recipient.

The entrance to Bard High School on the Lower East Side of New York. An Epstein foundation release lists the school as a donation recipient.Credit: AP

The foundation is also behind the Hewitt School and tennis centre donations as well as the $US30,000 to a preschool in New York's Harlem. Other schools touted in news releases as receiving Epstein money included Bard High School Early College schools in New York City and New Jersey, and Maya Angelou Schools in Washington. Neither returned calls seeking comment.

Tax documents say Gratitude America's purpose is to "provide support to other organisations around the world that seek to celebrate the United States of America and the American ideals, including liberty, equality, democracy, individualism, unity and diversity."

In other instances, an Epstein foundation boasted in gushing news releases about his philanthropy and even inflated how much he was giving.

One news release in 2012 trumpeted his "critical funding" for the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra in the US Virgin Islands, a successful program for kids that has performed at New York's Lincoln Centre and the New Year's Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Instead, the only record the orchestra could find of an Epstein donation was a $US175 ad he purchased for a brochure.

"We are a youth organisation. We don't condone that kind of behaviour," said Adelia Henneman, a director of the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, whose members are 10 to 18 years old. "I don't want to have the Rising Stars affiliated with Jeffrey Epstein."

At least one program says it got what was promised and has not returned it. The St Thomas Baseball Explorers in the US Virgin Islands, where Epstein has a tightly secured island home, runs several teams for players 10 to 18. Epstein's foundation touted his gift in a 2012 news release, but the program says he is no longer a sponsor.

Epstein's lawyer, Martin Weinberg, did not return calls and emails seeking comment but has been quoted previously as saying Epstein's donations reflect a "heartfelt" desire to "help those in need".

Epstein's philanthropy is mostly known for targeting scientists and research. Over the years, he has donated to MIT researchers and given millions to a program at Harvard that uses math to study evolution. MIT did not return messages seeking comment, and Harvard had no comment, citing a policy of keeping information on donors private.

Epstein also has given at least $US95,000 over two decades to politicians, including $US10,000 in November to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which promptly returned it.

AP, The Washington Post

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