(AP)
Newly released Department of Justice files reveal that Jeffrey Epstein used the Hamptons as a primary hub for his “grooming” operations. The documents allege that Epstein routinely flew young women to the exclusive enclave for “girls’ weekends,” using a network of wealthy local contacts and luxury parties to build trust and facilitate exploitation.The documents include emails suggesting Epstein coordinated travel, parties and weekend stays in the Hamptons through well-connected acquaintances. An FBI document from 2020 cited in the files said a tipster claimed Epstein had close ties in the area who would “procure underage girls for him.”Epstein’s Hamptons circle also included Mark Baker, a nightclub owner and promoter in the Hamptons and New York City who appears roughly 50 times in the documents. In a 2010 email introducing Baker to Epstein, a redacted correspondent wrote that Baker wanted Epstein to organize weekly parties in his clubs in New York and the Hamptons “strictly for beautiful Russian girls,” adding, “I think it will be a great way to find new friends.”Later emails show Baker arranging in-person meetings with Epstein after that introduction. According to his website, Baker now lives in Bali, Indonesia. Some emails directly addressed to Epstein referenced unspecified partying in the Hamptons without indicating illegal conduct. In one May 2016 message that included a photo of girls eating on a sidewalk in Montauk, a redacted sender wrote: “We’ve got for us pink t-shirts and it says on it ‘girls weekend.’ Thank you so much Jeffrey for our happiest time.”The emails also show Epstein coordinating arrangements with Hamptons contacts, including millionaire restaurateur Stephen Hanson. In a 2017 exchange, Hanson agreed to let women — who did not appear to be underage — stay at his Hamptons property for a weekend. Hanson, about 66 at the time and mentioned nearly 3,000 times in the files, is not accused of wrongdoing in the correspondence.Other threads show Hanson discussing making “jerky,” inviting the women to his Hamptons restaurant, and asking Epstein if any of them would join him at an opera after he “blew off” his wife. The files also indicate Hanson had previously visited Little St. James, Epstein’s private island.
