Epstein remains in jail; his safe held ‘piles of cash’
NEW YORK — Investigators discovered a safe in Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan mansion that held “piles of cash,” diamonds and an expired passport from a foreign country that had what appeared to be Epstein’s photo, but was registered to a fake name and listed his residence as Saudi Arabia.
Prosecutors revealed the safe’s contents as they argued in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that Epstein should be denied bail before his sextrafficking and conspiracy trial because he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. He is accused of abusing dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York City and Palm Beach, Fla.
Two women who said they were sexually abused by Epstein also spoke at the hearing, urging Judge Richard Berman to deny him bail.
“He’s a scary person to have walking the streets,” said Courtney Wild, one of Epstein’s accusers, who said she was assaulted at age 14.
Berman said he would not rule until Thursday about whether Epstein should be granted bail while he awaits trial.
Epstein had proposed in court papers that he be allowed to remain under house arrest in his $56 million mansion on the Upper East Side, and pay for 24hour security guards who would ensure he did not flee.
His attorneys say Epstein has been lawabiding for more than a decade.
“He didn’t reengage in this activity,” one of his lawyers, Martin Weinberg, told the judge on Monday, adding, “It’s not like he’s an outofcontrol rapist.”
But prosecutors, citing what they called Epstein’s “yearslong scheme to sexually abuse underage girls” and his fortune of at least $500 million, have argued that Epstein would pose a danger to the community and might flee the country if granted bond.
The government had also said Epstein might try to obstruct justice if he were given bail. Prosecutors said that last year he wired $350,000 to two people who were potential witnesses against him at a trial.
Epstein’s lawyers said Monday that the payment could have been “an act of generosity” to Epstein’s associates and that government lawyers were unable to prove otherwise.