Lawyer questions whether Jeffrey Epstein’s brother may be trying to pocket cash meant for victims
A LAWYER complaining about delayed payouts for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims has speculated whether his brother may be trying to pocket money meant for them.
Spencer Kuvin, who represents nine victims of the disgraced financier, told The Sun that following the multi million dollar sales of Epstein’s mansions in Palm Beach, Florida, and in Manhattan, New York, he would like to see the “entire amount” of the proceeds go “immediately” to the Epstein Victims Compensation Program (EVCP).
He speculated whether the accused sex trafficker’s brother Mark Epstein may try to keep some of the money for himself – though he has not provided evidence of any wrongdoing. The estate denied the claim.
The victims’ compensation fund announced on Friday it would start making payments to victims once more after it was forced to stop due to insufficient funds.
It said $10million had been provided to the fund from the sales of the properties – which were sold for $51million and $18.5million – and additional funds will be made available in the future.
“One of the concerns I have on behalf of my clients – I represent nine victims with respect to the current Epstein compensation fund – is that these funds go immediately to the claims administrator to be distributed to the victims,” Kuvin told The Sun.
“Up until now things have been put on hold because the fund advised the victims that there were insufficient funds to satisfy claims.
“They assured the victims more funds would be made available soon so on behalf of the victims we would certainly hope that the entire amount of the sale of the house be immediately handed over to the fund administrator because that’s where the money belongs – it’s for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and no one else.
“Unfortunately like most of the Epstein saga the victims have been kept in the dark in regards to the specifics of Epstein’s funds and all as they have been told is that their claim will be a fair amount regardless of what funds exist.”
The EVCP announced on Friday that it was resuming payments after a month-long delay.
“I am pleased to report that the Program can now resume full operations after this unfortunate and unexpected month-long delay,” said fund administrator Jordana Feldman.
“We have continued to process claims and hold meetings with claimants in anticipation of the resolution of the Estate’s liquidity issue, and will begin
issuing compensation offers immediately.”
But Kuvin still questions what has happened to Epstein’s fortune – estimated to be around $577million.
“We know that there was over half a billion dollars seized by the US attorney’s office but the question is where has that money gone? No one knows at this point…” Kuvin said.
Kuvin speculated whether Mark Epstein, who has been named as Epstein’s heir in court papers, “is trying to keep as much of the money as he possibly can as opposed to compensating the victims fairly.”
When contacted by The Sun, Mark Epstein hit out at Kuvin calling him a “moron” but declined to comment further.
Lawyers for Epstein’s estate denied that Mark Epstein had “anything to do with the administration or operations of the Estate” – and said that all the money from the recent sales will go to the fund.
“It would be nonsensical for the Co-Executors to hamstring an independent program that they themselves voluntarily developed, designed and implemented for the very purpose of compensating victims of Mr. Epstein’s sexual abuse,” Dan Weiner, counsel for the co-executors, told The Sun.
“In fact, the EVCP announced on Friday afternoon that it is resuming issuance of victim compensation determinations in light of the Estate’s commitment to provide further funding realized through the Co-Executors’ sale of the NYC and Palm Beach properties.
“The Co-Executors regularly and publicly account to the Superior Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands on all assets and liabilities of the Estate, most recently filing its Fifth Quarterly Accounting last month.
“Mr. Kuvin’s suggestion that Estate funds have ‘gone missing’ suggests either that he has not read the Fifth Quarterly Accounting, or chooses to ignore its detailed explanation of the Estate’s expenditure of funds– including over $200million in taxes paid to date to state, federal and French governmental authorities and the now nearly $100 million provided to the EVCP for payment of victims’ compensation.
“There has been no delay whatsoever in the EVCP paying those women who accept its compensation determinations. The one-month pause in its issuance of new compensation determinations – a pause necessitated by the Estate’s lack of liquidity in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, now resolved through the Co-Executors’ sales of the NYC and Palm Beach properties – did not prejudice or slow payments of any previously accepted EVCP compensation determination; nor will it delay payments of any new determination.”
In response, Kuvin said: “Obviously the Estate is protecting its own beneficiaries.”
He said that the whole saga had been very frustrating for the victims he represents.
“These are girls, now women, who have been repeatedly denied justice,” he said.
“These are young women who were denied justice initially when he was let go, they were denied justice when he got a sweetheart deal, they were denied justice again when he pressured them into settlements because of his heavy handed surveillance and pressure tactics during litigation, they were then denied justice when he was arrested because they could not see him face trial and he was allowed to commit suicide or murdered in jail.
“It’s another repeat of the same unfortunate tragedy in this Epstein saga.
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“A number of the victims I represent were abused in the house in Palm Beach and they were incredibly happy to hear that along with the sale of the Palm Beach home the plans were it would be destroyed – that is music to the victims’ ears.
“I don’t know if it’s realistic option for the property in New York given its location but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to live in a home where numerous young girls have been raped, it’s like living in a home where a murder has occurred.”
Epstein killed himself while awaiting trial for his sex crimes back in August 2019.
His alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison and is due to face court in July.