Disturbing Details About Harvey Weinstein And Jeffrey Epstein's Relationship
Sex offenders Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein both lived lives of luxury before meeting their respective fates. Epstein, a wealthy financier, died by reported suicide as he awaited trial for charges of sex trafficking at New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center (via The New York Times). Meanwhile, Weinstein, formerly a respected Hollywood producer, is serving a 23-year prison sentence at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles (per CBC).
Before their comeuppances, the mention of Weinstein conjured images of respected films and actors, while Epstein — albeit less in the public eye — had ties to rich and powerful figures like Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Prince Andrew, as well as institutions like Harvard University (via The Washington Post). The pair amassed wealth and connections as they committed disturbing acts of sexual assault behind the facade that they worked years to create. They were also friends who appeared to use their connections and status to help each other commit their crimes — at least, for a time.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
'Ego, power, and cachet'
As reported by New York Magazine, both Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein were part of a group of investors that was looking to purchase the outlet in 2003. Among the other people in the group were billionaire Nelson Peltz, businessman Donny Deutsch, and U.S. News & World Report owner Mortimer Zuckerman (via The New York Times). Ultimately, the group bid $44 million for the publication to Primedia Inc. but was outbid by investment banker Bruce Wasserstein.
Why get into media? According to The New York Times, the group was motivated by "ego, power, and cachet." While Weinstein had enough Hollywood influence at the time, Business Insider said Epstein "tried to establish himself as a media mogul." The outlet noted that after the failed New York Magazine bid, he and Zuckerman invested $25 million into Radar Magazine. The outlet was ultimately sold to American Media Inc. in 2008 when it stopped publishing in print amid struggles to stay afloat.
Their exact motivations are unclear. Nevertheless, the media disintegration of figures like Prince Andrew — who settled a sexual abuse lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims who Andrew was accused of raping — shows what such charges can do to the carefully crafted public images of influential people.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
They were friends amid Epstein's 2006 arrest warrant
As reported by the New York Post, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein attended a royal party thrown by Prince Andrew. In a photo from the event, they are pictured together with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend, who is currently behind bars for her role in his alleged sex trafficking. The outlet notes that the photo was taken amid an arrest warrant for Epstein in Florida for unlawful sex with a minor. Per Refinery29, he pleaded guilty to solicitation of a sex worker and made a deal with Miami's top prosecutor to get just three months in a low-security prison. The final charges never mentioned the victim's age.
Weinstein himself was engaged in criminal sexual conduct the same year. Per the BBC, Mimi Haley, a former production worker, accused him of forcing her to perform oral sex on him in 2006. She testified against Weinstein in the trial that found him guilty of one count of a first-degree criminal sexual act against Haley (as well as one count of third-degree rape against Jessica Mann) and ultimately put him behind bars (per NBC News).
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Epstein reportedly introduced women to Weinstein
Jeffrey Epstein introduced young women to Harvey Weinstein, a Daily Beast report says. According to the outlet, Epstein recruited Chauntae Davies into his alleged sex trafficking ring in 2001 when she was 21 years old. Years later, he introduced her to Weinstein. The movie mogul reportedly got her a small role in the 2005 horror "Feast."
As for Epstein, the Daily Beast claims that he used his connection to Weinstein to impress young women. It's unclear how long this apparently mutually beneficial relationship went on for, but the outlet says that one of Epstein's first victims, Maria Farmer, says that she heard Ghislaine Maxwell — who she said raped her along with Epstein — speaking of a film executive named "Harvey." When Farmer pressed Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker allegedly confirmed that she was speaking of Harvey Weinstein. Farmer also said she bragged about knowing Weinstein's brother, Bob.
New York publicist R. Couri Hay said (per the Daily Beast), "From my point of view, I can tell you that Ghislaine and Epstein viewed Hollywood and the movies as a way into power society." She added: "It wouldn't surprise me if Weinstein and Epstein felt a kinship through their immoral character traits and that they had some immediate symbiotic relationship because of their evil ways."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
They were mutual friends with alleged sexual harasser Charlie Rose
Both Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein were friends with former talk show host Charlie Rose, who was accused of sexually harassing eight women from the late 1990s to as early as 2011 (per The Washington Post). According to the Daily Beast, Epstein phoned Rose in 2005 and 2006 with the intention of meeting to share the phone numbers of women the talk show host was eyeing to employ. When Rose's written call logs surfaced in 2019 (per New York Magazine), none other than Epstein's name was present, along with notes from their reported meetings to discuss potential female employees. One entry describes the "world's most perfect assistant" who used to work for none other than Harvey Weinstein.
Epstein allegedly recommended five women and provided their phone numbers. According to New York Magazine, Rose hired three, though one of his representatives said he was unaware of the accused sex traffickers abuse until he pleaded guilty to soliciting a sex worker in 2006 (prior to his arrest, police began investigating Epstein for sex trafficking accusations in 2005, per the Associated Press). "I was being offered up for abuse," said one woman who was recommended by Epstein and ended up working for Rose.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Weinstein allegedly abused an Epstein victim
In his book "Relentless Pursuit," Bradley Edwards, one of the lawyers who helped put Jeffrey Epstein behind bars, described a disturbing story about Weinstein and Epstein's reported sexual abuse (via The Sun). Edwards pointed to a conversation with Jean-Luc Brunel, an Epstein associate accused of helping him run an underage sex trafficking ring (per the Daily Beast). Brunel reportedly described a scene where Weinstein was receiving a massage from one of Epstein's "girls."
"He attempted to aggressively convert the massage into something sexual," Edwards said. "The girl rejected his advances. As the story goes, Harvey then verbally abused her for rejecting him. Little did Harvey know, this was one of Epstein's favorite girls at the time and Jeffrey viewed the aggressive mistreatment as disrespectful to him."
Epstein allegedly kicked Weinstein out of the house, "delivering the message that he was never to come back." That was apparently the end of their relationship.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).