Mega Edition: Les Wexner And His Reign At The Top (10/12/25)

Originally known as the Herbert N. Straus House, this imposing Upper East Side mansion was designed by architect Horace Trumbauer and completed in 1932. Although commissioned for Herbert Straus—the son of Macy’s co-owners—he never lived in it. In 1944, Straus’s heirs, facing prohibitive property costs, donated the unfinished building to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, which initially used it as a hospital. Later, from 1962 to 1989, the mansion served as the location for the Birch Wathen School, a private K–12 academy, before being sold to retailer Leslie Wexner (for $13.2 million), who renovated the opulent interior. Eventually, Jeffrey Epstein came to reside in the mansion from the mid-1990s until his death.Over the decades, the building transformed dramatically—from a rare, institutional-like school and hospital to one of Manhattan’s largest private residences (estimated at over 20,000 sq ft and spanning nine lavish floors). Under Epstein, it took on a darker reputation, becoming the site of serious criminal investigations into underage sex trafficking. After his death, the townhouse was sold in 2021 for around $51 million, though its legacy—rooted in education and later tainted by abuse—remains a deeply complex chapter in New York’s architectural and social history.To contact me:Bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.heraldsun.com/latest-news/article238269028.htmlBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

3 Sep 14min

Prince Andrew’s explanations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein have shifted repeatedly over the years, raising doubts about his credibility. In his infamous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, Andrew claimed he met Epstein in 1999 through Ghislaine Maxwell and maintained that they were not “very close friends.” He also insisted he cut ties in December 2010 after staying at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, saying the purpose of the visit was to formally end the relationship. However, other accounts—including statements from his former private secretary—suggest that Andrew may have known Epstein as early as the early 1990s, and recent investigative reporting indicates the friendship was far deeper than he has admitted.Adding to the inconsistency, evidence has emerged that Andrew’s contact with Epstein continued beyond the dates he publicly acknowledged. Newly disclosed documents reveal that he exchanged communications with Epstein as late as February 2011—months after he claimed to have severed all ties. These contradictions, along with allegations that their bond was fueled by shared access to wealth and women, have only intensified scrutiny on Andrew’s shifting narrative. His inability to maintain a consistent timeline underscores the public perception that he has downplayed, if not outright concealed, the true nature of his long-standing relationship with Epstein.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Prince Andrew may have kept in touch with Jeffrey Epstein (nypost.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 11min

In mid‑2023, Morgan State University launched an internal investigation into Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Jonathan Farley after news emerged that he had independently reached out to Jeffrey Epstein—then jailed on sex trafficking charges—in July 2019. In a highly self-serving email, Farley requested a $5 million donation from Epstein to fund an endowed chair for women in mathematics, suggesting this act could rehabilitate Epstein’s public image and even likening it to avoiding a conviction akin to Bill Cosby’s. He also implied that such a contribution would generate support within the Black community. Crucially, university officials emphasized that Farley had acted alone and without institutional approval, stressing that Morgan State had neither solicited Epstein nor empowered any employee to do so.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:A Math Professor Suggested a Jailed Jeffrey Epstein Give Him Money to Repair His Image in the Black Community (vice.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 16min

Ari Ben-Menashe, a former Israeli intelligence officer, has long claimed that Jeffrey Epstein was not merely a wealthy predator but an intelligence asset, operating what he describes as a classic honey-trap operation. According to Ben-Menashe, Epstein’s private island, jets, and mansions were not only indulgences but controlled environments designed for surveillance and kompromat collection. The young women Epstein exploited were bait, he argues, and the true currency was secrets—leverage over the powerful figures who entered Epstein’s world. This interpretation reframes Epstein’s unusual legal leniency and elite connections as signs of protection, not just influence or money, suggesting his utility to intelligence agencies made him untouchable for years.Ben-Menashe links Epstein’s story to that of Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell’s father, who he has also alleged was a Mossad asset, framing both men as part of a broader tradition of cultivating access to elites for covert purposes. While his claims are controversial and remain unverified, they persist because they provide a framework for understanding the unanswered questions around Epstein: how he gained such reach, why he escaped real consequences for so long, and why his downfall ended with his sudden death. Whether or not one accepts Ben-Menashe’s account, it shifts the focus from Epstein as an isolated criminal to Epstein as a possible cog in a larger intelligence machine.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 13min

Ari Ben-Menashe, a former Israeli intelligence officer, has long claimed that Jeffrey Epstein was not merely a wealthy predator but an intelligence asset, operating what he describes as a classic honey-trap operation. According to Ben-Menashe, Epstein’s private island, jets, and mansions were not only indulgences but controlled environments designed for surveillance and kompromat collection. The young women Epstein exploited were bait, he argues, and the true currency was secrets—leverage over the powerful figures who entered Epstein’s world. This interpretation reframes Epstein’s unusual legal leniency and elite connections as signs of protection, not just influence or money, suggesting his utility to intelligence agencies made him untouchable for years.Ben-Menashe links Epstein’s story to that of Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell’s father, who he has also alleged was a Mossad asset, framing both men as part of a broader tradition of cultivating access to elites for covert purposes. While his claims are controversial and remain unverified, they persist because they provide a framework for understanding the unanswered questions around Epstein: how he gained such reach, why he escaped real consequences for so long, and why his downfall ended with his sudden death. Whether or not one accepts Ben-Menashe’s account, it shifts the focus from Epstein as an isolated criminal to Epstein as a possible cog in a larger intelligence machine.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 18min

The Maxwell transcripts, paired with her transfer to Camp Bryan, expose a process designed not to uncover truth but to bury it. Deputy Attorney General Todd “Baby Billy” Blanche oversaw the meeting, yet instead of demanding names or clarity, he allowed Maxwell to dodge and evade without consequence. What should have been a reckoning was instead theater—Maxwell performing silence, Blanche directing the script, and the DOJ rubber-stamping it as cooperation.The reward for that silence was clear: Maxwell, a convicted child trafficker, was moved to a low-security “camp” usually reserved for nonviolent offenders. Survivors were left betrayed, the public misled, and the broader Epstein network protected. This wasn’t justice delivered but justice inverted, a cover-up executed under the guise of procedure, ensuring that accountability died the moment Maxwell kept her mouth shut.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 15min

The Maxwell transcripts, paired with her transfer to Camp Bryan, expose a process designed not to uncover truth but to bury it. Deputy Attorney General Todd “Baby Billy” Blanche oversaw the meeting, yet instead of demanding names or clarity, he allowed Maxwell to dodge and evade without consequence. What should have been a reckoning was instead theater—Maxwell performing silence, Blanche directing the script, and the DOJ rubber-stamping it as cooperation.The reward for that silence was clear: Maxwell, a convicted child trafficker, was moved to a low-security “camp” usually reserved for nonviolent offenders. Survivors were left betrayed, the public misled, and the broader Epstein network protected. This wasn’t justice delivered but justice inverted, a cover-up executed under the guise of procedure, ensuring that accountability died the moment Maxwell kept her mouth shut.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 11min

Congress is holding a private meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein as part of an expanding bipartisan probe into how the Department of Justice handled Epstein’s prosecution. The House Oversight Committee, which has already subpoenaed former officials including Alex Acosta and demanded Epstein-related Suspicious Activity Reports from the Treasury Department, is positioning these survivor meetings as critical to uncovering the full scope of failures and possible cover-ups. Lawmakers want to hear directly from those most affected, not only about Epstein’s crimes but also about how institutions may have ignored or mishandled their pleas for justice.Alongside the closed-door session, several survivors are also expected to appear publicly at a Capitol press conference organized by Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie. This event will push for greater transparency, including the release of sealed files tied to Epstein’s network. Survivors and their advocates argue that without disclosure, accountability remains out of reach, and they warn that any attempt to bury these records would deepen public distrust. The coordinated private testimony and public advocacy signal a renewed, aggressive phase of congressional scrutiny into Epstein’s ties, finances, and protection.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:House lawmakers to meet with Jeffrey Epstein's victims amid probe of 'suspicious' financial transactionsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

2 Sep 15min