TERSON
lear, you wouldn't do more.
s concerned. What did she tell
m?
call, 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
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009212



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



TERSON
t thing, okay? Now, you came
The question we have for you
ue cooperating with us and try
ist Jeff?
y going to help me in the long
itted to a second-degree felony,
What's going to keep me out of
p me out of trouble. I've already
ith that....
ed myself. I can go two ways. I
which is going to put me atsecond-degree felony against me.
ith it and maybe get myself some
What would the odds be of you
? Have you had any contact with
tactof 'em....I had a phone call about
d I told my parents. Look, I swear
-like, no connection with him at
ch got my number changed. I have
ion with him. It stopped.
that's good. That's good that you
64
FILTHY RICH
This is what we'd like to do: We would like to reach out to
some of your ex-friends and [unintelligible] talk to them.
Now, the question is, do we think that they are currently still
working for Jeff, in which case they would make a phone call
to Jeff? Or can we just kinda show up and, you know, have
you make a call as we're standing outside and say: "Hey, you
know, these guys wanna talk to you, and I've already told 'em
everything?" Our goal is to make a better case against Jeff, all
right?
RECAREY: With your cooperation.
FRICK: Let me, let me get back to-past-the cooperation
thing, okay? There are lesser charges that can easily be filed:
leading to the delinquency of a minor, as compared to a
second-degree felony. You know what I mean? That's a misdemeanor....First of all, I'll tell you straight up, okay, we're
not going to take you to jail today....
DOBBS: Not today.
FRICK: Well, you're-And here's the other thing: If you cooperate and if we can-If you cooperate, whether we pull it off or
not-that's not up to you, that's up to us, okay? So what we
would do is if we ended up charging you with like a misdemeanor, we'd give you a call, we'd say: "Hey, you gotta come
in, you know."
RECAREY: You sign it....
FRICK: That's our preference. You come in, you've been very
forthright with us, you've been very up front-
RECAREY: Very truthful.
FRICK: Do you want us to call your parents, or do you want to
deal with it, or do you-As far as we're concerned you're an
65
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009214



JAMES PATTERSON
adult, okay? You're nineteen. You do what you do. You know,
we can drop you off at the end of the block if you'd like. Or
we can cushion the blow beyond what-but again, you're
helping us at this point. We've been pretty forthright with
you on what is going on, our options for your future. And
what we'd like you to do obviously is make a couple of calls
with us this evening to talk to a couple of your, you know,
these other girls.
DOBBS: I'm not really on a...Me and my parents really don't get
along right now...
FRICK: So you'd prefer that-
DOBBS: If they found out that I was-If they found out that I
was into some other stuff....I'm actually stripping now....So
they're not exactly happy with me at the moment, and I don't
want to do anything that's going to piss 'em off even
furthermore.
Michael Reiter: Oc
Ch
hief Reiter sifts
underage girlscured for Epste
on El Brillo. An arre
caught with a dime ba
She'd told Detectiv
very much like a rape
Soon Reiter will as
more footwork to do,
his office.
Later that day, De
arrive at the home of a
* Jenny's, Francine's, and
dialogue have been cha
66
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009215



TERSON
You do what you do. You know,
d of the block if you'd like. Or
yond what-but again, you're
've been pretty forthright with
r options for your future. And
iously is make a couple of calls
to a couple of your, you know,
: and my parents really don't get
I was-If they found out that I
I'm actually stripping now....So
th me at the moment, and I don't
t's going to piss 'em off even
66
CHAPTER 15
Michael Reiter: October 3, 2005
Ch
hief Reiter sifts through the evidence: information about
underage girls-six of them-whom Wendy Dobbs procured for Epstein. Phone numbers pulled from the trash
on El Brillo. An arrest report for Alison, the girl who'd been
caught with a dime bag of weed.
She'd told Detective Recarey about an encounter that sounded
very much like a rape.
Soon Reiter will ask a judge for a warrant. But not yet. There's
more footwork to do, and Reiter calls Detective Joe Recarey into
his office.
Later that day, Detective Recarey and Sergeant George Frick
arrive at the home of a girl named Jenny.* An older woman greets
* Jenny's, Francine's, and Kristina's names, some identifying details, and
dialogue have been changed.
67



JAMES PATTERSON
them at the front door and invites them inside. She introduces
them to her husband and daughter. Jenny is sixteen years old.
Sitting down at the dining room table, they see that she's nervous. In between biting her lip and fidgeting, she tells them that
yes, she's been to Jeffrey Epstein's house.
Wendy took her there once. But nothing much happened.
She met Epstein's chef and spent some time in the kitchen is all.
Then she left.
“I get what you're asking,” she says. “But really, I just want to
put the whole thing behind me."
“Okay,” the officers tell her. “You have our numbers. But
Jenny, if you remember anything else, you'll find that we're very
good listeners."
One down. Five to go.
Detective Recarey and Detective Michael Dawson have better
luck the next day with Francine, a girl who tells them that a year
earlier, Wendy Dobbs—someone she knew from high school—
drove her to the house on El Brillo Way.
Francine would have been seventeen at the time.
Now she's willing to make a sworn statement. The officers
noted:
She was told she could make money working for Jeff. She was
told she would have to provide a massage for Jeff.... She was
brought to the kitchen area by [Dobbs]. They met with the
house chef who was already in the Kitchen area. Francine
stated [Wendy] would wait for her in the kitchen.
68
Just as she did wit
Francine upstairs and
the room, wearing onl
She kept her cloth
sometime during th
and pulled her clos
uncomfortable by tl
sion of the massage
“Do you have any
cers ask.
“No,” says Francin
But she does have c
Sarah's been calling
It could mean any r
that Epstein's caught w
he's doing something
responsibility. This tr
day, they get one more
her parents around she
It turns out that Jenny's
And, it turns out,
kitchen. Without her p
talk about it.
The first time she'd
says, Epstein had tried
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009217



TERSON
FILTHY RICH
s them inside. She introduces
Just as she did with Mary, a woman named Sarah had taken
Francine upstairs and into a bedroom. Then Epstein had entered
ter. Jenny is sixteen years old.
the room, wearing only a towel.
table, they see that she's nernd fidgeting, she tells them that
house.
She kept her clothes on during the massage. She advised
sometime during the massage, Epstein grabbed her buttocks
and pulled her close to him. Francine said she was [made]
uncomfortable by the incident involving Jeff. At the conclusion of the massage she was paid $200.00 for the massage.
But nothing much happened.
some time in the kitchen is all.
"Do you have any formal training in massages?" the officers ask.
"No," says Francine.
e says. "But really, I just want to
But she does have one more thing to tell them.
Sarah's been calling Francine's cell phone.
It could mean any number of things. The police know already
that Epstein's caught wind of their investigation. Now it appears
he's doing something about it, or at least he's delegating the
responsibility. This troubles the cops. But then, on that same
day, they get one more break: Jenny calls and says that without
her parents around she's willing to make a sworn statement.
ve Michael Dawson have better
:, a girl who tells them that a year
ne she knew from high schoolillo Way.
seventeen at the time.
: a sworn statement. The officers
It turns out that Jenny's visited with Epstein several times.
And, it turns out, she'd done much more than sit in the
kitchen. Without her parents around, she's much more willing to
talk about it.
money working for Jeff. She was
de a massage for Jeff....She was
by [Dobbs]. They met with the
y in the Kitchen area. Francine
for her in the kitchen.
The first time she'd gone to the house on El Brillo Way, she
says, Epstein had tried to take off her shirt. She'd become upset,
68
69
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009218



JAMES PATTERSON
and this had led to a fight—a “verbal disagreement”—with
Epstein.
She’d left without getting paid. Gone down to the kitchen
and told Wendy, “Let’s go!”
“If you’re uncomfortable,” Wendy had told her, “tell him to
stop, and he will.”
On the other hand, Wendy had also told her, “The more you
do, the more you get paid.”
A few weeks later, she agreed to return to the house on El
Brillo.
Once again Sarah had taken Jenny upstairs and into the master bedroom. Sarah had set up the massage table, laid out the oils
that Jenny would use.
Then Epstein had entered the room wearing only a towel.
Jenny had been wearing tight jeans. She had a tight belt on.
She kept the jeans on, though Epstein still made a grab for her
buttocks. Then he rolled onto his back and grabbed for her
breasts. Jenny became upset yet again. But this time, she was
paid two hundred dollars before leaving. She never did go back
to the house. But, like Francine, she has one more thing to tell
the detectives.
Another girl from her high school had been there on the day
of her second visit with Epstein. Kristina. And later, Kristina
told Jenny that she also had “a problem” with Epstein.
Girls seemed to be turning up all the time. And the detectives were just getting started.
One girl leads Chief Reiter’s team to another. And every time,
they hear the same story. The girls are approached by Wendy
70
Dobbs. They drive ove
the kitchen—maybe sc
they’re walked upstair
towel. Sometimes with
mend their friends, anc
None of the girls cc
been trained as a mass
become a licensed mass
eighteen years old, at
or GED.
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009219



ERSON
“verbal disagreement”—with
d. Gone down to the kitchen
endy had told her, “tell him to
ad also told her, “The more you
d to return to the house on El
enny upstairs and into the mas-
e massage table, laid out the oils
e room wearing only a towel.
it jeans. She had a tight belt on.
epstein still made a grab for her
his back and grabbed for her
et again. But this time, she was
e leaving. She never did go back
e, she has one more thing to tell
school had been there on the day
ein. Kristina. And later, Kristina
problem” with Epstein.
g up all the time. And the detecteam to another. And every time,
e girls are approached by Wendy
70
FILTHY RICH
Dobbs. They drive over to Epstein’s house. After a short wait in
the kitchen—maybe some milk and cereal, if they feel hungry—
they’re walked upstairs. Epstein’s there, waiting, wearing his
towel. Sometimes with a vibrator. Sometimes the girls recommend their friends, and for this they receive a commission.
None of the girls comes from money. And none of them has
been trained as a masseuse. Then again, how could they be? To
become a licensed massage apprentice in Florida, you need to be
eighteen years old, at least, and have a high school diploma
or GED.
71
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009220