The Day Jeffrey Epstein Told Me He Had Dirt on Powerful People

[CountAllVotes]

The overriding impression I took away from our roughly 90-minute conversation was that Mr. Epstein knew an astonishing number of rich, famous and powerful people, and had photos to prove it. He also claimed to know a great deal about these people, some of it potentially damaging or embarrassing, including details about their supposed sexual proclivities and recreational drug use.

So one of my first thoughts on hearing of Mr. Epstein’s suicide was that many prominent men and at least a few women must be breathing sighs of relief that whatever Mr. Epstein knew, he has taken it with him.

<snip>
He insisted that I meet him at his house, which I’d seen referred to as the largest single-family home in Manhattan. This seems plausible: I initially walked past the building, on East 71st Street, because it looked more like an embassy or museum than a private home. Next to the imposing double doors was a polished brass plaque with the initials “J.E.” and a bell. After I rang, the door was opened by a young woman, her blond hair pulled back in a chignon, who greeted me with what sounded like an Eastern European accent.

<snip>
I can’t say how old she was, but my guess would be late teens or perhaps 20. Given Mr. Epstein’s past, this struck me as far too close to the line. Why would Mr. Epstein want a reporter’s first impression to be that of a young woman opening his door?

Much more here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-interview.html

[duforsure]

1. Was he selling putin and others damaging information to use to blackmail them with?

That would explain where some of his money was coming from, and how he got a sweetheart deal. Also how many have been compromised by putin , and trump to do as they want, or else.

[PatSeg]

4. Interesting theory

This is all starting to sound like a really bad geopolitical thriller movie. It is so far-fetched, no one would take it seriously.

I don't know how often I've said, "We live in strange times", but they are getting stranger every day.

[llmart]

8. There's a reason for the saying "truth is stranger than fiction".

We like to believe that all that stuff written in fiction novels is so far fetched it couldn't ever be true or happen, but it does and more often than we know.

This is why when someone starts spouting "conspiracy theory" immediately, I have to wonder if they don't realize that they might be dismissing a story too quickly.

[empedocles]

26. Given the known aspects of the Epstein stories, the 'conpiracy theory' smear is so often wrong.

[PatSeg]

31. Yep

In all the political thrillers I've seen, I never saw a president as absurd or corrupt as Trump. Even in spoofs or satire, nothing comes close to the reality we're living.

[Whiskeytide]

11. Of all the CTs on Epstein, this ...

... is the most plausible. He dealt in the collection and utility of damaging secrets his entire life. It was his stock in trade. I think it’s entirely likely this is exactly what he was doing with not only the Russians, but anyone looking for leverage over their enemies.

[roamer65]

15. Epstein was a sex trafficker and a kompromat source.

Very definitely.

[lagomorph777]

21. Only blackmail can explain the amount of self-destructive wacky GOP behavior we've seen.

Sudden changes of heart, abject groveling, seriously deranged stuff, right there on TV.

TrumPutin are running a big sex trafficking and blackmail ring. Trump is 2nd in command because Putin has Epstein dirt on Trump.

[The Blue Flower]

29. My thoughts as well

I also believe that members of Congress fear for their lives and those of their family members.

[FakeNoose]

2. Good read - I hope to see more articles like this

Tons of people have interacted with Jeffrey Epstein over the years, because he collected friendships with celebrities and near-famous people for most of his life. I'm sure there will be more people willing to tell what they know about him as time goes on. Look for bestseller books out in the next 6 to 12 months.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. If Epstein was half the genius he was purported to be

he woulda had reams of photos and documents residing with a trusted individual with instructions for their release upon his untimely demise.

Hope so anyway.

[PJMcK]

5. Perhaps the tale isn't over... (n/t)

[Johonny]

10. He who controls the documents, controls the people and the money

no one dishonest would release them as you suggest. They're too valuable. I mean, the owner of Victoria Secrets allowed Epstein to bank through his accounts taking ~ 34 million from him. That's one dude. Are you going to release that information if Epstein gave it too you, because you're mad he's dead. Hell no. There's too much money, power to be made.

[Whiskeytide]

13. Or ... he/she who possesses the documents ...

... paints a target on their backs and the backs of their family. If you were the trusted individual who now had that evidence, what would you do with it?

[Catherine Vincent]

22. ...

It could be why Trump doesn't want to release his tax returns. Follow the money?

[Duppers]

17. "Dead Man's Switch/Dead Man's Letter"

Couple of weeks ago, DUer "Forgotmylogin" posted this. (Too bad he never implemented something like this; it might have offered him protection):

"Dead Man's Switch/Dead Man's Letter"?
Although it's usually more of a mechanical/plot setup in books or movies - if a person doesn't log in to a web page or some kind of account on a regular basis, it's set to automatically email evidence to specific people who can do something with it. And it only offers protection if enemies are aware of it.

Likely this could be accomplished by a human assistant as well. "If anything happens to me, drop this in the mail."

We can only dream.

[lagomorph777]

23. He had tons of warning and time to prepare.

I'll bet you there's a dead man's switch of some kind out there.

[Duppers]

28. That'd be great!

We know there's more crap on the rethugians.

[ooky]

30. If he was half the genius he was purported to be he would have

never set foot off of the security of his private island outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. Not with all his baggage and his money.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

32. and we have a dirty Barr at the top of the DoJ

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Yes, sounds like

a compromising information broker. That would explain the money flows, and the power. The one thing that seems discordent to me is why would the rich and powerful get drawn into these associations, even those who weren't up to anything. They needed the info on others? Or just an elite cocktail circuit, sort of like French courtiers. I just don't understand.

[dalton99a]

7. Kick

Before we left the room he took me to a wall covered with framed photographs. He pointed to a full-length shot of a man in traditional Arab dress. “That’s M.B.S.,” he said, referring to Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. The crown prince had visited him many times, and they spoke often, Mr. Epstein said.

Mr. Epstein avoided specifics about his work for Tesla. He told me that he had good reason to be cryptic: Once it became public that he was advising the company, he’d have to stop doing so, because he was “radioactive.” He predicted that everyone at Tesla would deny talking to him or being his friend.

He said this was something he’d become used to, even though it didn’t stop people from visiting him, coming to his dinner parties or asking him for money. (That was why, Mr. Epstein told me without any trace of irony, he was considering becoming a minister so that his acquaintances would be confident that their conversations would be kept confidential.)

If he was reticent about Tesla, he was more at ease discussing his interest in young women. He said that criminalizing sex with teenage girls was a cultural aberration and that at times in history it was perfectly acceptable. He pointed out that homosexuality had long been considered a crime and was still punishable by death in some parts of the world.

Mr. Epstein then meandered into a discussion of other prominent names in technology circles. He said people in Silicon Valley had a reputation for being geeky workaholics, but that was far from the truth: They were hedonistic and regular users of recreational drugs. He said he’d witnessed prominent tech figures taking drugs and arranging for sex (Mr. Epstein stressed that he never drank or used drugs of any kind).

[lagomorph777]

24. Who paid for the "non-regular" guard present when Epstein died? Money Been Supplied (MBS)

[dalton99a]

25. "Regular" NYC federal guards in the news:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Ex-Jail-Guard-Gets-25-Years-for-Sexually-Abusing-Inmates-513477621.html

Ex-Jail Guard Gets 25 Years for Sexually Abusing Inmates
Published Aug 1, 2019 at 12:11 AM

A former guard at a federal detention center in New York has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing female inmates.

Federal prosecutors say Eugenio Perez was sentenced Wednesday after being convicted last year of sexual abuse charges and violating the civil rights of inmates. He must also register as a sex offender.

The five victims were inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn where Perez worked as a lieutenant. Prosecutors say Perez used physical force and intimidation to compel the victims to engage in various sexual acts. The defense suggested the women were lying to frame him.

Two other prison guards were arrested at the same time as Perez. One was convicted of raping a female inmate and the other pleaded guilty to sexual abuse.

[Johonny]

9. And now Bill Barr has all that dirt and controls how it is used and when its released.

Good news?

[Enoki33]

12. Also wondering about the plausibility of such information getting

into the hands of Putin for him to use.

[Johonny]

16. We know Steel said Russia has compromising information on Trump

It seems plausible that they have this information.

We know Epstein worked with the Saudis and we know they have something on the Trump family too.

[not fooled]

14. He'll make sure

to release the dirt on Dems.

[Johonny]

18. It has been suggested that Barr will allow compromised liberal names to leak

while protecting other people.

Either way, it's a great way for Trump to fund raise, huh?

I heard you might want to give my campaign a few million or who knows what might leak out about you...

[yonder]

19. Not a whole lot to hang a hat on here - similar to the authors claim:

"When I later reflected on our interview, I was struck by how little information Mr. Epstein had actually provided."

The MBS connection was interesting though.

[CountAllVotes]

20. Yep, interesting alright

I made a point of posting the part about the teenager that opened the door with the accent, an Eastern European accent, just like some one else we are familiar with.

One must be half-stupid not to see just this one oh so obvious connection to the tRump world of chaos, absolute chaos! &

[empedocles]

27. and barr with all this access as traitortrump's monitor/gatekeeper