JE donated to multiple universities, often for science buildings. The pattern:
**Confirmed donations:**
- Harvard: $6.5M (Program for Evolutionary Dynamics)
- MIT: Multiple donations, total unclear
- Others: Various smaller amounts
**What happened after 2008:**
- Many institutions returned money or renamed buildings
- Harvard kept some, returned some
- MIT investigation found management failures
**Why this matters:**
These donations bought access and respectability. They're documented in tax filings and university records.
The HOC November release includes correspondence about these donations. Document batch: HOC-2025-EDU-001.
Showing how the money created legitimacy is important context.
The Wexner connection is well-documented but often misunderstood.
**Documented facts:**
- JE managed Wexner's finances from late 1980s
- Power of attorney granted (unprecedented access)
- NYC townhouse originally Wexner property
- Relationship ended 2007 (per Wexner)
**Financial documents show:**
- Transfers between Wexner entities and JE companies
- Real estate transactions at below-market rates
- Limited Brands connection unclear
**Wexner's statements:**
- Said he was "never aware" of JE's crimes
- Claimed JE "misappropriated" funds
- Never sued JE for alleged theft
The financial relationship documents are in HOC-2025-FIN batch.
This is one of the biggest unanswered questions.
**Official story:**
- Money manager for wealthy clients
- Founded J. Epstein & Co.
- Claimed billionaire status
**Problems with this:**
- No public client list
- No audited financial statements
- Wexner only confirmed client
- Trading records don't support claimed wealth
**Theories (varying evidence levels):**
1. Wexner money (some documentation)
2. Blackmail income (speculative)
3. Intelligence funding (speculative)
4. Other wealthy individuals (some names in documents)
The financial picture is genuinely unclear. I've been trying to trace the money for months.
