Core 4: Lesley Groff And How The DOJ Looked The Other Way (7/21/25)

Jeffrey Epstein’s world bled right into the dark corners of the modeling industry — the kind of places where luxury and depravity blur together under the same chandelier light. He used modeling as both a cover and a recruitment pool, pretending to be a gatekeeper to fame and fashion while exploiting the industry’s obsession with youth, beauty, and access. Agencies, scouts, and so-called “talent finders” were part of this sleazy ecosystem — some complicit, others willfully blind — funneling vulnerable girls into Epstein’s orbit with promises of photoshoots, mentorships, or introductions to elite circles. Behind the high-fashion gloss was a global network of manipulation: fake casting calls, private jets filled with “models,” and connections to legitimate modeling agencies that lent Epstein’s operation an air of credibility. It wasn’t just sex trafficking — it was the corruption of an entire image-based industry where power could be traded for flesh and silence was the unspoken price of admission.What made it all so insidious was how normalized it became. Epstein’s connections to modeling power players like Jean-Luc Brunel, MC2 Model Management, and other agencies gave him a steady supply chain disguised as opportunity. Young women from Eastern Europe, South America, and small-town America were lured in by the same dream — the fantasy of walking Paris runways or being discovered at an upscale resort — only to find themselves trapped in something far darker. Epstein and his associates exploited the same machinery that made supermodels into icons, twisting it into a predatory conveyor belt. The “underbelly” wasn’t a hidden world at all — it was the same glitzy one the public adored, just seen from a different angle: the hotel rooms behind the runway, the cash envelopes, the passports held hostage, and the broken promise that fame could ever be worth that kind of nightmare.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 1h 2min

In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department initiated an investigation into financier Jeffrey Epstein after a 14-year-old girl reported being paid for a massage that led to sexual activity at his mansion. The investigation uncovered a pattern where Epstein allegedly used personal assistants to recruit underage girls for "massages," which often escalated to sexual encounters. Evidence included testimonies from victims and witnesses, as well as items found during a search of Epstein's residence, such as hidden cameras and photographs of young girls. Despite the substantial evidence, when the case was presented to a Palm Beach County grand jury in July 2006, it resulted in a single charge of felony solicitation of prostitution.Dissatisfied with the outcome, Police Chief Michael Reiter sought federal assistance, leading to an FBI investigation that identified multiple victims and corroborating details of abuse. However, in 2008, Epstein secured a controversial non-prosecution agreement, pleading guilty to lesser state charges and serving a 13-month jail sentence with work-release privileges. This plea deal has been widely criticized for its leniency and lack of transparency, especially given that prosecutors were aware of allegations involving victims as young as 14 years old​,to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsources:Epstein-Docs.pdf (documentcloud.org)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 42min

In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department initiated an investigation into financier Jeffrey Epstein after a 14-year-old girl reported being paid for a massage that led to sexual activity at his mansion. The investigation uncovered a pattern where Epstein allegedly used personal assistants to recruit underage girls for "massages," which often escalated to sexual encounters. Evidence included testimonies from victims and witnesses, as well as items found during a search of Epstein's residence, such as hidden cameras and photographs of young girls. Despite the substantial evidence, when the case was presented to a Palm Beach County grand jury in July 2006, it resulted in a single charge of felony solicitation of prostitution.Dissatisfied with the outcome, Police Chief Michael Reiter sought federal assistance, leading to an FBI investigation that identified multiple victims and corroborating details of abuse. However, in 2008, Epstein secured a controversial non-prosecution agreement, pleading guilty to lesser state charges and serving a 13-month jail sentence with work-release privileges. This plea deal has been widely criticized for its leniency and lack of transparency, especially given that prosecutors were aware of allegations involving victims as young as 14 years old​,to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsources:Epstein-Docs.pdf (documentcloud.org)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 27min

In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department initiated an investigation into financier Jeffrey Epstein after a 14-year-old girl reported being paid for a massage that led to sexual activity at his mansion. The investigation uncovered a pattern where Epstein allegedly used personal assistants to recruit underage girls for "massages," which often escalated to sexual encounters. Evidence included testimonies from victims and witnesses, as well as items found during a search of Epstein's residence, such as hidden cameras and photographs of young girls. Despite the substantial evidence, when the case was presented to a Palm Beach County grand jury in July 2006, it resulted in a single charge of felony solicitation of prostitution.Dissatisfied with the outcome, Police Chief Michael Reiter sought federal assistance, leading to an FBI investigation that identified multiple victims and corroborating details of abuse. However, in 2008, Epstein secured a controversial non-prosecution agreement, pleading guilty to lesser state charges and serving a 13-month jail sentence with work-release privileges. This plea deal has been widely criticized for its leniency and lack of transparency, especially given that prosecutors were aware of allegations involving victims as young as 14 years old​,to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsources:Epstein-Docs.pdf (documentcloud.org)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 28min

Jeffrey Epstein’s name has long been linked to the Towers Financial Ponzi scheme, one of the largest securities frauds of the late 20th century. The company, founded by Steven Hoffenberg, claimed to manage debt collection services but instead operated as a massive Ponzi operation between 1988 and 1993—defrauding investors of more than $450 million. Hoffenberg hired Epstein in the late 1980s as a consultant, paying him a substantial monthly salary and reportedly giving him a $2 million loan that was never repaid. Hoffenberg later said Epstein was deeply involved in crafting investment strategies and managing money flows that kept the fraud going. When Towers collapsed, Hoffenberg went to prison, while Epstein—though named by Hoffenberg as a central figure—was never charged.Hoffenberg maintained for decades that Epstein had been the scheme’s intellectual architect, claiming he orchestrated the movement of investor funds and helped design misleading financial reports. Former Towers employees and SEC investigators have confirmed Epstein’s presence at the company and his access to internal accounts, but prosecutors never brought formal charges. Epstein denied involvement, and without a paper trail directly implicating him, he escaped legal accountability for the scheme. Hoffenberg, who served 18 years in prison, spent his later years insisting that Epstein “taught [him] the Ponzi game” and owed victims restitution from his later fortune—claims that remain unresolved.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 17min

Michael Wolff developed a notably close and complicated relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, one that blurred the line between journalist and confidant. Epstein served as both a source and a subject for Wolff, who claimed to have recorded more than 100 hours of conversations with him. Those talks reportedly covered Epstein’s relationships with global elites, his political ambitions, and his fascination with influence. Epstein even floated the idea of Wolff writing his biography, reflecting how much he trusted Wolff—or at least how much he wanted his version of events recorded by someone with credibility in media circles. Wolff later referenced these recordings in interviews and writings, including insights into Epstein’s ties to figures like Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, further cementing his access as unusually deep for any journalist.That closeness, however, has long been controversial. Critics have accused Wolff of being too comfortable with Epstein, suggesting the relationship compromised his objectivity and gave Epstein an avenue to shape his own public image. Wolff’s recollections of Epstein’s final days—especially his claim that Epstein’s last message to him was “Still hanging around”—added a sensational layer to their connection, fueling speculation about how much Wolff really knew. The result is a dynamic that sits somewhere between journalism and complicity: Wolff gained remarkable access, but at a cost that continues to raise ethical and moral questions about covering a predator who thrived on manipulation.to  contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

12 Okt 10min

The saga of Jeffrey Epstein continues to belt out its ugly tune even after the predator has died. This time the song being sung is about Kathryn Ruemmler, former White house counsel for Barak Obama and now a big shot lawyer over at Goldman Sachs. According to new reports, Ruemmler was associating with Epstein all the way up until four months before his arrest. He petitioned JP Morgan Chase to take Ruemmler on as a client and according to the report, the bank was elated to have such a 'rockstar' in the world of law as a client of the bank. Meanwhile, the rest of us are over here wondering what such a connected and powerful player within the democratic party would be doing cavorting with someone like Jeffrey Epstein. Let's unpack it. (commercial at 12:40)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Jeffrey Epstein referred Obama White House counsel to JPMorgan (cnbc.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

11 Okt 22min

Jeffrey Epstein was long suspected of hiding a significant portion of his wealth through a network of offshore shell companies, trusts, and tax-haven accounts. Investigations revealed that Epstein maintained entities in the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, and other secrecy jurisdictions, allowing him to obscure ownership of his private jets, properties, and banking relationships. According to leaked financial records from the Paradise Papers, Epstein’s name surfaced in connection with offshore structures linked to his business dealings and his so-called “billionaire clients.” Analysts believe these offshore entities were designed not only to minimize taxes but to shield his financial dealings from regulators, creditors, and victims pursuing civil claims.After Epstein’s 2019 arrest and subsequent death, scrutiny of his finances intensified. Bloomberg and Business Insider reported that his official estate was valued at roughly $630 million, but forensic accountants believe that number may represent only a portion of his total holdings. Much of his wealth appears to remain tied up in offshore accounts, nominee-held companies, and untraceable trusts, limiting restitution for his victims. Ongoing congressional and legal investigations continue to explore whether Epstein’s offshore assets were part of a broader network of money laundering, client concealment, or blackmail-based financial leverage.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

11 Okt 24min