Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jeffrey Epstein
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jeffrey Epstein made an impact.
Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender. He began his career in education before transitioning to finance, eventually starting his own firm. Epstein cultivated a network of powerful individuals and was accused of sexually abusing numerous underage girls and women. His crimes led to investigations, charges, and ultimately, his death by suicide in jail while awaiting trial.
September 1974: Started Teaching at Dalton School
In September 1974, Jeffrey Epstein started working as a physics and mathematics teacher for teens at the Dalton School in Manhattan.
June 1976: Epstein Dismissed from Dalton School
In June 1976, Jeffrey Epstein was dismissed from Dalton School for "poor performance" and was subsequently offered a job at Bear Stearns by Alan Greenberg.
1976: Joined Bear Stearns
In 1976, Jeffrey Epstein joined Bear Stearns as a low-level junior assistant to a floor trader.
1976: Dismissal from Dalton School
In 1976, Jeffrey Epstein was dismissed from the Dalton School where he had been teaching despite not having a college degree, and subsequently began working at Bear Stearns.
1980: Became Limited Partner at Bear Stearns
In 1980, four years after joining Bear Stearns, Jeffrey Epstein became a limited partner at the firm.
August 1981: Founded Intercontinental Assets Group Inc.
In August 1981, Jeffrey Epstein founded his own consulting firm, Intercontinental Assets Group Inc. (IAG), which assisted clients in recovering stolen money from fraudulent brokers and lawyers.
1981: Asked to Leave Bear Stearns
In 1981, Jeffrey Epstein was asked to leave Bear Stearns for a "Reg D violation".
1982: Assisted Ana Obregón
In 1982, Jeffrey Epstein helped Spanish actress and heiress Ana Obregón to recover her father's millions in lost investments.
1986: Met Leslie Wexner
In 1986, Jeffrey Epstein met Leslie Wexner through mutual acquaintances in Palm Beach.
1987: Hired by Steven Hoffenberg
In 1987, Steven Hoffenberg hired Jeffrey Epstein as a consultant for Towers Financial Corporation.
1987: Offices Set Up
In 1987, Steven Hoffenberg set up offices for Epstein in the Villard House at 457 Madison Avenue.
1987: Attempted Takeover of Pan American World Airways
In 1987, one of Jeffrey Epstein's first assignments for Hoffenberg was to implement an unsuccessful bid to take over Pan American World Airways.
1988: Founded J. Epstein & Company
In 1988, Jeffrey Epstein founded his financial management firm, J. Epstein & Company.
1988: Attempted Takeover of Emery Air Freight Corp.
In 1988, an unsuccessful bid was made to take over Emery Air Freight Corp while Jeffrey Epstein was working with Hoffenberg.
1989: Epstein Left Towers Financial
By 1989, Jeffrey Epstein had left Towers Financial Corporation.
1989: Democratic Party Donations Start
From 1989 until 2003, Epstein donated more than $139,000 to U.S. Democratic Party federal candidates and committees.
July 1991: Wexner Granted Epstein Power of Attorney
In July 1991, Leslie Wexner granted Jeffrey Epstein full power of attorney over his affairs.
1991: Pledge for Hillel Building
In 1991, Epstein was one of four donors who pledged to raise US$2 million for a Hillel student building at Harvard University.
1993: Towers Financial Corporation Imploded
In 1993, Towers Financial Corporation imploded when it was exposed as one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in American history.
1995: Director of Wexner Foundations
By 1995, Jeffrey Epstein was a director of the Wexner Foundation and Wexner Heritage Foundation.
1995: Epstein Renames Company to Ghislaine Corporation
In 1995, Jeffrey Epstein renamed one of his companies the Ghislaine Corporation in Palm Beach, Florida. The company was dissolved in 1998.
1996: Relocated Firm to St. Thomas
In 1996, Jeffrey Epstein changed the name of his firm to the Financial Trust Company and based it on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands for tax advantages.
February 1997: Epstein Becomes Client of Appleby
In February 1997, Jeffrey Epstein became a client of Appleby, a Bermuda-based law firm specializing in offshore companies and investment vehicles for the ultra-wealthy. His client profile described his job as "Manager of Fortune".
1998: Charitable Donations
Between 1998 and 2018, Epstein donated $30 million through three private charities.
1998: Dissolution of Ghislaine Corporation
In 1998, Ghislaine Corporation, a company that Jeffrey Epstein renamed in 1995, was dissolved.
1998: Towers Financial Company Founded
In 1998, a Towers Financial Company was founded (unaffiliated with the company of the same name that Epstein consulted for.)
2000: President of Liquid Funding Ltd.
Between 2000 and 2007, Jeffrey Epstein was the president of the company Liquid Funding Ltd.
2000: Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation Established
In 2000, Epstein established the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, which funds science research and education.
2002: Epstein invests in D.B. Zwirn Special Opportunities Fund
In 2002, Jeffrey Epstein invested $80 million in the D.B. Zwirn Special Opportunities Fund, a hedge fund that invested in illiquid debt securities.
May 2003: Donation to Harvard
In May 2003, Epstein pledged US$30 million to create a mathematical biology and evolutionary dynamics program at Harvard.
2003: Office Use Until
Epstein used the offices in the Villard House at 457 Madison Avenue until at least 2003.
2003: Democratic Party Donations End
From 1989 until 2003, Epstein donated more than $139,000 to U.S. Democratic Party federal candidates and committees.
2003: Bid to Acquire New York Magazine
In 2003, Jeffrey Epstein bid to acquire New York magazine, but Bruce Wasserstein ultimately bought it.
2004: Financed Radar Magazine
In 2004, Jeffrey Epstein and Mortimer Zuckerman committed up to US$25 million to finance Radar, a celebrity and pop culture magazine.
2005: Epstein's investment increases
By 2005, Epstein's initial $80 million investment in the D.B. Zwirn Special Opportunities Fund had grown to $140 million.
August 2006: Epstein Invests in Bear Stearns Hedge Fund
In August 2006, a month after the federal investigation of him began, Jeffrey Epstein invested $57 million in the Bear Stearns High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage hedge fund.
November 2006: Epstein Attempts to Redeem Investment
In November 2006, Jeffrey Epstein attempted to redeem his $140 million investment in the D.B. Zwirn Special Opportunities Fund after being informed of accounting irregularities.
2006: Donation to Bill Richardson's Campaign
In 2006, Epstein contributed $50,000 to Democrat Bill Richardson's successful campaign for Governor of New Mexico
2006: Donation to Clinton Foundation
In 2006, Epstein donated $25,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
April 18, 2007: Investor Discusses Redeeming Investment in Bear Stearns Fund
On April 18, 2007, an investor in the fund, who had $57 million invested, discussed redeeming his investment. At this time, the fund had a leverage ratio of 17:1, which meant for every dollar invested there were seventeen dollars of borrowed funds
2007: President of Liquid Funding Ltd.
Between 2000 and 2007, Jeffrey Epstein was the president of the company Liquid Funding Ltd.
2007: Financial Crisis of 2007-2008
In 2007, The implosion of complex securities, because of their inaccurate ratings, set in motion the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the subsequent Great Recession.
March 2008: Collapse of Bear Stearns
In March 2008, Bear Stearns collapsed; this occurred after the repricing of CDO assets due to redemption requests in April 2007 led to the collapse of the fund in July, and the eventual collapse of Bear Stearns.
March 2008: Bear Stearns Collapse
In March 2008, the collapse of Bear Stearns occurred, partly due to the implosion of complex securities with inaccurate ratings. Liquid Funding was initially 40 percent owned by Bear Stearns.
April 2008: Epstein meets with scientists in Israel
In April 2008, Jeffrey Epstein visited Israel and met with research scientists and visited Israeli military bases.
2008: Bear Stearns Collapse
In 2008, Bear Stearns collapsed; Epstein remained a client of the firm until its collapse.
2008: D.B. Zwirn fund closes
In 2008, the D.B. Zwirn fund closed, and its remaining assets of approximately $2 billion, including Epstein's investment, were transferred to Fortress Investment Group.
2009: Assets transferred to Fortress Investment Group
In 2009, Fortress Investment Group bought the assets of the closed D.B. Zwirn fund, including Epstein's investment, and Epstein later went to arbitration with Fortress over his redemption attempt.
2014: Donation to Gary King's Campaign
In 2014, Epstein contributed $35,000 to Gary King's unsuccessful campaign for Governor
2014: Towers Financial Acquired by Old National Bancorp
In 2014, Towers Financial was acquired by Old National Bancorp.
2015: Epstein invests in Reporty Homeland Security
In 2015, Jeffrey Epstein invested in the startup Reporty Homeland Security, which was later rebranded as Carbyne in 2018. The startup was connected with Israel's defense industry.
2018: Charitable Donations
Between 1998 and 2018, Epstein donated $30 million through three private charities.
2018: Reporty Homeland Security rebranded as Carbyne
In 2018, Reporty Homeland Security, in which Epstein invested in 2015, was rebranded as Carbyne.
July 19, 2019: Acosta Resigns as Secretary of Labor
On July 19, 2019, following Jeffrey Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Acosta resigned from his position as Secretary of Labor.
2024: Equivalent Salary in 2024
In 1987, Jeffrey Epstein made US$25,000 per month for his consulting work, the equivalent of $69,000 in 2024.
