Epstein vics getting paid after $50M manse sale
An out-of-court claims program for Jeffrey Epstein victims will resume issuing payouts following a new infusion of cash through the sale of the dead perv’s Upper East Side mansion.
The Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program has received over 175 claims — far exceeding expectations — and issued more than $67 million in payouts so far.
Epstein’s estate said last month it was running out of cash, prompting the administrator of the claims program to announce she was suspending settlement offers.
The cash concerns were resolved through the recent sale of the sex offender’s E. 71st St. mansion (photo) for roughly $50 million.
Estate attorney Bennet Moskowitz said at a recent Manhattan Federal Court hearing that he expects to sell Epstein’s Palm Beach estate for around $20 million.
The administrator of the program, Jordana Feldman, said a $10 million infusion of cash from the estate allowed it to resume making offers.
“I am pleased to report that the program can now resume full operations after this unfortunate and unexpected month-long delay . ... I am eager to continue the important work of this program, and remain deeply committed to ensuring that all eligible claimants receive the compensation and validation they deserve,” Feldman said.
Feldman previously served as the former deputy special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The Epstein program serves as an out-of-court alternative to victims seeking compensation for his sexual abuse.
Rather than having to endure the lengthy, contentious and public judicial process, Epstein victims can confidentially share their stories with Feldman and receive a damages offer.
If the victim accepts the offer, she agrees to not pursue legal actions against Epstein or his employees.
The deadline to register new claims has passed, but women already deemed eligible to participate in the program have until March 25 to file claims.
Epstein, hanged himself in August 2019 while awaiting trial in a lower Manhattan federal jail.
A woman was shot to death near a city Housing Authority project in Queens on Friday by two men who appeared to be gunning for someone else, police and sources said.
Police received a 911 call just after 8 p.m. for shots fired outside the Woodside Houses in Woodside, sources said.
“There were seven shots and I went down under the counter,” said a witness who was shopping in a nearby deli. “A woman was shot. The blood was running down the sidewalk by the subway vents.”
Police found video from two delis that showed two men running toward an unidentified man on Broadway near 48th St. and shooting at him, said the sources.
The men shot 37-year-old Gudelia Vallinas in the head before they fled the scene.
When officers arrived at Broadway near 48th St. they discovered Vallinas with one gunshot wound, police said.
Vallinas, who lived near the shooting scene, was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, but she could not be saved.
Police were canvassing area hospitals for other potential victims, sources said.
There were no immediate arrests or identified suspects.
There’s a grim joke circulating among political observers about the origin of a flurry of recent announcements emanating from Gov. Cuomo’s office lifting COVID restrictions across New York. Maybe it’s purely coincidental. But it sure seems as though each time a new bombshell detonates, from nursing homes to charges of bullying to accusations of sexual harassment, Cuomo announces he’s easing another rule, the COVID equivalent of distracting the masses with bread and circuses.
Feb. 19, after bollixing up an apology for delaying the release of COVID death data in nursing homes, a day after news broke federal investigators were probing his handling of that data, Cuomo said indoor dining in New York City could go to 35% capacity, five days after it resumed following a two-month hiatus.
Feb. 22, while reports swirled about his bullying, aggressive political style, Cuomo announced the relaxation of tight limits on visiting nursing homes.
March 3, after several women came forward alleging the governor made inappropriate sexual comments to them, state officials announced event spaces, arts and entertainment venues, closed for nearly a year, could begin reopening at 33% capacity April 2. Four days later, after the Legislature repealed Cuomo’s emergency powers and additional former aides alleged he made inappropriate comments to them, Cuomo announced restaurants outside NYC could expand indoor dining capacity to 75%, starting March 19.
March 10, Cuomo announced indoor dining could resume at 50% capacity in New York City on March 19, the highest capacity allowed indoors in the city’s restaurants in more than a year. The next day, after another woman’s accusation of harassment became public, Cuomo said the state would lift quarantine requirements for domestic travelers entering New York. City health officials, who disagreed with the decision, were not consulted before the announcement was made.
We sincerely hope these decisions were all motivated by balanced analysis of the data and economic concerns, and not by any desire to distract from the trouble Cuomo now faces.
Manhattan: If this country could not come together on fighting COVID, getting people back to work and off of food bank lines, then what hope do we have for the future? Instead of dwelling on Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss, the Republicans would rather fight against what their own constituents want and would benefit from. Shame on the Republican Party.