Recently disclosed investigative records contain an account from a former Florida police official regarding a 2006 conversation. According to the report, a prominent businessman expressed gratitude to law enforcement for intervening in the activities of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was later convicted on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors.
The documents state that the businessman informed the police official that he had asked Epstein to leave a private club he owned. He reportedly commended the police department’s efforts, adding that Epstein’s behavior was widely known to be reprehensible among certain social circles in New York. The report further quotes the businessman as characterizing one of Epstein’s associates as “evil” and advising investigators to focus their attention on her.
An additional section of the report notes the businessman’s claim that he once departed a social gathering upon noticing the presence of teenagers with Epstein.
These statements, recorded in an FBI document, contrast with public compliments the same individual paid to Epstein in a 2002 magazine interview, where he described him as a “terrific guy” and “a lot of fun to be with.”
While the businessman has stated publicly that he distanced himself from Epstein in the mid-2000s, other records included in the release show an email from Epstein in 2016 referencing plans to meet with associates of the businessman in Florida. The businessman has previously attributed the end of their association to a dispute over hired staff.
The newly public files are part of a broader collection of materials related to the Epstein investigation. The individual named in the report has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with the Epstein case.