爱泼斯坦的财富之谜
杰弗里·爱泼斯坦(Jeffrey Epstein),这位声名狼藉的金融家,虽然大学辍学,却积累了难以解释的巨额财富,并于2019年在狱中神秘死亡。
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Jeffrey Epstein – the disgraced financier - was a college dropout who managed to amass a fortune – that is difficult to explain - before dying mysteriously in his jail cell in 2019.
他不像吹牛老爹(P-Diddy)那样是说唱歌手,却拥有两座私人岛屿、多架私人飞机和遍布全球的豪宅。
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He wasn’t a rapper like P-Diddy – yet he owned two private islands, multiple private jets and homes all over the world.
他与总统、王子、科学家、名人、商人和亿万富翁交好,并在2019年被检察官形容为“一个拥有近乎无限财富的人”。
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He befriended presidents, princes, scientists, celebrities, businessmen and billionaires, and was described by prosecutors in 2019 as “a man of nearly infinite means.”
然而,尽管经过多年的调查,没有人能确定他到底是如何赚到这些钱的。
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Yet despite years of investigations, no one can say with certainty how he made his money.
《彭博社》(Bloomberg)在2019年他被捕后写道,尽管他声名狼藉,但关于他如何赚钱的细节却寥寥无几。
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Bloomberg wrote after his arrest in 2019 that for all his infamy, there are scant details of how he made his money.
《金融时报》(The FT)同期也写道,这个问题困扰记者数十年。
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The FT similarly wrote around the same time that this question has confounded journalists for decades.
鉴于他与众多知名人物的联系以及随后针对他的指控,公众对杰弗里·爱泼斯坦的生活、财富、罪行以及围绕他的有影响力帮凶网络产生了极大的兴趣。
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Given his links to big names and the subsequent allegations against him, there has been major public interest in the life and the wealth of Jeffrey Epstein along with his crimes—and the network of influential enablers that surrounded him.
早年生活与职业生涯:从辍学生到华尔街
爱泼斯坦出生在布鲁克林,父亲是场地管理员,母亲是全职主妇。
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Epstein was born in Brooklyn, the son of a groundskeeper and a stay-at-home mom.
他高中毕业后,曾短暂就读于库珀联盟学院(Cooper Union)和纽约大学(NYU),但都辍学了。
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He graduated high school and briefly attended Cooper Union and NYU before dropping out of both.
在谎称拥有大学学位后,他曾在纽约一所私立高中短暂教授数学和物理,但两年后因“表现不佳”被解雇。
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After falsely claiming to have a college degree, he briefly taught math and physics at a private high school in New York before being dismissed after two years for "poor performance.”
他随后在贝尔斯登(Bear Stearns)工作了几年,被解雇后,声称自己为超级富豪经营一家资金管理公司。
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He went on to work for a few years at Bear Stearns and after being laid off - claimed to be running a money management firm for the ultra-wealthy.
他的公司运营不透明,客户名单从未公开,资产也从未得到核实。
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His firm’s operations were opaque, its client list never disclosed, and its assets never verified.
他只有一个确认的客户,其他一切都笼罩在猜测的迷雾中:秘密的离岸实体、耳语般的勒索理论,以及一个包括美国总统到英国王室成员在内的社交圈。
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He had only one confirmed client, and everything else is a fog of speculation: secretive offshore entities, whispered blackmail theories, and a social circle that included everyone from US presidents to British royalty.
围绕爱泼斯坦之死的争议与阴谋论
当唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)于一月再次上任时,围绕爱泼斯坦之死的争议再次成为热门话题。
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The controversy over Epstein's death became a hot topic once again when Donald Trump returned to office in January.
特朗普选择了帕姆·邦迪(Pam Bondi)、丹·邦吉诺(Dan Bongino)和卡什·帕特尔(Kash Patel)等高级执法官员,他们中的许多人通过鼓励关于深层政府(Deep State: 指政府内部由职业官僚、情报人员等组成的非民选权力网络,被认为在幕后操纵政策)的阴谋论而获得了大量政治资本。
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Trump chose top law enforcement officials like Pam Bondi, Dan Bongino and Kash Patel – who earned much of their political capital by encouraging conspiracy theories about the deep state.
特朗普本人曾多次暗示,“爱泼斯坦档案”中包含的信息将扳倒他的政治对手。
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Trump himself – had implied on multiple occasions that there was information in the “Epstein Files” that would take down his political opponents.
在预告将有重大宣布之后,司法部(Department of Justice)和联邦调查局(FBI)几周前终于发布声明称,没有什么可看的——没有客户名单,没有人被档案牵连,爱泼斯坦是自杀身亡的——这与长期以来关于此案的阴谋论相矛盾。
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After teasing that a big announcement was in the pipeline - the Department of Justice and FBI finally came out a few weeks ago with an announcement that there was nothing to see - there was no client list no one was implicated in the files, and Epstein had taken his own life - contradicting long-held conspiracy theories about the case.
当联邦调查局后来发布了爱泼斯坦死前当晚其牢房附近唯一一台正常运行的摄像头的“明显经过篡改的”录像时,MAGA(Make America Great Again: 特朗普的竞选口号,也指其支持者群体)支持者们对存在掩盖行为感到愤怒,有些人可能对卡什·帕特尔如此拙劣的视频编辑感到失望。
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When the FBI later released – clearly doctored footage - from the only functioning camera near Epstein’s prison cell the night he died – the MAGA base were enraged that there was a cover up – and some were possibly disappointed that Kash Patel was such a sloppy video editor.
总有一个时候,你必须雇佣一个知道自己在做什么的人。
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There is a point at which you just have to hire someone in who knows what they are doing…
随着公众压力增大和阴谋论甚嚣尘上,一个问题仍然是这场丑闻的核心——那就是,杰弗里·爱泼斯坦到底是如何赚到钱的?
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As public pressure mounts and conspiracy theories swirl, one question remains at the heart of the scandal – and that is - how did Jeffrey Epstein really make his money?
爱泼斯坦财富的规模与不透明性
2019年,联邦检察官起诉杰弗里·爱泼斯坦时,称他是一个庞大贩卖行动的策划者,该行动剥削了数百名未成年女孩。
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When federal prosecutors charged Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, they described him as the orchestrator of a vast trafficking operation that exploited hundreds of underage girls.
当局声称已收集到大量确凿证据,包括照片和视频证据、财务记录以及据称指向更广泛帮凶和客户网络的数字文件。
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Authorities claimed to have gathered a trove of damning evidence that included photographic and video evidence, financial records, and digital files that allegedly pointed to a broader network of enablers and clients.
今年七月,司法部和联邦调查局发布了一份备忘录,称在对超过300千兆字节的数据和物证进行详尽审查后,他们没有发现“任何有罪的客户名单”和“没有可信证据”表明爱泼斯坦勒索了知名人士。
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This July, the Department of Justice and FBI released a memo stating that, after an exhaustive review of over 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence, they found “no incriminating client list” and “no credible evidence” that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.
这种在多年猜测和公众期待之后突然转变的说法,只会加深怀疑并重新引发阴谋论。
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This sudden shift in narrative—after years of speculation and public expectation—has only deepened suspicion and fueled renewed conspiracy theories.
尽管其财富来源不透明,但杰弗里·爱泼斯坦财富的规模是不可否认的。
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Despite the opacity around the origins of his wealth, the scale of Jeffrey Epstein’s fortune was undeniable.
他刑事案件中的一份文件将其净资产估算为约5.6亿美元,而《纽约时报》(The New York Times)后来估计为6亿美元。
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A filing in his criminal case pegged his net worth at roughly $560 million dollars, while The New York Times later estimated it at $600 million.
他的资产包括一系列豪宅,其中有他被捕时价值7700万美元的曼哈顿联排别墅、1200万美元的棕榈滩庄园、1700万美元的新墨西哥州牧场和860万美元的巴黎公寓。
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His assets included a portfolio of luxury homes - including a $77 million dollar Manhattan townhouse where he was arrested, a $12 million dollar estate in Palm Beach, a $17 million dollar ranch in New Mexico, and an $8.6 million dollar apartment in Paris.
他的两座私人岛屿——小圣詹姆斯岛(Little St. James)和大圣詹姆斯岛(Great St. James)——在他去世时估价为8600万美元。
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His two private islands—Little St. James and Great St. James— were valued at $86 million at the time of his death.
他拥有三架私人飞机、一架直升机和至少15辆汽车。
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He owned three private jets, a helicopter, and a fleet of at least 15 vehicles.
他最著名的飞机,被称为“洛丽塔快车”(the Lolita express),不仅仅是一架普通的私人飞机,它是一架波音727-100型飞机,如果改装成商用飞机,可以搭载150名乘客。
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His most famous plane – dubbed “the Lolita express” was not just an ordinary private jet – it was a Boeing 727 100 which if kitted out as a commercial jet would hold 150 passengers.
这些资产描绘了一个拥有巨大财力的人的形象——但对于他如何获得这些财富,是否有任何清晰或可信的解释呢?
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These holdings paint the picture of a man with immense financial power—but was there any clear or credible explanation of how he acquired it?
尽管爱泼斯坦常被描述为亿万富翁,但即使是检察官也迟疑确认这一称谓。
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Although Epstein was often described as a billionaire, even prosecutors hesitated to confirm that label.
他的公司“金融信托公司”(Financial Trust Company)设在美国维尔京群岛,从未发布过经审计的报表或业绩数据。
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His firm, Financial Trust Company, was based in the U.S. Virgin Islands and never released audited statements or performance data.
这种缺乏透明度,加上关于其员工规模和2008年金融危机期间损失的相互矛盾的报道,严重质疑他的财富是否曾达到他所声称的规模。
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This lack of transparency, combined with conflicting reports about the size of his staff and losses during the 2008 financial crisis, casts serious doubt on whether his fortune ever reached the scale he claimed.
争议性的认罪协议与精英人脉
爱泼斯坦事件中最令人不安的方面之一是,尽管证据越来越多,受害者数十人,联邦指控却迟迟未能提出。
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One of the most troubling aspects of the Epstein saga is how long it took for federal charges to be brought against him—despite mounting evidence and dozens of victims.
2007年和2008年,爱泼斯坦在佛罗里达州面临严重指控,但他没有受到联邦起诉,而是与当时的美国检察官亚历山大·阿科斯塔(Alexander Acosta)达成了一项有争议的不起诉协议(Non-Prosecution Agreement: 检察官与被告达成协议,被告同意合作或满足某些条件以避免被起诉),阿科斯塔后来担任唐纳德·特朗普的劳工部长。
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In 2007 and 2008, Epstein faced serious allegations in Florida, but instead of being prosecuted federally, he struck a controversial non-prosecution agreement with then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who would later serve as Donald Trump’s labor secretary.
该协议允许爱泼斯坦对较轻的州级招妓罪名认罪,结果只在县监狱服刑13个月,并享有工作释放特权,同时被要求登记为前罪犯。
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The deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to lesser state charges of soliciting prostitution, resulting in just 13 months in a county jail—with work release privileges—and a requirement to register as an ex offender.
这项协议对爱泼斯坦的受害者保密,这违反了联邦受害者权利法。
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This agreement was kept secret from Epstein’s victims, a violation of federal victims’ rights laws.
当时,爱泼斯坦由一个法律“梦之队”代理,其中包括艾伦·德肖维茨(Alan Dershowitz)和肯尼斯·斯塔尔(Kenneth Starr),两人都拥有显著的政治和法律影响力。
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At the time, Epstein was represented by a legal “dream team” that included Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr, both of whom wielded significant political and legal influence.
2019年,爱泼斯坦的律师指责检察官试图“重审”迈阿密案件,而当时已经达成了协议。
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Prosecutors in 2019 were accused by Epstein’s lawyers of trying to “re-do” the Miami case – when a deal had already been struck.
最初认罪协议的宽大、其保密性以及涉及的权势人物,此后成为一波阴谋论的核心——其中许多质疑爱泼斯坦是否受到更广泛的精英网络的保护。
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The leniency of the original plea deal, the secrecy surrounding it, and the powerful figures involved have since become central to a wave of conspiracy theories—many of which question whether Epstein was protected by a broader network of elites.
爱泼斯坦的早期职业生涯首次揭示了他后来定义其人生的不可思议的崛起。
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Epstein’s early career offers the first glimpse into the improbable rise that would later define his life.
爱泼斯坦于1953年出生在布鲁克林康尼岛(Coney Island)的一个工人阶级家庭,大学辍学,没有获得学位。
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Born in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1953 to working-class parents, Epstein dropped out of university without earning a degree.
尽管如此,在1970年代早期,他在曼哈顿的精英学校道尔顿学校(Dalton School)找到了一份数学和物理教师的工作。
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Despite this, he landed a job teaching math and physics at the elite Dalton School in Manhattan in the early 1970s.
在那里,他引起了一位家长——贝尔斯登董事长艾伦·格林伯格(Alan Greenberg)的注意,格林伯格在他1976年失去教职后,帮助他在投资银行获得了一个入门级职位。
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There, he caught the attention of a parent—Alan Greenberg, the chairman of Bear Stearns—who helped him secure an entry-level position at the investment bank after he lost his teaching job in 1976.
爱泼斯坦迅速晋升,在四年内成为合伙人——对于一个没有正式金融培训的人来说,这是一个异常快速的晋升。
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Epstein rose rapidly, becoming a partner within four years—an unusually fast ascent, especially for someone with no formal financial training.
但在成为合伙人仅仅一年后,他在贝尔斯登的职业生涯戛然而止。
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But just one year after making partner, his career at Bear Stearns came to an abrupt end.
据《纽约时报》报道,爱泼斯坦在一次内幕交易(Insider Trading: 利用未公开的重大信息进行证券交易以获取私利的行为)调查中告诉美国证券交易委员会(SEC),他被解雇有三个原因:他借钱给朋友购买股票,他的费用报销存在违规行为,以及有关于他与一名秘书有染的传闻。
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According to *The New York Times*, Epstein told the SEC during an insider-trading investigation that he had been let go for three reasons: he had lent money to a friend to buy stock, there were irregularities with his expense account, and there were rumors of an affair with a secretary.
尽管从未被指控有不当行为,但这一事件标志着一种模式的开始——爱泼斯坦有能力进入精英机构和接触有权势的人,而通常无需具备所需的资历或透明度。
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Though never charged with wrongdoing, the episode marked the beginning of a pattern—Epstein’s ability to gain access to elite institutions and powerful people, often without the credentials or transparency typically required.
离开贝尔斯登后,爱泼斯坦创立了自己的公司“洲际资产集团”(Intercontinental Assets Group),声称专门从事追回被盗或被挪用资金的业务。
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After leaving Bear Stearns, Epstein launched his own firm, Intercontinental Assets Group, which claimed to specialize in recovering stolen or embezzled funds.
到1980年代末,他成立了“J. Epstein & Company”,这家投资公司后来成为他财富和精英人脉的声称来源。
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By the late 1980s, he had formed J. Epstein & Company, the investment firm that would become the claimed source of his wealth and elite connections.
莱斯·韦克斯纳:唯一的确认客户?
爱泼斯坦当时宣布,他只接受价值超过10亿美元的账户。
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Epstein announced at the time that he only accepted accounts worth over $1 billion dollars.
值得注意的是,当时全球亿万富翁不到500人,这使得他所谓的客户群异常排他。
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It’s worth noting that, there were fewer than 500 billionaires worldwide at the time, making his supposed client base extraordinarily exclusive.
实际上,爱泼斯坦似乎只有一个主要客户:L Brands的亿万富翁创始人莱斯·韦克斯纳(Les Wexner)。
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In reality, it would appear that Epstein had only one major client: Les Wexner, the billionaire founder of L Brands.
十多年来,爱泼斯坦一直担任韦克斯纳的私人资金经理和顾问,据报道在此过程中赚取了数亿美元。
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For more than a decade, Epstein served as Wexner’s personal money manager and adviser, reportedly earning hundreds of millions of dollars in the process.
他们的关系异常密切——韦克斯纳甚至将一栋价值7700万美元的曼哈顿豪宅的所有权无记录地转让给了爱泼斯坦在维尔京群岛注册的公司。
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Their relationship was unusually close—so much so that Wexner transferred ownership of a $77 million Manhattan mansion to Epstein’s Virgin Islands-based company for no recorded payment.
据《纽约时报》报道,2002年的一份公司文件显示,爱泼斯坦的资产管理公司只有8800万美元的股东出资和大约20名员工——远少于当时媒体报道中声称的150人。
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According to The New York Times, a 2002 corporate filing revealed that Epstein’s asset management firm had just $88 million in shareholder contributions and around 20 employees—far fewer than the 150 claimed in media profiles at the time.
爱泼斯坦的公众形象与他财务运营的有限证据之间的矛盾,只会加深其财富真实来源的神秘性。
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The contradictions between Epstein’s public image and the limited evidence of his financial operations only deepen the mystery of the true source of his wealth.
涉嫌参与庞氏骗局
1987年,杰弗里·爱泼斯坦被史蒂文·霍芬伯格(Steven Hoffenberg)聘为高薪顾问,霍芬伯格当时是“塔楼金融公司”(Towers Financial Corporation)的首席执行官,这是一家总部位于曼哈顿的债务催收机构,后来被揭露为美国历史上最大的庞氏骗局(Ponzi Scheme: 一种投资欺诈,通过向早期投资者支付后期投资者的资金来制造高回报的假象)之一的操纵者。
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In 1987, Jeffrey Epstein was hired as a high-paid consultant by Steven Hoffenberg, then CEO of Towers Financial Corporation—a Manhattan-based debt collection agency that would later be exposed as the operator of one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history.
霍芬伯格每月支付爱泼斯坦2.5万美元,并为他设立了办公室,称其为那段时间的“僚机”和“最亲密的朋友”。
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Hoffenberg paid Epstein $25,000 a month and set him up with an office, describing him as his “wingman” and “closest friend” during that period
两人曾共同尝试进行高调的企业收购,包括对泛美航空(Pan Am)和艾默里空运(Emery Air Freight)的失败竞标。
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Together, the two men attempted high-profile corporate takeovers, including failed bids for Pan Am and Emery Air Freight.
但在幕后,“塔楼金融公司”通过向投资者出售欺诈性债券和本票(Promissory Notes: 一种书面承诺,承诺在特定时间或按要求向特定人支付一定金额)筹集了超过4亿美元。
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But behind the scenes, Towers Financial was raising more than $400 million dollars by selling fraudulent bonds and promissory notes to investors.
这笔钱并非用于资助合法的运营,而是用于支付早期投资者、支付运营成本以及资助奢华的生活方式——包括私人飞机、豪宅和昂贵的汽车。
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This money was used not to fund legitimate operations, but to pay off earlier investors, cover operating costs, and finance lavish lifestyles—including private jets, luxury homes, and expensive cars
霍芬伯格后来声称爱泼斯坦是该计划财务工程的“主谋”,称他为保险债券欺诈和股票操纵策略的设计者。
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Hoffenberg later claimed Epstein was the “mastermind” behind the scheme’s financial engineering, describing him as the architect of both the insurance bond fraud and a stock manipulation strategy
法庭记录和参与此案的律师证实,爱泼斯坦的名字出现在组织结构图上,并且他在公司担任高级职务。
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Court records and attorneys involved in the case confirmed that Epstein’s name appeared on organizational charts and that he held a senior role at the firm.
然而,尽管他与欺诈行为如此接近,爱泼斯坦却从未被起诉。
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Yet despite his proximity to the fraud, Epstein was never charged.
这一事件是爱泼斯坦能够在精英金融圈中运作,同时避免法律后果的最明显例子之一——即使他的商业伙伴被定罪并入狱18年。
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This episode is one of the most glaring examples of Epstein’s ability to operate in elite financial circles while avoiding legal consequences—even when his business partner was convicted and spent 18 years in prison.
其他富豪伙伴与可疑交易
虽然莱斯·韦克斯纳是杰弗里·爱泼斯坦唯一确认的长期客户,但有证据表明他与几位其他富有的个人有财务往来——尽管这些关系的性质和范围仍不明朗。
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While Les Wexner, is the only confirmed long-term client of Jeffrey Epstein’s, evidence suggests he had financial dealings with several other wealthy individuals—though the nature and scope of these relationships remain murky.
除了韦克斯纳,《纽约时报》报道称,爱泼斯坦曾短暂担任强生公司(Johnson & Johnson)女继承人伊丽莎白·约翰逊(Elizabeth Johnson)的共同受托人,出现在纽约达奇斯县(Dutchess County)14块土地的地契上,之后于1998年辞职。
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Beyond Wexner, The New York Times reports that Epstein briefly served as co-trustee for Johnson & Johnson heiress Elizabeth Johnson, appearing on deeds for 14 parcels of land in Dutchess County, New York, before resigning in 1998.
爱泼斯坦还与阿波罗全球管理公司(Apollo Global Management)的亿万富翁联合创始人利昂·布莱克(Leon Black)有联系。
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Epstein also had ties with Leon Black, the billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management.
据报道,布莱克向爱泼斯坦支付了1.58亿美元的费用——他声称这些费用是用于“税务咨询”和“遗产规划”等服务。
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Black is reported to have paid Epstein $158 million dollars in fees – which he claims were for things like “tax advice” and “estate planning”
令人有些惊讶的是,杰弗里·爱泼斯坦——一个没有明显税务经验的人——竟然会被像利昂·布莱克这样的人聘为税务顾问,而布莱克理应能接触到世界上最好的税务律师。
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It is somewhat surprising that Jeffrey Epstein – a man with no obvious tax experience would get hired as a tax advisor by someone like Leon Black – who you would imagine has access to the best tax lawyers in the world.
此外,税务律师通常不会收取1.58亿美元的费用。
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On top of that, tax lawyers don’t typically charge $158 million dollars in fees.
向某人支付税务咨询费用绝不意味着你与他们的罪行有牵连。
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Now paying someone for tax advice in no way implicates you for their crimes.
我不会大声宣扬多年前我雇佣了“波士顿扼杀者”(Boston Strangler)教我打网球……我不知道他业余时间在做什么——我以为他得到那个绰号是因为他握拍太紧了……
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I don’t tend to shout it from the rooftops that years ago I hired the Boston Strangler to teach me how to play tennis… I had no idea what he was up to in his spare time – I thought he got that nickname because he held on to his racquet so tightly…
《金融时报》在2021年报道称,利昂·布莱克将其家族财富的相当一部分归因于爱泼斯坦,称他当时80亿美元财富中多达20亿美元可追溯到爱泼斯坦的金融敏锐度。
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The FT reported in 2021 that Leon Black attributes a sizeable part of his family wealth to Epstein, saying that as much as $2 billion dollars of his then eight-billion-dollar fortune could be traced back to Epstein’s financial acumen.
爱泼斯坦据称还担任布莱克先生的顾问,处理游艇和飞机管理等问题,并帮助解决了一件有价值雕塑的所有权纠纷。
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Epstein allegedly also served as Mr. Black’s adviser on issues like the management of his yacht and plane and helped settle a dispute over the ownership of a valuable sculpture.
即使在爱泼斯坦2008年被定罪后,布莱克仍继续保持这种关系,后来将其辩解为相信“第二次机会”。
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Even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, Black continued the relationship, later justifying it as a belief in “second chances.”
2020年10月,在布莱克先生向爱泼斯坦支付款项的新披露引发一些养老基金冻结对阿波罗的进一步投资后,布莱克聘请了一家律师事务所调查其行为。
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In October 2020, after new revelations of Mr. Black’s payments to Epstein prompted a number of pension funds to freeze further investments with Apollo, Black hired a law firm to investigate his behavior.
他们发现他没有做错任何事。
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They found that he had done nothing wrong.
根据律师的报告,布莱克先生将自己描述为“相信给予人们第二次机会”的人。
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Mr. Black has characterized himself as someone who “believes in giving people second chances”, according to the lawyers report.
这与布莱克先生与被定罪的罪犯(如玛莎·斯图尔特(Martha Stewart))保持的其他关系是一致的——斯图尔特是史努比狗狗(Snoop Dogg)的知名伙伴,她于2004年因比爱泼斯坦轻微得多的罪行被定罪,罪名是串谋、妨碍司法和两项就股票交易向联邦调查员撒谎。
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That is in keeping, with other relationships Mr. Black has maintained with convicted criminals like Martha Stewart – a known associate of Snoop Dogg - who was convicted in 2004 of a somewhat less serious crime than Epstein was – where she was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction and two counts of lying to federal investigators about a stock trade.
据美国有线电视新闻网(CNN)报道,2023年,利昂·布莱克同意向维尔京群岛政府支付6250万美元,作为交换,政府解除了布莱克与杰弗里·爱泼斯坦相关的所有当前和未来的法律索赔。
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According to CNN, in 2023, Leon Black agreed to pay the Virgin Islands government $62.5 million dollars and in exchange, the government released Black from any current and future legal claims related to Jeffrey Epstein.
格伦·杜宾:社交与商业的交织
根据威廉·科汉(William Cohan)2019年发表在《名利场》(Vanity Fair)上的一篇文章,爱泼斯坦与对冲基金经理格伦·杜宾(Glenn Dubin)的关系是爱泼斯坦社交生活如何与商业交织的案例研究。
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According to a 2019 Vanity Fair article by William Cohan, Epstein’s relationship with the hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin is a case study in how Epstein's social life intersected with his business.
科汉在文章中解释说,两人最初是由杜宾的妻子介绍认识的,她曾是瑞典小姐,也是爱泼斯坦的前女友。
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Cohan explains in the article that the two men were first introduced by Dubin’s wife, a former Miss Sweden and ex-girlfriend of Epstein’s.
尽管有这段尴尬的历史,爱泼斯坦却深深融入了杜宾的家庭生活——据报道甚至担任他们孩子的教父,这一说法后来被杜宾的代表否认。
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Despite this awkward history, Epstein became deeply embedded in the Dubin family’s life—reportedly even serving as godfather to their children, a claim Dubin’s representatives later denied.
这种友谊后来转化为财务关系:爱泼斯坦据称因帮助促成杜宾的对冲基金出售给摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase)而获得费用,并向杜宾门生管理的基金投资了数亿美元。
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This friendship later translated into financial ties: Epstein allegedly received a fee for helping broker the sale of Dubin’s hedge fund to JPMorgan Chase, and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in funds run by Dubin’s protégés.
这些交易表明爱泼斯坦如何利用个人关系获得财务准入和合法性,而通常无需对其背景或财富来源进行审查。
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These transactions show how Epstein leveraged personal relationships to gain financial access and legitimacy, often without scrutiny of his background or the origins of his wealth.
文章指出,爱泼斯坦的社会信誉使他能够在精英金融圈中运作,尽管其财富来源成谜。
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The article suggests that Epstein’s social credibility - allowed him to operate in elite financial circles despite the mystery about his wealth.
杜宾在将爱泼斯坦介绍给其他基金经理方面的作用,以及爱泼斯坦随后对这些基金的大笔投资,都表明爱泼斯坦的社交网络如何直接促进了他的金融交易。
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Dubin’s role in introducing Epstein to other fund managers and the subsequent large investments Epstein made in their funds, show how Epstein’s social network directly facilitated his financial dealings.
然而,当爱泼斯坦的罪行在2019年再次浮出水面时,杜宾夫妇据称与他保持距离,声称对他的罪行一无所知。
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Yet, when Epstein’s crimes resurfaced in 2019, the Dubins allegedly distanced themselves from him, claiming ignorance of his crimes.
爱泼斯坦的名字还与一家名为“全球环境解决方案”(Environmental Solutions Worldwide)的小型排放控制公司有关,他与利昂·布莱克身边的人一起投资了该公司。
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Epstein’s name also appears in connection with a small emissions-control company called Environmental Solutions Worldwide, in which he invested alongside individuals close to Leon Black.
这家公司是爱泼斯坦的公司唯一向美国证券交易委员会提交披露文件的公司。
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This company was the only one for which Epstein’s firm filed an SEC disclosure.
这些零散且通常非正式的关系——许多涉及巨额资金但鲜有文件记录——凸显了爱泼斯坦金融生活的神秘性:他在精英金融圈中运作,转移了数亿美元,并为亿万富翁提供咨询,却几乎没有留下任何公开记录。
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These scattered and often informal relationships—many involving vast sums of money but little documentation—underscore the mystery of Epstein’s financial life: he operated in elite financial circles, moved hundreds of millions of dollars, and advised billionaires, all while leaving behind almost no public record.
勒索指控与更深层的阴谋论
2019年,莱斯·韦克斯纳指控杰弗里·爱泼斯坦在管理其个人财务期间挪用了超过4600万美元。
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In 2019, Les Wexner accused Jeffrey Epstein of misappropriating more than $46 million while managing his personal finances.
韦克斯纳在一封致其慈善基金会成员的信中披露,他已追回“部分资金”,并于2007年左右,即爱泼斯坦首次在佛罗里达州面临指控时,断绝了与爱泼斯坦的联系。
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In a letter to members of his charitable foundation, Wexner disclosed that he had recovered “some of the funds” and had severed ties with Epstein in 2007, around the time Epstein first faced allegations in Florida.
韦克斯纳曾授予爱泼斯坦广泛的财务权力,包括授权书(Power of Attorney: 授予某人代表他人行事的法律权力)。
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Wexner had granted Epstein sweeping financial authority, including power of attorney.
同年,针对爱泼斯坦遗产提起的一项诉讼指控他不仅利用未成年女性进行虐待,还以此作为讨好有权势人士的手段,以便收集妥协信息进行勒索。
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That same year, a lawsuit filed against Epstein’s estate alleged that he had used underage women not only for abuse but also as a means to ingratiate himself with powerful individuals so that he could gather compromising information for blackmail
这些指控表明,爱泼斯坦的部分财富可能不仅建立在金融不当行为上,还建立在对其商业伙伴的战略性剥削上。
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These accusations suggest that a portion of Epstein’s fortune may have been built not only on financial misconduct but also on the strategic exploitation of his business associates.
安德鲁·普罗科普(Andrew Prokop)在《Vox》杂志上写道,爱泼斯坦丑闻已经远远超出了有记录事实的范畴,它已成为“所有阴谋论之母”。
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The Epstein scandal has evolved far beyond the realm of documented facts, Andrew Prokop at Vox writes that it’s become, the mother of all conspiracy theories.
因为它几乎能吸引所有政治亚文化群体。
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Because it has something to captivate just about every political subculture.
他写道,对一些人来说,这是一个关于有权势者肆无忌惮滥用权力的“#MeToo”故事;对另一些人来说,这是一个由MAGA助推的关于自由派精英堕落的故事。
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For some – he writes - it’s a #MeToo story of unchecked abuse by a powerful man; for others, a MAGA-fueled tale of liberal elites’ depravity.
“抵抗运动”(The Resistance)将其视为潜在的特朗普丑闻,而那些怀疑“深层政府”的人则关注掩盖行为和情报机构可能的参与。
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The Resistance sees it as a potential Trump scandal, while those suspicious of the “deep state” fixate on cover-ups and the possible involvement of intelligence agencies.
反犹分子则关注爱泼斯坦的犹太身份。
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Antisemites, focus on Epstein’s Jewish identity.
这场丑闻的模糊性以及爱泼斯坦所处的精英圈子,使其成为各种意识形态阴谋论的沃土。
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The scandal’s ambiguity and the elite circles Epstein moved in have made it fertile ground for conspiracy theories of every ideological stripe.
爱泼斯坦与政治人物的关系
MAGA忠实支持者们表现出惊人的能力,能够将这场丑闻区隔化(Compartmentalize: 将信息或事件分离处理,避免相互影响)——他们痴迷于爱泼斯坦与民主党人的联系,却忽视了唐纳德·特朗普与他长达十五年有据可查的友谊。
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MAGA loyalists have shown a remarkable ability to compartmentalize this scandal—obsessing over Epstein’s ties to Democrats while ignoring Donald Trump’s well-documented fifteen year long friendship with him.
特朗普任命帕姆·邦迪、卡什·帕特尔和丹·邦吉诺等忠实支持者担任高级执法职务,只会加剧猜测。
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Trump’s appointment of loyalists like Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino to top law enforcement roles only intensified the speculation.
他们试图引导叙事的尝试似乎适得其反,激起了保守派基础的愤怒和内部的相互指责。
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Their attempts to steer the narrative seem to have backfired on them, fueling outrage from the conservative base and internal finger-pointing.
民主党人与爱泼斯坦也有他们自己的尴尬历史。
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Democrats, have their own awkward history with Epstein.
比尔·克林顿(Bill Clinton)卸任总统后与爱泼斯坦的友谊,包括多次乘坐他的私人飞机,在2000年代末指控首次浮出水面时就成了负累。
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Bill Clinton’s post-presidency friendship with Epstein, including multiple flights on his private jet, became a liability the moment the allegations first surfaced in the late 2000’s.
当时希拉里·克林顿(Hillary Clinton)被视为该党的未来,因此没有人希望纠缠于爱泼斯坦丑闻。
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At the time Hillary Clinton was viewed as the party’s future, so there was no desire to dwell on the Epstein scandal.
直到特朗普团队笨拙地试图转移话题而处理不当这场丑闻后,民主党人才开始介入——因为他们现在可以将爱泼斯坦丑闻视为特朗普丑闻。
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It wasn’t until Trump’s team mishandled the scandal with their awkward attempts to change the subject - that Democrats began to engage—as they could now see the Epstein scandal as a Trump scandal.
这现在导致了特朗普无法摆脱的狂热兴趣。
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It has now resulted in a frenzy of interest that Trump hasn’t been able to escape.
在更阴暗的阴谋论中,有一种说法是爱泼斯坦与以色列情报机构有联系。
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Among the more shadowy conspiracy theories is the claim that Epstein was connected to Israeli intelligence.
这些指控在2023年再次引起关注,当时前保守派评论员塔克·卡尔森(Tucker Carlson)——他在去年访问俄罗斯一家超市时变得激进——在“转折点美国”(Turning Point USA)的一次演讲中公开猜测摩萨德(Mossad)与爱泼斯坦的联系,声称“华盛顿特区每个人都相信这个理论”。
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These allegations, gained renewed attention in 2023 when the formerly conservative commentator Tucker Carlson – who became radicalized last year while visiting a Russian supermarket began publicly speculating about a Mossad-Epstein connection during a speech to Turning Point USA, claiming that “every single person in Washington, D.C., believes that theory.
该理论认为,爱泼斯坦可能代表以色列情报机构运作了一个勒索计划,利用未成年女性来诱捕有权势的个人。
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The theory suggests that Epstein may have operated a blackmail scheme on behalf of Israeli intelligence, using underage women to entrap powerful individuals.
2021年《滚石》(Rolling Stone)杂志的一篇文章引用了史蒂文·霍芬伯格——爱泼斯坦的前商业伙伴和被定罪的庞氏骗局策划者——的话,他声称爱泼斯坦与情报圈有联系。
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A 2021 Rolling Stone article cited Steven Hoffenberg—Epstein’s former business associate and convicted Ponzi schemer—who claimed Epstein had ties to intelligence circles.
尽管没有具体证据支持这些说法,但它们的持续存在凸显了爱泼斯坦生与死周围持续存在的透明度真空。
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While no concrete evidence has emerged to support these claims, their persistence underscores the vacuum of transparency that continues to surround Epstein’s life and death.
关于杰弗里·爱泼斯坦最持久的说法之一是,他秘密录制了客人在他家私人房间里的活动。
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One of the most persistent claims about Jeffrey Epstein - is that he secretly recorded his guests in the private rooms of his house.
在2019年的一次采访中,他的一名受害者表示,她曾在曼哈顿联排别墅的客卧和浴室中看到隐藏摄像头,工作人员在一个专门的监控室里实时监控。
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In a 2019 interview, one of his victims, said that she had seen hidden cameras in the guest bedrooms and bathrooms of his Manhattan townhouse, with live feeds being monitored by staff in a dedicated surveillance room.
这些指控助长了关于爱泼斯坦利用监控录像收集有权势人物的妥协材料——可能用于施压或勒索——的猜测。
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These allegations have fueled speculation that Epstein used surveillance footage to gather compromising material on powerful individuals—possibly for leverage or blackmail.
当特朗普任命的执法官员——帕姆·邦迪、卡什·帕特尔和丹·邦吉诺——宣布他们正在审查所有可用证据,包括数字文件和监控录像时,这短暂地燃起了人们对期待已久的答案可能出现的希望。
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When Trump’s law enforcement appointees—Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino—announced they were reviewing all available evidence, including digital files and surveillance footage, it briefly raised hopes that long-sought answers might emerge.
但他们突然改口,宣称“没有什么可看的”,这只会加深公众的怀疑,并加剧了关于掩盖行为的理论。
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But their abrupt reversal, declaring there was “nothing to see,” only deepened public suspicion and intensified theories of a cover-up.
爱泼斯坦档案据称包含超过300千兆字节的数据、纸质文件、视频、照片和音频。
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The Epstein files are allegedly made of over 300 gigabytes of data, paper, video, photographs, and audio.
帕姆·邦迪在2月份公开表示,她正在审查这些文件,距离她被确认为总检察长仅17天。
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Pam Bondi publicly stated that she was reviewing these files in February, just 17 days after her confirmation as Attorney General.
那是一大堆视频资料要看——但似乎她确实看了,因为几天前她本应在一个反对人口贩卖的峰会上发言——不幸的是,这个声明是在那里发布的。
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That is a lot of video footage to go through – but it would appear that she did as a few days ago she was supposed to speak at a summit against human trafficking – where unfortunately this announcement was made [Clip].
我不知道是什么导致了这种据报道的眼部损伤——但如果我过去六个月一直在审查爱泼斯坦家(特朗普经常是客人)的浴室录像,我想我的眼睛也会受损。
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Now, I don’t know what caused this reported eye damage – but if I spent the last six months reviewing bathroom footage from Epsteins house – where Trump was frequently a guest – I think I would damage my eyes too.
从卡什·帕特尔惊恐的表情来看,他似乎也一直在看这些录像……那个人一定看到了什么恐怖的东西……
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Based on the horrified expression on Kash Patels face, it would appear that he has been going through the footage too… The horrors that man must have seen…
特朗普与爱泼斯坦的友谊与决裂
从1980年代末开始,唐纳德·特朗普和杰弗里·爱泼斯坦保持了近二十年的密切友谊。
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For almost twenty years, beginning in the late 1980s, Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein maintained a close friendship.
他们经常互相拜访——爱泼斯坦去特朗普的海湖庄园俱乐部(Mar-a-Lago Club),特朗普去爱泼斯坦的曼哈顿豪宅。
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They were regulars at each other’s homes—Epstein at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, and Trump at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion.
听到特朗普的名字出现在任何关于爱泼斯坦的调查中并不奇怪,仅仅因为他们在一起度过了那么多时间。
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It is no surprise to hear that Trumps name turns up in any investigation of Epstein, simply because they spent so much time together. [Clip]
《华尔街日报》(The Wall Street Journal)报道称,总检察长帕姆·邦迪早在5月份就警告特朗普,他的名字多次出现在档案中……但谁知道呢——如果爱泼斯坦确实保留了一份名单——他可能保留了多份名单……可能有一份非常糟糕的名单,上面列满了1970年代做过可怕事情的儿童艺人——然后可能还有一份名为“真正喜欢熟女的人”的名单,上面有特朗普和马克龙的名字……谁知道呢……
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The Wall Street Journal has reported that Attorney General - Pam Bondi warned Trump back in May that his name was in the files – multiple times… But who knows – if Epstein did keep a list – maybe he kept multiple lists… There might be a really bad list filled with 1970’s children’s entertainers who did terrible things – and then maybe a list titled “people who are really into MILFS” with Trump and Macron’s names on it… Who knows…
在2002年接受《纽约杂志》(New York Magazine)采访时——特朗普今天可能对此感到后悔——他曾有名地说道:“我认识杰夫15年了。很棒的家伙。和他在一起很有趣。甚至有人说他和我一样喜欢美女,而且她们中的许多人更年轻。”
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In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine – that Trump likely regrets today - Trump famously said: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
爱泼斯坦据称认为自己是特朗普“最亲密的朋友”,并声称是他将特朗普介绍给了他最近的妻子。
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Epstein reportedly believed himself to be Trump’s “closest friend” and claims that he introduced Trump to his most recent wife.
据《华盛顿邮报》(The Washington Post)报道,他们的友谊在2004年因一笔棕榈滩房地产交易而破裂。
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According to the Washington Post, their friendship soured in 2004 over a Palm Beach real estate deal.
两人都在竞购棕榈滩的一处房产——爱泼斯坦想住在那里,而特朗普则想翻新后转售。
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Both men were competing to buy a property in Palm Beach – which Epstein wanted to live in, while Trump wanted to fix it up and resell it.
爱泼斯坦最初占上风,因为卖家喜欢他会保持原样,他们不喜欢特朗普会用金色装饰品将其点缀得俗气,就像他的其他房产一样。
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Epstein at first had the upper hand as the seller liked that he would keep it as it was, they didn’t like that Trump would bedazzle it with gold ornaments and make it tacky like his other properties.
据《华盛顿邮报》报道,在拍卖当天,爱泼斯坦的律师试图取消特朗普的竞标资格——告诉拍卖师——特朗普不符合破产拍卖的要求,因为他只会在有产权保险(Title Insurance: 一种保险,保护房产所有者和/或贷款人免受因产权瑕疵或索赔造成的损失)的情况下购买该房产,而该房产不会附带产权保险出售。
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According to The Washington Post – on the day of the auction - Epstein’s attorney tried to disqualify Trump from bidding – telling the auctioneer - that Trump didn’t meet the requirements of a bankruptcy auction as he would only buy the property with title insurance – which this property wouldn’t be sold with.
爱泼斯坦和他的律师——看来——并不知道特朗普正在通过免提电话听着。
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Epstein and his lawyer – it appears - were unaware that Trump was listening in on speakerphone.
特朗普最终赢得了拍卖,以4100万美元的价格买下了这处房产。
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Trump eventually won the auction, paying $41 million dollars for the property.
根据记录,特朗普当月晚些时候给爱泼斯坦留下了两条电话留言,那是他们最后一次已知的联系。
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According to the records, Trump left two phone messages for Epstein later that month and that was their last known contact.
特朗普此后声称(未提供细节或证据)他禁止爱泼斯坦进入海湖庄园。
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Trump has since claimed, without providing detail or proof, that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.
爱泼斯坦从未是海湖庄园的会员——他一直都是作为特朗普的客人出现在那里。
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Epstein had never been a member of Mar-a-Lago – he had always been there as a guest of Trump’s.
另一方面,爱泼斯坦的兄弟马克(Mark Epstein)则提供了不同的说法。
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Epstein’s brother, Mark – on the other hand - has offered a different version of events.
马克·爱泼斯坦声称,在史蒂夫·班农(Steve Bannon)于2019年进行的一次未播出采访中,杰弗里·爱泼斯坦表示,他在意识到特朗普是“一个骗子”后,便与他保持了距离。
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Mark Epstein claims that in an unaired interview conducted by Steve Bannon in 2019, Jeffrey Epstein said that he distanced himself from Trump after realizing that Trump was “a crook.”
马克·爱泼斯坦据称在链接失效前在线观看了该片段,称他的兄弟在去世前不久将该片段转发给了他。
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Mark Epstein, allegedly viewed the clip online before the link to it expired, said that his brother had forwarded it to him shortly before his death.
相互矛盾的说法——特朗普关于决裂的模糊声明和爱泼斯坦据称的私人言论——只会增加 intrigue 和阴谋论。
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The conflicting accounts—Trump’s vague claims of a falling out and Epstein’s alleged private remarks—have only added to the intrigue and the conspiracy theories.
他们曾经公开友好的关系,现在处于相互竞争的叙事中心,每一种叙事都受到政治权宜之计和爱泼斯坦影响力持久神秘性的影响。
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Their relationship, once openly friendly, now sits at the center of competing narratives, each shaped by political expediency and the enduring mystery of Epstein’s influence.
爱泼斯坦的投资记录:成败参半
那么,爱泼斯坦是一个好的投资者吗?
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So, was Epstein a good investor?
嗯,他的投资记录——至少是公开的部分——揭示了敏锐的押注、灾难性的损失以及偶尔令人侧目的房地产交易。
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Well, his investment record—at least the parts that are public - reveals a mix of sharp bets, catastrophic losses, and the occasional eyebrow-raising real estate deal.
在亏损方面,爱泼斯坦在贝尔斯登工作后持有其股票数十年,并一直大量投资,直到2008年其崩溃。
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On the losing side, Epstein owned Bear Stearns stock for decades after working there and remained heavily invested in it until it collapsed in 2008.
根据他后来提起的一项诉讼,2007年8月,他持有约17.6万股股票,价值近1800万美元。
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According to a lawsuit he later filed, he held around 176,000 shares worth nearly $18 million dollars in August 2007.
他在2007年以每股101美元的价格出售了5.6万股,但随着公司在2008年3月崩溃,他在甩卖(Fire Sale: 因紧急情况而以极低价格出售资产)中抛售了剩余的12万股——其中2万股以35美元出售,其余的仅以3.04美元出售。
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He sold 56,000 shares at $101 is 2007, but as the firm collapsed in March 2008, he offloaded the remaining 120,000 shares in a fire sale—20,000 at $35 and the rest at just $3.04.
他在贝尔斯登的一个投资信用衍生品(Credit Derivatives: 一种金融工具,允许一方将信用风险转移给另一方,以对冲违约风险)的基金中损失了更大的金额——5000万美元,该基金于2007年崩溃,标志着全球金融危机的开始。
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He lost the even greater sum of $50 million dollars in one of Bear’s funds that invested in credit derivatives and collapsed in 2007 – marking the start of the global financial crisis.
然后是曼哈顿房地产折扣的奇怪案例。
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Then there’s the curious case of the Manhattan real estate discount.
2011年,爱泼斯坦以比他两年前购买时低65%的价格,将他臭名昭著的联排别墅旁边的一处房产出售给了坎托·菲茨杰拉德(Cantor Fitzgerald)首席执行官霍华德·卢特尼克(Howard Lutnick)。
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In 2011, Epstein sold a property adjacent to his infamous townhouse to Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick at a 65% discount to what he had paid for it just two years earlier.
这尤其令人惊讶,因为纽约房地产价格在该持有期间上涨了6%。
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This is especially surprising as New York real estate prices rose 6% over that holding period.
卢特尼克在2015年希拉里·克林顿竞选总统时,在这所房子里为她举办了一场筹款活动,这很有名。
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Lutnick, famously held a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton at that home in 2015, when she was running against Donald Trump.
尽管卢特尼克否认与爱泼斯坦有任何私人关系,但这笔交易引发了猜测。
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While Lutnick denies any personal relationship with Epstein, the deal has prompted speculation.
毕竟,不是每天都有人能以清仓价买到曼哈顿的黄金地段房地产。
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After all, it’s not every day that someone picks up prime Manhattan real estate at clearance-sale prices.
在盈利方面,爱泼斯坦对彼得·蒂尔(Peter Thiel)共同创立的基金Valar Ventures进行了有利可图的投资。
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On the winning side of the ledger, Epstein made a lucrative investment in Valar Ventures, a fund co-founded by Peter Thiel.
该基金专注于早期金融科技公司,过去十年平均每年回报率为15.5%。
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The fund, which focuses on early-stage fintech companies, has returned an average of 15.5% annually over the last decade.
爱泼斯坦的股份——约在2015年或2016年获得——此后已增值至约1.7亿美元,使其成为其遗产中最大的剩余资产。
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Epstein’s stake—acquired around 2015 or 2016—has since grown to be worth around $170 million dollars, making it the largest remaining asset in his estate.
这项投资直到最近才公开披露,为爱泼斯坦的金融交易又增添了一层神秘色彩。
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The investment had not been publicly disclosed until recently, adding yet another layer of mystery to Epstein’s financial dealings.
1953信托与受害者赔偿
那么,这些钱都去哪儿了呢?
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So, where did the money all go?
就在他去世前两天,杰弗里·爱泼斯坦签署了一份文件,将其所有资产转入一个名为“1953信托”(1953 Trust)的私人实体——这个名字大概取自他的出生年份。
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Well, just two days before his death, Jeffrey Epstein signed a document transferring all of his assets into a private entity known as the 1953 Trust—named, presumably, after the year of his birth.
此举确保了他的受益人身份和财富分配将免于公众视线。
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This move ensured that the identities of his beneficiaries and the distribution of his wealth would remain shielded from public view.
对于爱泼斯坦的受害者来说,这造成了一个法律迷宫:获取财务披露需要法院批准。
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For Epstein’s victims, it created a legal labyrinth: accessing financial disclosures required court approval.
随着时间的推移,该信托吸收了所有资产——房产、现金、投资和贵重物品。
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Over time, the trust absorbed everything—properties, cash, investments, and valuables.
通过一个赔偿基金,已向受害者支付了超过1.64亿美元,这笔资金部分来自出售爱泼斯坦的房产,包括岛屿、曼哈顿联排别墅和他的飞机。
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More than $164 million dollars has since been paid out to victims through a compensation fund, financed in part by the sale of Epstein’s properties, including the islands, the Manhattan townhouse and his plane.
但这些和解协议都附带了条件:接受者被要求签署广泛的豁免书(Broad Releases: 一种法律文件,放弃对遗产或相关个人未来提出索赔的权利),放弃他们对遗产或与遗产相关个人提出未来索赔的权利。
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But those settlements all came with strings attached: recipients were required to sign broad releases, waiving their right to bring future claims against the estate or individuals connected to it.
剩余资产——估计超过2亿美元——很可能惠及一个更小的圈子。
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The remaining assets—estimated to exceed $200 million dollars—are likely to benefit a much smaller circle.
该信托唯一已知的受益人是爱泼斯坦的一位前女友和他的两名长期顾问,他们也担任遗产的共同执行人。
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The only known beneficiaries of the trust are a former girlfriend of Epstein’s, and two of his longtime advisers, who also serve as co-executors of the estate.
根据《纽约时报》审查的一份机密财务文件,爱泼斯坦打算免除他提供的1900万美元个人贷款,其中包括贷给与他的信托受益人密切相关的实体的贷款。
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According to a confidential financial document reviewed by The New York Times, Epstein intended for $19 million dollars in personal loans that he had made to be forgiven, including loans to entities closely associated with the beneficiaries of his trust.
多年来,遗产的价值一直在波动。
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The value of the estate has fluctuated over the years.
一度,一位执行人预测,在支付完索赔后,遗产将缩减至不足4000万美元。
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At one point, an executor predicted that it would shrink to under $40 million after claims were paid out.
但2024年末美国国税局(IRS)的1.116亿美元退税款 dramatically 改变了局面。
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But a $111.6 million tax refund from the IRS in late 2024 dramatically changed the picture.
我想也许爱泼斯坦在税务方面比我想象的要好……截至今年3月,遗产报告资产为1.31亿美元,其中包括5000万美元现金。
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I guess maybe Epstein was better with taxes than I had thought… As of March this year, the estate reported assets of $131 million, including $50 million dollars in cash.
然而,这个数字并未反映爱泼斯坦在彼得·蒂尔的金融科技基金中的当前投资价值——该投资以其成本基础(Cost Basis: 资产的原始价值,用于计算资本利得或损失)记录,并因风险投资限制而仍被锁定。
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This figure, however, doesn’t reflect the current value of Epstein’s investment in Peter Thiel’s fintech fund—which is being recorded at its cost basis and remains locked up due to venture capital restrictions.
仅这项投资估计就价值1.7亿美元,使其成为遗产中最大的剩余资产。
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That investment alone is estimated to be worth $170 million, making it the estate’s largest remaining asset.
针对遗产的一项主要联邦民事诉讼仍在审理中,该诉讼代表尚未与遗产和解的受害者提起。
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One major federal civil lawsuit against the estate remains pending, filed on behalf of victims who haven’t yet settled with the estate.
一旦解决,任何剩余资金将根据爱泼斯坦遗嘱的条款进行分配——这些条款仍密封在1953信托中。
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Once resolved, any remaining funds will be distributed according to the terms of Epstein’s will—terms that remain sealed within the 1953 Trust.
未解之谜与持续的阴谋论
杰弗里·爱泼斯坦财富的真正来源,在他死后和生前一样,都笼罩在秘密之中。
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The true source of Jeffrey Epstein’s wealth is as shrouded in secrecy in death as it was in life.
尽管经过多年的调查、诉讼和媒体审查,支撑他生活方式的金融机制仍然大部分未被解释——隐藏在法律协议、秘密信托和强大的伙伴网络背后。
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Despite years of investigations, lawsuits, and media scrutiny, the financial machinery that powered his lifestyle remains largely unaccounted for—hidden behind legal agreements, secretive trusts, and a network of powerful associates.
最近关于唐纳德·特朗普可能赦免吉斯莱恩·麦克斯韦尔(Ghislaine Maxwell)的传闻,只会火上浇油,暗示围绕杰弗里·爱泼斯坦的丑闻远未结束。
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The recent rumors that Donald Trump might pardon Ghislaine Maxwell have only added fuel to the fire, suggesting that the scandals surrounding Jeffrey Epstein are far from exhausted.
随着关键人物仍保持沉默,文件仍被封存,以及每天都有新的头条新闻出现,围绕爱泼斯坦的阴谋论不太可能消退。
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With key figures still staying silent, documents still sealed, and new headlines emerging every day, the conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein are unlikely to fade.
如果说有什么不同的话,那就是它们很可能已成为整个丑闻的永久特征——填补了未解问题和机构失灵留下的空白。
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If anything, they have likely become a permanent feature of the overall scandal—filling the void left by unanswered questions and institutional failures.
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Sometimes it can be difficult to find time to learn new things, but today's sponsor, brilliant.org, makes it easy to learn with quick, fun lessons that you can do anywhere right on your phone.
Brilliant是一款互动学习应用程序,旨在帮助你不仅学习,而且真正理解复杂的课题。
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Brilliant is an interactive learning app designed to help you not just learn, but really understand complex topics.
他们有数千个课程,所以你可以随心所欲地追随你的好奇心。
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They have thousands of lessons so you can follow your curiosity wherever it leads you.
你通过亲自动手尝试来学习,这比仅仅听讲座有效得多。
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You learn by trying things out for yourself, which is much more effective than just watching a lecture.
通过数学、编程、科学、人工智能、数据等领域的互动课程,每天锻炼你的思维。
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Give your mind a daily workout with interactive courses in math, programming, science, AI, data, and more.
你将通过一次又一次的实践课程,成为一个更好的思考者和问题解决者。
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You'll become a better thinker and problem solver, one hands-on lesson at a time.
无论你是学习将你的想法转化为代码,构建公式,设计电路,用数据运行模拟,还是探索人工智能等前沿课题。
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要免费试用Brilliant提供的所有内容30天,请访问brilliant.org/patrick或扫描屏幕上的二维码,或者点击描述中的链接。
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To try everything Brilliant has to offer free for a full 30 days, visit brilliant.org/patrick or scan the QR code on screen or you can click on the link in the description.
你还将获得年度高级订阅20%的折扣。
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📌 文中提及的人物和组织
人物: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, Dan Bongino, Kash Patel, Alexander Acosta, Alan Dershowitz, Leon Black, Howard Lutnick, Peter Thiel, Ghislaine Maxwell, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Tucker Carlson
公司/组织: Bear Stearns, Department of Justice, FBI, Apollo Global Management, JPMorgan Chase, IRS
媒体/书籍: Bloomberg, FT, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, CNN, Rolling Stone, Vox, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine