Jeffrey Epstein’s Safe Had ‘Piles of Cash’ and a Fake Passport, Prosecutors Say – The New York Times

Last week Mr. Epstein proposed in court papers that he be allowed to remain under house arrest in his $56 million mansion on the Upper East Side, promising he would pay for 24-hour security guards who would ensure he did not flee.

His attorneys said in court that Mr. Epstein has been law-abiding for more than a decade; he had pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges in Florida and served 13 months in jail.

“He didn’t re-engage in this activity,” one of his lawyers, Martin G. Weinberg, told the judge on Monday, adding, “It’s not like he’s an out-of-control rapist.”

Mr. Epstein’s lawyers have said that their client’s release is critical to his ability to help in the preparation of his defense in a case the government has said involves a voluminous number of documents and other evidence.

But Judge Berman pointed to the many less wealthy defendants jailed at Rikers Island awaiting trial on state charges, noting those defendants also had a need to consult with their lawyers.

“What are we going to tell all those people who can’t make a $500 or $1,000 bail?” the judge said.

Echoing the judge’s comments, Mr. Rossmiller argued Mr. Epstein was seeking special treatment to build his own private jail — a “gilded cage”— surrounded by armed guards and security cameras.

“A person who needs those conditions should be detained,” he said.

In seeking Mr. Epstein’s detention, prosecutors had argued in court papers that he could use his fortune, which they estimated to be more than $500 million, to help flee.