CHAPTER 13 Wendy Dobbs: October 3, 2005 E very chance he gets—and he gets lots of chances—Chief Reiter drills the same thing into his investigators’ heads: they need to be careful. Patient. Methodical. Strategic. Or Epstein’s lawyers will eat them for lunch. Inch by inch, they move their case toward the goalpost. But in October, Detective Recarey and his coworkers catch a break that moves the ball several yards down the field. On the first Monday of that month, they pick Wendy up at her house and, down at the police station, she starts to sing—like a bird. The detectives can hardly believe it or get it all down fast enough. Later on, in a probable-cause affidavit, Detective Recarey will write: Approximately two years ago, just after she turned 17 years of age, [Wendy] was approached by a friend named Molly at 52 the Canopy Beach asked if she wanted have to provide a m. thought about the off Molly (Unknown name) picked [Dobb house. Upon her arr Epstein in the kitch duced to a white fem upstairs to the main bedroom. Sarah arranged t with a sheet. She bro next to the massage informed [Dobbs] Jeff the bedroom wearing He removed the table. He laid on the massage oil for [Dobb “He tried to touch m I asked how he tried to grabbed her buttocks. “I’ll massage you,” D. to be touched.” [Dobbs] stated she per clusion of the massage HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009107¶
FILTHY RICH the Canopy Beach Resort in Riviera Beach. [Dobbs] was asked if she wanted to make money. She was told she would have to provide a massage and should make $200. [Dobbs] thought about the offer and agreed to meet with Jeffrey. Molly (Unknown last name) and Tony (Unknown last name) picked [Dobbs] up and she was taken to Epstein’s house. Upon her arrival to the house she was introduced to Epstein in the kitchen of the house. She was also introduced to a white female known to her as Sarah. She was led upstairs to the main bedroom known to her as Jeff Epstein’s bedroom. Sarah arranged the massage table and covered the table with a sheet. She brought out the massage oils and laid them next to the massage bed. Sarah then left the room and informed [Dobbs] Jeff would be in, in a minute. Jeff entered the bedroom wearing only a towel. He removed the towel and laid nude on the massage table. He laid on the table onto his stomach and picked a massage oil for [Dobbs] to rub on him. “He tried to touch me, and I stopped him,” says Dobbs. I asked how he tried to touch her. [Dobbs] stated that Epstein grabbed her buttocks and she felt uncomfortable. “I’ll massage you,” Dobbs had told Epstein. “But I don’t want to be touched.” [Dobbs] stated she performed the massage naked. At the conclusion of the massage, Epstein paid [Dobbs] $200. CHAPTER 13 005 I he gets lots of chances-Chief ng into his investigators’ heads: atient. Methodical. Strategic. Or for lunch. eir case toward the goalpost. But and his coworkers catch a break ls down the field. month, they pick Wendy up at her tion, she starts to sing-like a bird. believe it or get it all down fast -cause affidavit, Detective Recarey , just after she turned 17 years ched by a friend named Molly at 52 53 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009108¶
JAMES PATTERSON After the massage Epstein stated to [Dobbs] that he understood she was not comfortable, but he would pay her if she brought over some girls. He told her the younger the better. [Dobbs] stated she once tried to bring a 23-year-old female and Epstein stated that the female was too old. [Dobbs] stated that in total she only remembers six girls that she brought to see Epstein. Each time she was paid $200. [Dobbs] said at the time she brought these girls to Epstein’s house they were all 14 through 16 [years] of age. Wendy Dobbs keeps talking. What she says about Mary’s visit lines up neatly with what Mary’s already told the police. Wendy’s own experience with Epstein syncs up, too. But Wendy’s not a victim, as Mary is. After all, she’s been playing on Epstein’s team. Team predator. A police sergeant enters the room. What he wants to know is, does Wendy realize that she’s implicated herself in Epstein’s crimes? Beads of sweat form on Wendy’s forehead, and now the police know they’ve really got her. She gives them phone numbers to go with the young girls she’s named. She provides addresses. But no, Wendy doesn’t quite get it. On the way home, in a police car, she brags in the backseat: “I’m like a Heidi Fleiss,” she tells the escorting officers. 54 Wendy Dobbs, inter Sergeant Frick, Octo video (excerpts) RECAREY: Okay. Your of all, I know you’re Okay? I want to thar door’s closed, you’re you know, it’s only c DOBBS: That’s fine. RECAREY: I understan case that we’re look brought you here tod untarily. You agreed I do want to talk yo thing. DOBBS: And I don’t need HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009109¶
ERSON stated to [Dobbs] that he ible, but he would pay her if old her the younger the bettied to bring a 23-year-old it the female was too old. only remembers six girls that ch time she was paid $200. ought these girls to Epstein’s 16 [years] of age. What she says about Mary’s Mary’s already told the police. pstein syncs up, too. But Wen- After all, she’s been playing on room. What he wants to know is, implicated herself in Epstein’s dy’s forehead, and now the police gives them phone numbers to go ned. She provides addresses. But On the way home, in a police car, e tells the escorting officers. 54 CHAPTER 14 Wendy Dobbs, interview with Detective Recarey and Sergeant Frick, October 3, 2005, transcribed from video (excerpts) RECAREY: Okay. Your Pepsi’s coming, my Pepsi’s coming. First of all, I know you’re freaking out. Don’t freak out, just relax. Okay? I want to thank you for coming. All right? Though the door’s closed, you’re free to go at any time. You’re not here you know, it’s only closed for our privacy. DOBBS: That’s fine. RECAREY: I understand that you may have information on a case that we’re looking into, okay? That’s the reason why I brought you here today. All right? And again, you’re here voluntarily. You agreed to come back with us and talk to us. But I do want to talk you about Jeff Epstein, and the whole… thing. DOBBS: And I don’t need a lawyer, right? 55 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009110¶
JAMES PATTERSON RECAREY: It’s up to you. If you wanted one, you can have one. I can’t tell you yes or no on that. That’s totally [up] to you, I’m only- DOBBS: I’m not gonna get in trouble for anything I say, right? RECAREY: Right now, you’re just a witness. I’m talking to you as a witness… That’s totally up to you. You wanna talk to me? DOBBS: I have no problem telling you everything I know. I’m a very cooperative person. RECAREY: Okay. How did you first meet, um- DOBBS: I first met Jeffrey-I was at a beach resort on Singer Island, and I was approached by this girl I went to school with. Her name was [redacted]. And she was asking me, you know, “Oh, you need extra money, I know this guy…” I thought about it and I finally gave her a call, and her and her friend [redacted] met up with me. I actually picked them up and we drove down to Jeffrey’s house. She introduced me, whatever. RECAREY: Okay. Now, what [do] you mean by making money, how do you make money with Jeffrey? DOBBS: Um, there’s two ways. There’s two ways you can make money. He’ll, all right- RECAREY: That’s all right. Talk to me. Talk to me like, like nothin’. DOBBS: How do I say-this is going to sound really sleazy, but- RECAREY: No. Go ahead. Talk to me. DOBBS: Every girl that meets Jeffrey starts off with giving him a massage. The more you do with him, the more you make. Basically, if you take off your clothes, you’re gonna make more. If you let him do things to you, you’re gonna make more. RECAREY: Like “do things” you mean, touch you? 56 DOBBS: Yeah. Touch you RECAREY: Okay. Does I DOBBS: He uses his hand I guess it’s like a ma that refused to do th but I wouldn’t let him that he’s like, “You l you $200 for every don’t want you to ma girls to me…” So tha For every girl that yo that I brought to Jeffr there. RECAREY: Just to bring DOBBS: Yeah. Just to brin RECAREY: Okay. And t would have to massag DOBBS: She knew every one of Jeffrey’s rules. the house that didn’t would tell me, you kn expect, make sure the I get in that room I d need to know.” And, everything she was get RECAREY: Okay. What di DOBBS: I told her the sam Jeffrey-she came to r I basically told her at “What do you have to¶
TERSON wanted one, you can have one. it. That’s totally [up] to you, I’m ble for anything I say, right? a witness. I’m talking to you as to you. You wanna talk to me? g you everything I know. I’m a irrst meet, umvas at a beach resort on Singer ed by this girl I went to school ed]. And she was asking me, you money, I know this guy…” I y gave her a call, and her and her th me. I actually picked them up rey’s house. She introduced me, dol you mean by making money, ith Jeffrey? . There’s two ways you can make alk to me. Talk to me like, like going to sound really sleazy, but- k to me. Jeffrey starts off with giving him a lo with him, the more you make. ur clothes, you’re gonna make more. you, you’re gonna make more. you mean, touch you? 56 FILTHY RICH DOBBS: Yeah. Touch you in inappropriate places. RECAREY: Okay. Does he use his hand? Does he- DOBBS: He uses his hands and, I really wouldn’t call it a vibrator- I guess it’s like a massager? But um-I was one of the girls that refused to do that. I did it basically my-I did it naked, but I wouldn’t let him touch me or anything like that. So after that he’s like, “You know what?” He’s like, “Listen, I’ll pay you $200 for every girl that you bring to me.” He’s like, “I don’t want you to massage me anymore, you know, just bring girls to me…” So that’s the other way you can make money. For every girl that you bring to the table-so, for every girl that I brought to Jeffrey-I would make $200. Flat. Just right there. RECAREY: Just to bring a girl. DOBBS: Yeah. Just to bring a girl. RECAREY: Okay. And the girl that was going knew that she would have to massage him. DOBBS: She knew everything. She knew everything. That was one of Jeffrey’s rules. He had a problem with girls coming to the house that didn’t know what they were getting into. He would tell me, you know, “Make sure these girls know what I expect, make sure they know what they want, because when I get in that room I don’t want them to-you know-they need to know.” And, as far as [redacted]‘s case, she knew everything she was getting herself into. It was all volunteer. RECAREY: Okay. What did you tell her that she was gonna do? DOBBS: I told her the same thing. I told her, you know, this guy Jeffrey-she came to me saying she needed money, da da da. I basically told her about it. She was like, um, you know, “What do you have to do?” I told her. I was like, “The more 57 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009112¶
JAMES PATTERSON you do, the more you make. That’s it. In order to make money, you’re gonna have to go up there. You’re gonna take your clothes off. But the more you do, is the more you make.” She walked out of there with $300. So she obviously and evidently let him do a little more. Plus, on our way home, she kinda told me what she did. DOBBS: She gave the massage, and she basically let him, like, touch her, down there. Basically. RECAREY: Did he touch her with his hands? DOBBS: All with his hands. And then he brought out the massager. From what she told me. RECAREY: How old were you when you were approached to see Jeffrey? DOBBS: Um, I think I was seventeen? RECAREY: Seventeen. DOBBS: Sixteen or seventeen. RECAREY: Okay. When was the last time you talked to him? DOBBS: It’s been a while. I can honestly say it’s probably been about close to a year. About a year. I actually stopped working for him. RECAREY: Who was the last girl you brought over? DOBBS: The last girl I brought over was [redacted]… RECAREY: Okay. You got paid two hundred bucks for taking her over? DOBBS: Yes. RECAREY: Okay. [Redacted] knew … DOBBS: She knew everything. RECAREY: That she’d have to massage him, and the more she did- 58 DOBBS: The more she’d RECAREY: The more sh DOBBS: Yeah. RECAREY: So, she had i DOBBS: Um, I don’t kn ent stories on that. | But when I was first who introduced me slept with him and r or secretary-told plays around with th RECAREY: So, when yo happened between y DOBBS: Nothing. I woul RECAREY: Okay. Did h DOBBS: I wouldn’t say he pointed. But I’m notlet him-I let him lo the question for him. kind of down-promot bring girls.” But as far RECAREY: Okay. How aside from [redacted DOBBS: Oh. Um. A lot. RECAREY: A lot? DOBBS: Um, let’s see, th RECAREY: And all thes DOBBS: Every one of the …¶
TERSON FILTHY RICH nat’s it. In order to make money, there. You’re gonna take your do, is the more you make.” She 100. So she obviously and evire. Plus, on our way home, she : massage… and she basically let him, like, ally. h his hands? d then he brought out the mas- e. rhen you were approached to see ateen? e last time you talked to him? n honestly say it’s probably been it a year. I actually stopped workjrl you brought over? over was [redacted]… two hundred bucks for taking her knew… nassage him, and the more she did- 58 DOBBS: The more she’d make. RECAREY: The more she got paid. DOBBS: Yeah. RECAREY: So, she had intercourse with him. DOBBS: Um, I don’t know about the intercourse. I heard different stories on that. I’ve never asked him “Oh, you know…” But when I was first introduced to him, my friend [redacted] who introduced me to him, told me that she knew a girl who slept with him and made $1,000. But from what his internor secretary-told me, is that he doesn’t do that. He just plays around with them. So I heard two different stories. RECAREY: So, when you went and you massaged him, nothing happened between you two. DOBBS: Nothing. I wouldn’t let him. RECAREY: Okay. Did he become forceful? Did he get upset? DOBBS: I wouldn’t say he became upset. I think he was a little disappointed. But I’m not-I didn’t care. I knew I was getting paid. I let him-I let him look, but I never let him touch. It was out of the question for him. And I think that’s pretty much why he just, kind of down-promoted me? He was just kind of like, “You can bring girls.” But as far as working, you know- RECAREY: Okay. How many girls have you brought to him, aside from [redacted]? DOBBS: Oh. Um. A lot. RECAREY: A lot? DOBBS: Um, let’s see, there’s [several redacted names]… RECAREY: And all these girls knew what they had to do? DOBBS: Every one of them. 59¶
JAMES PATTERSON RECAREY: How long have you been working for him? DOBBS: Um…I probably worked for him for a year. RECAREY: Okay. And out of all these girls… DOBBS: Those were all the girls I brought. But you have to remember, those girls brought other girls, too. RECAREY: Oh, okay. DOBBS: So it’s like-it’s like a train. It’s like, I introduced him to all my friends, and then…it goes on and on, like that. RECAREY: Okay… [Redacted] being fourteen or fifteen at the time-I think [redacted] was fourteen when this happenedwho else was underage? Out of all these? DOBBS: Underage, what do you mean? RECAREY: Under eighteen. DOBBS: Under eighteen? All of ‘em. RECAREY: All of them? DOBBS: All of them… RECAREY: Okay. Did Jeff know anybody’s real true age? Or he didn’t care. DOBBS: I don’t think he cared. He told me the younger the better. RECAREY: The younger the better. All right. DOBBS: Pretty much. That’s how it worked. He didn’t-let me just put it this way: I tried to bring him a woman who was twenty-three, and he didn’t really like it. RECAREY: Didn’t go for it. DOBBS: It’s not that he didn’t go for it. He just didn’t care for it. And he likes the girls that [are] between the ages of, like, eighteen and twenty…But some of them, I think, lie about their age. I know that when I started off young, I think he knew better [than] to believe me. I think he knew that I was 60 younger-like, sev teen. Most of those RECAREY: Let’s talk ab DOBBS: Okay. RECAREY: [Mary] at th DOBBS: Mm-hmm. RECAREY: Okay. She she know you work DOBBS: I told her. RECAREY: You had tol DOBBS: Mm-hmm. RECAREY: Did you tell DOBBS: She knew ever RECAREY: Okay. So sh some kind of- DOBBS: Contact. Pretty what his expectatio girls that go up the I was like, “If you w you go in that room know he was going right now, he’s expe RECAREY: Basically, th DOBBS: Fondling- RECAREY: Fondling- DOBBS: Or whatever. A Just like, “Just rem make. But that’s-1 brought up, told her HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009115¶
TERSON FILTHY RICH en working for him? for him for a year. nese girls… s I brought. But you have to t other girls, too. tin. It’s like, I introduced him to goes on and on, like that. being fourteen or fifteen at the fourteen when this happenedof all these? mean? em. v anybody’s real true age? Or he le told me the younger the better. tter. All right. ow it worked. He didn’t-let me to bring him a woman who was really like it. go for it. He just didn’t care for it. it [are] between the ages of, like, it some of them, I think, lie about en I started off young, I think he eve me. I think he knew that I was 60 younger-like, seventeen-but I told him I was, like, eighteen. Most of those girls lie when they go in there. RECAREY: Let’s talk about [Mary] for a minute. DOOBS: Okay. RECAREY: [Mary] at the time was dating your cousin, right? DOOBS: Mm-hmm. RECAREY: Okay. She told you she needed to make money. Did she know you worked for Jeffrey? DOOBS: I told her. RECAREY: You had told her you worked for Jeffrey. DOBBs: Mm-hmm. RECAREY: Did you tell her what it entailed? So she knew that? DOBBs: She knew everything before she even agreed to it. RECAREY: Okay. So she knew that there was going to have to be some kind of- DOBBs: Contact. Pretty much. Yeah. I told her. I told her exactly what his expectations were. I told her what goes on with the girls that go up there. I told her-it was like, “It’s your call.” I was like, “If you want to do this, fine. If not, fine. But when you go in that room, I don’t want to hear you say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know he was going to do all that.’ Because I’m telling you right now, he’s expecting it.” RECAREY: Basically, this is touching- DOBBs: Fondling- RECAREY: Fondling- DOBBs: Or whatever. And I told her when she went on her own. Just like, “Just remember, the more you do, the more you make. But that’s-that’s up to you.” And she asked me, and I brought up, told her I wouldn’t do more. 61 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009116¶
JAMES PATTERSON RECAREY: Okay. You made that clear, you wouldn’t do more. DOBBS: No. Screw that! RECAREY: But as far as [Mary] is concerned. What did she tell you that happened in that room? DOBBS: Exact words? If I can recall, when she came downstairs from-when she came downstairs, me and her and [redacted], we all walked out. We got into the car. And I was like, “How much did you make?” She’s like, “Three hundred dollars.” And I looked at [Mary] and I just knew right then she did more. RECAREY: Than just a massage, right? DOBBS: Yeah. And I asked her. I was like, “Well, what’d you do?” She’s like, “Well, I started giving a massage, and then my clothes came off and, you know, he put his fingers inside me. And then he brought out the massager.” And that’s basically what she said. RECAREY: It’s all right. You can talk to me. It’s all right. DOBBS: It’s kind of incredible talking about it, now that I-I can’t believe I worked for him. RECAREY: But it’s okay. You know what, we all go through things in life, you know what I mean? It’s an experience. And you can put this experience behind you. Do girls that-people that you brought over-how did you approach them? That they were going to have to do this… Like, if they wanted to work, how did you approach them? Say, “Listen, I got this guy in Palm Beach?” DOBBS: Um…Two of them were my friends. The others were, like, my acquaintances. It was a little more easier talking to them about it, ‘cause, like, I knew them. 62 RECAREY: Take a de see you’re workir can see it, and I d DOBBS: I, um, pretty RECAREY: Straight u DOBBS: “If you’re loo down in Palm Be have to give him Then, if they were I’d go into detail they told me, “Ye I’d tell them, “Oka you have to do, th RECAREY: Did you te from bringing the DOBBS: Most part? I were open about 1 was making mone RECAREY: Okay. Gir Gimme two secon All right. I talked FRICK: Which is w DOBBS: Okay. FRICK: Obviously I w at this point you cl You’ve taken girls prostitution. Mor those girls was fou significant second¶
TERSON lear, you wouldn’t do more. s concerned. What did she tell m? all, when she came downstairs tairs, me and her and [redacted], o the car. And I was like, “How e, “Three hundred dollars.” And I ew right then she did more. right? was like, “Well, what’d you do?” giving a massage, and then my ow, he put his fingers inside me. : massager.” And that’s basically I talk to me. It’s all right. talking about it, now that I-I m. know what, we all go through at I mean? It’s an experience. And : behind you. you brought over-how did you were going to have to do this… rk, how did you approach them? in Palm Beach?” vere my friends. The others were, was a little more easier talking to I knew them. 62 FILTHY RICH RECAREY: Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath. ‘Cause I can see you’re working up again. You’re working up the tears, I can see it, and I don’t want to get you like that. DOBBS: I, um, pretty much I just would ask them- RECAREY: Straight up? DOBBS: “If you’re looking for extra money, let me know; this guy down in Palm Beach, he’s really, really, really wealthy. You have to give him a massage.” That’s all I would tell them. Then, if they were interested or told me, “Yes, I want to do it,” I’d go into detail with them before they’d actually agree. If they told me, “Yeah, that sounds good, I’m interested,” then I’d tell them, “Okay, well I’m gonna let you know, this is what you have to do, this is what’s gonna go on.” RECAREY: Did you tell them that you were going to make money from bringing them over? Or- DOBBS: Most part? I believe they knew…Most of the girls, we were open about that. We didn’t-they pretty much knew I was making money under the table. So… RECAREY: Okay. Gimme two seconds. Let me get the soda… Gimme two seconds. … All right, I talked to my boss a little bit- FRICK: -Which is why I’m here. DOBBS: Okay. FRICK: Obviously I was listening to what you were saying. And at this point you clearly implicated yourself on a crime, okay? You’ve taken girls to somebody’s house for the purpose of prostitution. More importantly, more significantly, one of those girls was fourteen at the time, okay? Now that’s a pretty significant second-degree felony, okay? I’m not going to kid 63¶
JAMES PATTERSON you, that is—it’s a significant thing, okay? Now, you came in, you cooperated with us. The question we have for you now is, do you want to continue cooperating with us and try and help us make a case against Jeff? DOBBS: I don’t think that’s really going to help me in the long run, though. I’ve already admitted to a second-degree felony, right? FRICK: Yeah, you have. DOBBS: Okay, so there you go. What’s going to keep me out of trouble? It’s not going to keep me out of trouble. I’ve already admitted committing a crime. FRICK: I’m not going to argue with that… DOBBS: So basically I just fucked myself. I can go two ways. I can agree not to cooperate, which is going to put me at— well—now you can use the second-degree felony against me. Or you can help and work with it and maybe get myself some slack… FRICK: We’re still talkin’ here. What would the odds be of you contacting Jeff at this point? Have you had any contact with him at all? DOBBS: I have not had any contact— FRICK: How about with— DOBBS: No, none of ‘em. None of ‘em…I had a phone call about four or five months ago, and I told my parents. Look, I swear to you I’m not anywhere—like, no connection with him at all. That’s why I pretty much got my number changed. I have not made any communication with him. It stopped. FRICK: Okay. Well, I mean, that’s good. That’s good that you stopped… … 64 This is what we’d some of your ex- Now, the question working for Jeff, i to Jeff? Or can w you make a call a: know, these guys everything?” Our right? RECAREY: With your FRICK: Let me, let thing, okay? Then leading to the de second-degree fel demeanor…First not going to take y DOBBS: Not today. FRICK: Well, you’re— ate and if we can— not-that’s not up would do is if we meanor, we’d give in, you know.” RECAREY: You sign it FRICK: That’s our pr forthright with us, RECAREY: Very truth … FRICK: Do you want 1 deal with it, or do¶