(Ken Silva, Headline USA) After keepings its head in the sand for years, Congress is finally investigating matters related to millionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
Wyden revealed the ongoing investigation Tuesday when he released an open letter to former Apollo Global CEO and billionaire Leon Black, who paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017 for his advice on several tax and estate planning matters. Black has also been in the headlines in recent days for other Epstein-related matters, with someone suing him Tuesday for allegedly raping an autistic teenager at Epstein’s townhouse.
Wyden’s letter suggested that his 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.
“As you are aware, the Committee is investigating the $158 million in payments you made to Epstein for services related to a variety of tax and estate planning matters,” Wyden told Black in the letter.
“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.”
Wyden revealed that his investigation has been ongoing since June 2022.
Thus far, the investigation has found that Epstein helped 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.
Black has until Sept. 23 to respond to Wyden’s letter.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
