(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., shocked onlookers Thursday, when she announced that she’s filed a subpoena for the flight records from deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane.
“Since we’re in the business of issuing subpoenas now, here’s a few more I’ve filed: A subpoena to Jeffrey Epstein’s estate to provide the flight logs for his private plane,” Blackburn said during a congressional hearing.
“Given the numerous allegations of human trafficking and sexual abuse surrounding Mr. Epstein, I think it is very important we identify everybody that was on that plane, and how many trips they took on that plane, and the destinations to which they arrived.”
If she is true to her word, Blackburn’s move would be perhaps the most significant move by Congress to investigate Epstein’s ties to the various political elite.
The Senate Finance Committee revealed an ongoing investigation into Epstein earlier this year. However, that investigation is concentrated on tax evasion, rather than Epstein’s intelligence connections, his friendship with multiple U.S. presidents and other high officials, his sex crimes, his mysterious death or other Epstein-related topics.
“In particular, the Committee seeks information on Epstein’s participation in structuring trusts and other complex transactions designed to avoid federal gift and estate taxes on as much as $2 billion in wealth transferred to your children,” Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a letter.
Wyden revealed that his investigation has been ongoing since June 2022.
Thus far, the investigation has found that Epstein helped billionaire Leon Black avoid more than $1 billion in federal taxes, Wyden said.
The senator also revealed that the IRS has not audited any of Black’s trusts or transactions that are subject to the congressional probe.
And according to Wyden, Black has not been cooperative in the probe.
“You have refused to answer questions or provide documents related to payments you made to Epstein or substantiate how such payments were calculated or were compensation for services,” the senator said.
“Your failure to substantiate Epstein’s compensation scheme has heightened the Committee’s concerns about whether such payments were properly characterized as income or gifts for tax purposes.”
Wyden asked Black to provide him with information on a number of Epstein- and Apollo-related topics. Wyden seeks, among other things, a copy of a “written service agreement” between Epstein and Black, as well as information about Epstein’s financial advice related to Black’s private art collection, which is worth over $1 billion.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
