Leaked files expose Jeffrey Epstein’s disturbing grip on a media titan
Life notes from a sex offender.
Recently released files from the Department of Justice reveal that Jeffrey Epstein pushed media and real estate mogul Mortimer Zuckerman to give up control of his financial affairs, citing “potentially dangerous” cognitive impairment. While Epstein and Zuckerman’s business relationship has been known for over 20 years, these new documents paint a picture of Epstein as a twisted confidant, privy to some truly intimate details of the billionaire’s personal life.
According to Al Jazeera, in October 2015, following a meeting with Zuckerman and Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen, Epstein sent an email strongly urging the then-88-year-old Canadian-American tycoon to enter a guardianship or conservatorship for his own protection. Epstein told Zuckerman that he and other friends were “very concerned that your cognitive impairment has now reached a serious and potentially dangerous level.”
He even warned of “serious concern for your financail, emotional physical and psychological safety.” Epstein further suggested that Zuckerman grant authority to manage his affairs to Rod-Larsen, Zuckerman’s nephews, or “anyone else you trust.”
Epstein’s influence on so many A-list names should be a case study in itself
He wrote that Zuckerman’s “remarkable abilities” were no longer enough to protect him from a “future predictable decline” that would be an “ever increasing danger.” Epstein, with his usual lack of empathy, even acknowledged Zuckerman’s condition might make him “prone to suspicion,” but insisted admitting the problem would “take courage and determination.”
What’s really striking is Zuckerman’s initial response. He seemed to take Epstein’s advice quite seriously, thanking him for his “thoughtfulness and friendship” and even asking for recommendations for a lawyer with “experience in such matters.”
Zuckerman, who used to own The Atlantic and the New York Daily News, suggested they meet after an upcoming trip to San Francisco. Epstein, however, advised him to cancel the trip, stating that Zuckerman had mentioned his travel plans four separate times and likely didn’t remember each instance.
Epstein’s persistence was intense. He wrote, “MORT, you need a Guardian. you should choose one now, while your judgment peeks through the haze. waiting too long. will mean most likely a court imposed solution. NOT FUN.”
He also reached out to Zuckerman’s nephew, Eric Gertler, who is currently the executive chairman of US News & World Report. Epstein advised Gertler to oversee the sale of Zuckerman’s stocks, art collection, helicopter, and plane, stating, “my expertise is the financial . take any other suggestion as merely transmitting from others skilled in this terrible situation.”
It’s not entirely clear if Zuckerman actually followed Epstein’s specific advice to hand over control of his affairs. However, about six months after this correspondence, Zuckerman did step down as chairman of Boston Properties, one of the largest real estate investment trusts in the US, a company he cofounded in 1970. Interestingly, he didn’t cite any health concerns at the time, maintaining the title of chairman emeritus.
The relationship between Zuckerman and Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, wasn’t a secret. Their ties occasionally made headlines in the early 2000s, even before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
In 2003, Zuckerman partnered with Epstein and other prominent figures, including disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, in an unsuccessful bid to acquire New York Magazine. The following year, they teamed up again, investing $25 million in the short-lived relaunch of Radar, an entertainment and gossip magazine.
Beyond these joint ventures, previously released investigative files from the US Department of Justice in January showed that Epstein viewed Zuckerman as more than just a business partner; he was also a client and close associate. In 2013, for example, Epstein drew up a $21 million proposal to provide Zuckerman with “analysing, evaluating, planning and other services” related to the passing on of his estate. It’s unclear whether Zuckerman accepted this proposal or hired Epstein for estate management.
Epstein even tried to influence coverage of his alleged sexual abuse of girls in the New York Daily News in 2009, suggesting a “proposed answer” to questions from the newspaper while Zuckerman owned it. As more Epstein files become public, the depth of his manipulative influence appears to be almost criminal in and of itself.
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