ST.In a stunning breakthrough from thousands of Epstein’s private emails, fresh investigative reporting has unearthed a long-buried federal probe: as prosecutors chased his sex-trafficking crimes in 2007, they quietly launched a parallel money laundering investigation that targeted untold millions flowing through his shadowy empire
Fresh investigative reporting has uncovered a long-concealed federal money laundering investigation into Jeffrey Epstein that ran parallel to his infamous sex trafficking probe, potentially channeling vast sums to sustain his operations.
In October 2025, Bloomberg News obtained and analyzed 18,000 emails from Epstein’s personal Yahoo account, revealing that in 2007, prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida expanded their sex crimes inquiry to include financial crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Villafana sought grand jury subpoenas for every transaction by Epstein and his six businesses dating back to 2003. She even contacted one of Epstein’s key clients as part of the effort.
Epstein and his high-powered legal team— including Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr—fiercely resisted, drafting letters demanding high-level DOJ reviews and arguing the probe should halt if a plea deal resolved the sex charges. Despite this, the money laundering investigation continued until Epstein’s 2008 lenient plea deal, brokered under then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta.
Critics, including lawmakers like Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), argue this financial angle was buried, shielding potential enablers. Acosta later testified he recalled no “financial aspect,” despite being copied on related correspondence.
Separate probes highlighted banks’ roles: JPMorgan Chase flagged over $1 billion in suspicious transactions post-Epstein’s 2019 death, involving Wall Street figures like Leon Black and Leslie Wexner. Deutsche Bank faced penalties for ignoring red flags. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden has pushed a “follow the money” investigation, uncovering delayed reporting of massive payments.
These revelations suggest Epstein’s wealth—built on opaque dealings—directly funded his trafficking network, with institutional failures allowing it to thrive. As ongoing Epstein file releases continue amid delays, demands grow for full accountability into the financial web that enabled decades of abuse.
