Epstein allegedly attempted to purchase Moroccan palace in months leading up to death

US Federal Charges Loomed for Epstein, Newly Released Documents Reveal Offshore Structuring and Rejected Bank Transfers

A recently released batch of US Department of Justice documents has shed new light on the financial dealings of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the months leading up to his arrest. The documents show that Epstein had been negotiating to acquire a Moroccan palace through a layered offshore structure spanning the British Virgin Islands and Liechtenstein.

In July 2019, a wire transfer request bearing Epstein’s signature was submitted to purchase the property, which spans 4.6 hectares and features 60 marble fountains. However, two days later, Epstein was arrested at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

The documents reveal that financial institutions handling Epstein’s money began to tighten their grip as scrutiny intensified and details of his life and crimes became public. Banks rejected wire transfers tied to his accounts, and compliance teams escalated internal reviews. The records suggest that tens of millions of dollars were sent abroad and then pulled back.

Epstein had a history of using complex financial systems to navigate the global economy. In 2008, he pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting a minor for prostitution and served 13 months in jail under a plea agreement that shielded him from federal prosecution.

The documents also show that Morocco was part of Epstein’s international network long before the palace negotiations of 2019. Emails examined by French broadcaster France Televisions revealed that a Swedish national working for Epstein had sent him photographs of young women in Marrakesh as early as July 2002.

In February 2019, five months before his arrest, negotiations were underway for the purchase of Bin Ennakhil palace through a British Virgin Islands trust. The proposed buyer was identified as “The Haze Trust,” and the price under discussion was about 25 million euros ($29.5m).

Source: Al Jazeera