NY Post Columnist Recalls Last Interview with Jeffrey Epstein

The Last Interview with Jeffrey Epstein

• 📰 Charles Gasparino, a columnist for the NY Post, recounts being the last person to interview Jeffrey Epstein in April 2019.
• 💡 Gasparino's motivation for the interview stemmed from a Miami Herald story suggesting Epstein's lenient sentence was due to cooperation on financial crimes.
• 📞 Gasparino obtained Epstein's number through a chance encounter at a dinner with wealthy businessmen, highlighting Epstein's elusive nature.

Epstein's Defense and Self-Perception

• 🗣️ During the hour-long conversation, Epstein vehemently denied being a pedophile and also stated he was not a hedge fund manager, humorously noting the latter was worse.
• 💰 Epstein described himself as a wealth manager, assisting clients with tax avoidance and tax planning.
• ⚖️ When asked about the underage girls, Epstein invoked the Robert Kraft case, implying he did not know the girls were underage and thus was not a pedophile.

The Epstein Case and Legal Proceedings

• 🏛️ The transcript details the complexities of the first federal investigation into Epstein in the mid-2000s, highlighting evidentiary issues and victim cooperation difficulties.
• 🤝 Alex Acosta, former US Attorney, described the initial federal trial as a "crapshoot" and stated the goal was simply to get Epstein jailed.
• ⚖️ Epstein ultimately pleaded guilty to one state count of soliciting a minor for sex, following a non-prosecution agreement that avoided federal charges.
• 🧑‍⚖️ Epstein's high-powered legal team, including Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr, employed tactics that complicated the prosecution.

Unreleased Files and Potential Conflicts

• 📂 The delay in releasing Epstein files, promised during Trump's campaign, is speculated to be due to many individuals who did business with Epstein not wanting their names exposed.
• 🚫 A Page Six report from 2007 indicated Trump had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for attempting to use the spa to procure girls.
• ⚖️ A concerning revelation involved a lawyer in the US Attorney's office who filed to open a law firm while prosecuting Epstein and later represented his co-conspirators.

Investigations and Evidence

• 💻 Discussions about seizing Epstein's computers for evidence were unable to reach an agreement before the non-prosecution document was signed.
• 📸 The New York FBI field office reportedly had information about hidden cameras in Epstein's Upper East Side residence prior to the South Florida case.