Did Jeffrey Epstein Purchase A Palace In Morocco A Day Before His Arrest In 2019? Here's What DOJ Files Show

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who died in August 2019, reportedly by suicide in his prison cell, while awaiting trial, tried to buy a multimillion-dollar property in Morocco, a day before his arrest, the BBC reported.

According to the last tranche of documents released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on 30 January, Epstein tried to acquire Bin Ennakhil since 2011; however, disagreements with the seller over the valuation and structure of the deal dragged on for several years.

Bin Ennakhil is described as a grand palace, built in the luxury Palmeraei neighbourhood of Marrakech. Widely regarded as an architectural showpiece, the palace was constructed by roughly 1,300 artisans and showcased intricate carvings and detailed mosaic work.

Just a day before his arrest on 6 July 2019, the disgraced financier signed a $14.95 million wire transfer, following an agreement to buy the offshore company that owned Bin Ennakhil for 18 million euros.

The released documents suggest that the wire transfer on 5 July 2019 was his last major financial transaction before he was arrested by the US authorities on charges of sex trafficking after he returned to New York. However, three days after Epstein was arrested, his accountant, Richard Kahn, cancelled the wire transfer, following which the purchase was never made.

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Reports suggest that Morocco had no extradition treaty with the United States, which gave rise to speculations that one of his motivations to buy the property was to retreat to the country to avoid arrest if new charges were levelled against him.

The BBC report, citing a former Epstein associate, claimed that the convicted sex offender "had no clue" about his arrest, since he made the transaction a day before. The associate further said, "It would make sense if he was thinking of a potential sanctuary where he could still live like a king".

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Reports suggest that Epstein's connection to Morocco goes back to the early 2000s. In her memoir, Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most prominent accusers, recounted that he and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, flew Giuffre to Tangier to look over the interior design of multiple luxury properties. At the time, the financier had been considering incorporating Moroccan-inspired elements into renovations at his private island estate.

In 2002, Epstein, along with Maxwell, attended Moroccan King Mohammed's wedding, reportedly after they were invited by former US President Bill Clinton.

Epstein, who was arrested in 2008 on charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution, was later released from house arrest in 2010, following which, his interest in Morocco reportedly grew. In the same year, Epstein asked the UK's former Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson to find him an assistant who could help him find a house in Marrakesh.

The records further indicate that from 2012 onward, the convicted sex offender made regular trips to Morocco, often staying in the Palmeraie district, an affluent enclave popular with expatriates. Among those in his circle, there was Jabor Al Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family whom he reportedly referred to as his“Arab brother.”

Epstein's obsession with Bin Ennakhil

The BBC report suggests that Epstein relied on his longtime girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, to lead the search for a property in Marrakech, with numerous visits and negotiations recorded in emails sent under her name.

Epstein believed that the property, which was owned by German waste magnate Gunter Kiss, was reportedly overvalued at 55 million euros, and the former made an offer, which offended Kiss, so that he refused to deal with Epstein again.

Subsequently, Epstein relied on his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, and his network of contacts in Morocco to carry out further inspections of the property. In 2018, he visited the site himself, after which Shuliak submitted final bids while allegedly claiming she was acting on behalf of Leon Black, a billionaire investor and longtime associate of Epstein.

The DOJ documents reveal that Kensington Luxury Properties suggest Epstein a "sale and tax strategy" in which case the palace would be registered with the Moroccan officials as sold for 10 million euros, while a transaction of 20 million euros would take place for the shares of an offshore company that owned Bin Ennakhil.

Ultimately, Epstein opted to acquire the property by purchasing the shares of the offshore company that owned it. At the time of his 2019 arrest, he was still considering how the asset would be formally registered in Morocco.

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