CHAPTER 56 Jeffrey Epstein: July 2009 J effrey Epstein walks out of the Stockade on July 21, 2009, having served less than thirteen months of his eighteen-month sentence. One of the concessions his lawyers have gotten while working out his plea-deal guarantees is that the media not be alerted to the time and day of his departure. But from now on, Epstein, who is fifty-six, will carry the mark of a level 3 sex offender-level 1 being the lowest, and level 3 indicating the highest possible risk of a future criminal act of a sexual nature. Wherever he goes, he will be forced to register as such. Every ninety days, Epstein will have to check in with the authorities. Every year, the New York City Police Department will take his mug shot. And for a full year, Epstein will be under house arrest in Palm Beach. This last prohibition doesn’t stop him from flying, with court 215 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009042¶
JAMES PATTERSON approval, on his own planes to New York and to Little Saint Jeff’s, where the locals have taken to referring to Epstein’s 727 as the Lolita Express. There are other restrictions, of course, that Epstein is supposed to abide by. He has to provide the state of Florida with a list of all the motor vehicles, boats, and airplanes he owns. The full list includes two Escalades, six Suburbans, two Ford F-150s, two Harley-Davidsons, a Land Rover, a Hummer H2, a thirtyfour-foot JVC boat, and a thirty-five-foot Donzi powerboat. Three of his five planes turn out to be registered to a company called Air Ghislaine, Inc. As a registered sex offender, Epstein is legally obliged to undergo psychiatric treatment. This is a restriction he’ll get around by having his own psychologist submit a report to law enforcement officers. Epstein is also prohibited from accessing pornography on the Internet and using social networking for sexual purposes. For Jeffrey Epstein, there will be no Bangbros, Tinder, or Swingles.com. There will be lawsuits. Six weeks before probation ends, he settles with seven women who sue him in civil court. But Epstein can easily afford the settlement payments. He won’t be going back to jail, and in regard to further prosecution for any criminal actions, his troubles are behind him. Not everyone who’s spent time in his company will be so lucky. 216 Alfredo Rodriguez: Aug E pstein’s houseman, Al prison sentence. In a sworn statem maid, Lupita, who had com up after Epstein’s “massages lic, had cried as she describe Rodriguez was fired by 1 after seeing a strange car- As it turned out, the ca masseuses. On his way out of the hc of Epstein’s papers, which he by Chief Reiter’s investigator. For years, Rodriguez trie manager. No one wanted to HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009043¶
‘ATTERSON New York and to Little Saint Jeff’s, referring to Epstein’s 727 as the s, of course, that Epstein is suprovide the state of Florida with a oats, and airplanes he owns. The , six Suburbans, two Ford F-150s, I Rover, a Hummer H2, a thirty- -five-foot Donzi powerboat. rn out to be registered to a comler, Epstein is legally obliged to it. This is a restriction he’ll get ychologist submit a report to law from accessing pornography on etworking for sexual purposes. will be no Bangbros, Tinder, or ends, he settles with seven women it Epstein can easily afford the set- e going back to jail, and in regard criminal actions, his troubles are : time in his company will be so 216 CHAPTER 57 Alfredo Rodriguez: August 2009 E pstein’s houseman, Alfredo Rodriguez, also ends up with a prison sentence. In a sworn statement, Rodriguez talks about Epstein’s maid, Lupita, who had complained to him about having to clean up after Epstein’s “massages.” Lupita, who was a devout Catholic, had cried as she described the stained towel and sex toys. Rodriguez was fired by Epstein, he says, when he called 911 after seeing a strange car-a “beater”-in Epstein’s driveway. As it turned out, the car had belonged to one of Epstein’s masseuses. On his way out of the house on El Brillo Way, he took some of Epstein’s papers, which he failed to produce when questioned by Chief Reiter’s investigators. For years, Rodriguez tried and failed to find work as a house manager. No one wanted to hire someone who’d worked for 217 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009044¶
JAMES PATTERSON FIL * Jeffrey Epstein. Finally, desperately, he tried to sell the information he’d stolen. Two months later, on Octobe who insisted once more on b lawyer told him that an associ The papers named underage girls and the places where Epstein had taken them. The list included locations in California, Paris, New Mexico, New York, and Michigan. The papers also included the names, addresses, and phone numbers of famous individuals-Henry Kissinger, Mick Jagger, Dustin Hoffman, Ralph Fiennes, David Koch, Ted Kennedy, Donald Trump, Bill Richardson, Bill Clinton, and former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak among them. This was intriguing, if not at all damning. Epstein made a habit of collecting such information for future use. But information pertaining to the girls would have bolstered the state’s case against Jeffrey Epstein, and by withholding it from the Palm Beach PD and the FBI, Rodriguez had committed a crime. In his defense, Rodriguez would say that the papers were an “insurance policy.” Without them, he believed, Epstein would have made him “disappear.” But now Rodriguez needed the money. And so a few weeks after Epstein’s release from the Stockade, he approached a lawyer who was representing some of Epstein’s masseuses. He had the “holy grail,” he insisted. A “golden nugget.” The names of hundreds of girls, he said, who had been abused by Epstein. The lawyer told Rodriguez in no uncertain terms that he was obliged to turn whatever he had over to the authorities. By demanding money for the information, Rodriguez was committing another crime. According to a sworn statement by Christina Pryor, a special agent with the FBI, Rodriguez “persisted that he would only turn over the information in his possession in exchange for $50,000.” What the lawyer knew anc the associate in question was the FBI. A few days later, on N guez and sets up a meeting, wh “During the meeting, Roc book and several sheets of lega ten notes,” Special Agent Pryo continues: Rodriguez explained that he his former employer’s resid 2004 to 2005 and that the bo working for his former emp detail the information within ant information to the UCE. I he had previously lied to the about the $50,000, took posse counting it. Rodriguez was then detai Proceedings, Title 18, U.S. Co tioned. After Miranda warning Rodriguez waived his rights a those rights. Rodriguez admiti and book in his possession an to local law enforcement or th 218 21 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009045¶
PATTERSON ately, he tried to sell the informarage girls and the places where list included locations in Califor- York, and Michigan. The papers dresses, and phone numbers of issinger, Mick Jagger, Dustin Hoffoch, Ted Kennedy, Donald Trump, and former Israeli prime minister ot at all damning. Epstein made a nation for future use. But informaould have bolstered the state’s case by withholding it from the Palm guez had committed a crime. would say that the papers were an them, he believed, Epstein would ed the money. And so a few weeks ie Stockade, he approached a lawyer of Epstein’s masseuses. He had the golden nugget.” The names of hunad been abused by Epstein. ez in no uncertain terms that he was ie had over to the authorities. By formation, Rodriguez was commititement by Christina Pryor, a special ez “persisted that he would only turn ossession in exchange for $50,000.” 218 FILTHY RICH¶
Two months later, on October 28, the lawyer called Rodriguez, who insisted once more on being paid for the information. The lawyer told him that an associate would be in touch. What the lawyer knew and Rodriguez did not know was that the associate in question was an undercover employee (UCE) of the FBI. A few days later, on November 2, the UCE calls Rodriguez and sets up a meeting, which takes place the following day. “During the meeting, Rodriguez produced a small bound book and several sheets of legal pad paper containing handwritten notes,” Special Agent Pryor would say in her statement. She continues: Rodriguez explained that he had taken the bound book from his former employer’s residence while employed there in 2004 to 2005 and that the book had been created by persons working for his former employer. Rodriguez discussed in detail the information within the book and identified important information to the UCE. In addition, Rodriguez admitted he had previously lied to the FBI. Rodriguez asked the UCE about the $50,000, took possession of the money, and began counting it. Rodriguez was then detained for Obstruction of Official Proceedings, Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1512(c), and questioned. After Miranda warnings were administered by agents, Rodriguez waived his rights and signed a written waiver of those rights. Rodriguez admitted that he had the documents and book in his possession and had never turned them over to local law enforcement or the FBI. In addition, Rodriguez 219 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009046¶
JAMES PATTERSON advised he had witnessed nude girls whom he believed were underage at the pool area of his former employer’s home, knew that his former employer was engaging in sexual contact with underage girls, and had viewed pornographic images of underage girls on computers in his employer’s home. Rodriguez was then released from custody for further investigation. The items that Rodriguez had attempted to sell to the UCE for $50,000.00 were reviewed by an agent familiar with the underlying criminal investigation. As Rodriguez had described, the items contained information material to the underlying investigation that would have been extremely useful in investigati[ng] and prosecuting the case, including the names and contact information of material witnesses and additional victims. Had those items been produced in response to the inquiries of the state law enforcement officers or the FBI Special Agents, their contents would have been presented to the federal grand jury. Following his release, Alfredo Rodriguez was arrested again. He appeared in court on June 18, 2010, facing charges of corruptly concealing records and documents. Dressed in a blue jumpsuit and shackles, he apologized for his crimes and asked the court to be merciful. He received a sentence of eighteen months. It was the same punishment that Jeffrey Epstein had gotten for his crimes. But unlike Epstein, Alfredo Rodriguez served his time in a federal prison and did not ask for, or receive, permission to go on work release. 220 Prince Andrew: 2011 P rince Andrew also fares imprisonment. The two men are old f Ghislaine Maxwell introduced time in the 1990s. In 2000, Eps Castle to celebrate the queen’s t flew to Sandringham, the quee a party Prince Andrew threw for The prince had also visited Palm Beach as well as in New Roberts made in her 2015 decla asked her to give the prince w back with the details. According to the Guardian, tied together at Windsor Castle, 22 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009047¶