FILTHY RICH Inside the house, detectives see the pink-and-green couch that Mary and other girls had described. They see photos of naked young girls—in some cases, girls they’ve spoken to about Epstein. They also find message pads on which are written first names, dates, and numbers for the girls. Sometimes there are notes to go with the names and numbers: “I have girls for him.” Or “I have 2 girls for him.” These notes are signed by one Sarah Kellen. Epstein’s house has a strangely antiseptic quality. Some of the bedrooms look almost like doctors’ offices. In the bathroom off Epstein’s bedroom, there’s a massage table as well as stands holding strange machines, which looked like something you’d find in a dermatologist’s office. In a wood-colored armoire beside Epstein’s bed, they see a bottle of peach-flavored Joy Jelly. In the bathroom, there are soaps shaped like penises and vaginas, bottles of Mango Mist, more Joy Jelly, and boxes of tampons. The officers find stacks of UFC videos and DVDs of Rock Star and other B-list movies. They also find receipts for books bought on Amazon, such as SlaveCraft: Roadmaps for Erotic Servitude. On the first floor, detectives are drawn to two secret cameras hidden in clocks. On the computer hard drive, they see several photographs of Wendy and other girls. These images appear to come from the camera inside the clock behind Epstein’s desk. The officers know where the cameras are because they helped install them-in 2004, when Epstein complained that someone had stolen a gun and $2,700 from him. Detective Recarey had investigated that case. But before he could arrest Epstein’s handyman, Juan Alessi, for the theft, Epstein contacted a captain in the 79 CHAPTER 18 05 h police officers execute a search Laura Johnson, at Jeffrey Epstein’s Inside the house, an employee is ey ask him, politely, to hang up. p the winding stairs to the home’s outside and reads the warrant, out ile another officer videotapes them. ey says as he hands over the war- d, I will leave a list of what items k that you don’t answer your teleleman was having a conversation So I’m sure he’s trying to call and will be told what was going on as 78 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009134¶
JAMES PATTERSON Palm Beach PD and prevailed upon him to have the investigation called off. Epstein had met Alessi at a luncheonette, he explained, and Alessi had agreed to pay back the money. At the time, it made no sense to prosecute: Epstein was a busy man. He was going to get his money. But he did invite the police into his home to install the cameras. This was a service that the Palm Beach PD provided (though Epstein would be the only one with access to the footage). But while they were there, the police had noticed a group of attractive young women who seemed to be camped out at the house. The group included Sarah Kellen and Nadia Marcinkova. None of the girls was a relative of Epstein-that fact had caught the cops’ attention. And now, as the search continues, the cops see photographs of the very same girls. On Epstein’s desk, the officers find Alison’s high school transcript. The thing is, the detectives can’t shake the feeling that the Epstein house has been tidied up for their arrival. Shelves look as though they’ve been emptied, and several photographs appear to have been removed from the walls. “[Judging] by the condition of the place to be searched,” Chief Reiter will say in his deposition for B.B. vs. Epstein, “someone probably had cleaned it up a bit.” Maybe there’s nothing too surprising about this. After all, Reiter’s team knows that Epstein’s gotten wind of their investigation. What is surprising is that for a house that’s been scrubbed, there’s so much left lying around. In fact, the oddest thing about the search is that someone 80 appears to have gone nating materials, but It was as if the th ister as wrong. There’s another feelin that they themselves First Reiter hears yers have hired pri checks. A public-records Reiter’s own records. Detective Recarey and that his trash ha In his entire care that Reiter’s seen or ing his investigators. ey’s doing great worl and for good reason Right now, more vic now that the warra interviewing Epstein¶
ERSON¶
him to have the investigation¶
cheonette, he explained, and money. At the time, it made no busy man. He was going to get police into his home to install at the Palm Beach PD provided ly one with access to the foot- e police had noticed a group of emed to be camped out at the¶
llen and Nadia Marcinkova. tive of Epstein—that fact had¶
nues, the cops see photographs¶
cers find Alison’s high school¶
can’t shake the feeling that the up for their arrival. Shelves look , and several photographs appear walls. n of the place to be searched,” osition for B.B. vs. Epstein, “some- a bit.” surprising about this. After all, in’s gotten wind of their investiga- t for a house that’s been scrubbed, nd. about the search is that someone¶
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appears to have gone through the house, gotten rid of incriminating materials, but left many clues behind. It was as if the things the police were seeing didn’t even register as wrong.¶
There’s another feeling the cops can’t shake: the nagging sense that they themselves are being investigated and tailed. First Reiter hears through the grapevine that Epstein’s lawyers have hired private investigators to perform background checks. A public-records demand has been filed in an effort to obtain Reiter’s own records. Detective Recarey tells Reiter that he, too, is being surveilled and that his trash has been picked through. In his entire career as a police officer, this is the first time that Reiter’s seen or heard of such a thing: a suspect investigating his investigators. But for the moment, he puts it aside. Recarey’s doing great work on the investigation. He’s deeply invested, and for good reason: the detective’s got four kids of his own. Right now, more victims are coming out of the woodwork. And now that the warrant’s been executed, there’s no downside to interviewing Epstein’s servants.¶
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