File 030974
Michael Wolff Email on Trump and Epstein Real Estate Dealings (File 030974)
Email from Michael Wolff to Jeffrey Epstein discussing Trump's business practices, financial vulnerabilities, and a disputed Palm Beach real estate transaction involving both men, with references to Epstein's legal troubles and connections to Russian oligarchs.
Summary
Michael Wolff sends Jeffrey Epstein an analysis of Trump's business model and financial desperation, focusing on a 2004 Palm Beach property transaction where Epstein initially purchased a house for $36 million, but Trump subsequently bid $41 million. The email details how the property was later sold to Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev for $96 million in 2008, suggesting possible money laundering. Wolff contextualizes this within Trump's broader pattern of using his name as a front for properties owned by others and his substantial debts to Deutsche Bank, while also noting Epstein's concurrent legal troubles and eventual sentencing.
From: J [jeevacation@gmail.com]Sent: 2/1/2019 4:46:54 PMTo: Michael WolffSubject: Fwd: FYIfirst edit----------Forwarded message---------From: Michael WolffDate: Fri, Feb 1, 2019 at 11:07 AMSubject: FYITo: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com>Books and newspaper accounts of Trump's 45 years in business were full of hisshady dealings, and the presidency had only helped to highlight them and to surface evenjuicier ones. Real estate was the world's favorite money laundering currency and Trump'sperceived A -level real estate business was quite explicitly designed to appeal to moneylaunderers. What's more, Trump's own financial woes, and desperate efforts to maintainbillionaire lifestyle, cache, and market viability, forced him into constant and unsubtleschemes. Practically speaking, you couldn't miss him, as the Mueller investigationappeared to be finding.In November 2004, for instance, Jeffrey Epstein, the financier later caught in a scandalinvolving under-age prostitutes, agreed to buy out of bankruptcy a house in Palm Beach,Florida for $36 million—a house that had been on the market for two years. Epstein andTrump had been close friends—playboys in arms, as it were—for more than a decade,with Trump always hopeful that Epstein would provide some of his financial expertise toenabvle h8im to survive. Trump was beholden to Deutsch Bank and was on the hookpersonally for 40 million dollars.Epstein took Trump to see the Palm Beach house to advise him on construction issuesinvolved with moving the swimming pool. As he prepared to finalize his deal for thehouse, an incredulous Epstein saw a severely cash-constrained Trump bid $41 million forthe property, buying it through an entity named Trump Properties LLC, ultimate ownerunknown.. Trump, Epstein knew, had been in the buisness of leasing his name. Hotels areactually owned by others but renting the trump name would cost a percent or two. ,Trump was willing to serve as a front man to disguise the actual ownership in a real estatetransaction. (This was, in effect, just another variation of Trump's basic business model oflicensing his name for commercial properties owned by someone else.) A furious Epsteinsuspected that others actually owned the new house. then getting extensive scrutiny inFlorida papers. The disagreement re the purchase of the house became all the more bitterwhen, two months later, the house was put on the market for $125 million. Well known toTrump, who often visited with Epstein at his Palm Beach house, whose visits wereconfirmed in depostions of Epsteins houseman. It appears that Epstein was visited almostevery day, by and had been for many years, by girls who he paid for massages with happyendings—girls recruited, and who often returned to his house from the local massageHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030974parlors strip clubs, and, also, Trump's Mar-a-Lago. Just as the threats and enmity of thetwo friends increased over the house sale, Epstein found himself under investigation bylocal Palm Beach police. Epstein's legal problems vastly escalated but the new Trumpproperty, with only minor improvements, was bought 3 years later in 08 , the timeTrump was facing his huge debt. for $96 million by Dmitry Rybolovlev. a Russain oligarch.That is, Trump had either miraculously earned $55 million, without putting up a dime, orRybolovlev, or someone such as Rybolovlev, paid Trump Properties, LLC—actual ownerunknown—$96 million, thereby providing a clean payment of $55 million tosomeone. This at the very same time that trump was into Deutsch bank for over 600million dollars but with a 40 millino personal guarnatee .Rybolovlev might have, in effect,paid himself for the house, thereby cleansing the money. Epstein, on his part, would besenetenced to 30 months, 12 of those months in jail on a prostitution charge.After the election, when Bannon was introduced to Epstein, Bannon told him, "You werethe one person I was truly afraid of coming forward during the campaign.""not surprising" said Epstein.please noteThe information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJEEUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, anddestroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments. copyright -all rights reservedHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030975