Latest news with #FilthyRich
Forbes
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Netflix's Old ‘Jeffrey Epstein' Series Is Surging Due To ‘Epstein List' Release Demands
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich Usually, if a Netflix original series is surging in popularity with no new season added to the service, something is up. And that's certainly the case with Netflix's Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, a five-year-old documentary that has now landed in the Top 10 list on the service, currently at #9. The reason, of course, is that every day the Epstein files and the supposed list they're meant to contain are in the news, as there are demands for President Donald Trump to release information that conservatives specifically have been demanding to see for years. This has resulted in a slew of conflicting statements from the Trump administration and deep dives as to what's potentially in the files from outlets like the Wall Street Journal. The latest development is the Trump administration meeting with imprisoned Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, though the results of those conversations have not been made public yet. The point being, interest in Epstein and his crimes has been growing more than usual, hence the surfacing of the 2020 documentary, which aired not long after he died in custody in 2019. The series was a four-part documentary about the man with hour-long episodes each, rather substantive for a Netflix docuseries, which are often closer to two hours. Here's the synopsis: It's a way to focus on Epstein in his crimes, but if viewers are looking for some sort of answers about the files or his list, that's not going to be in the cards here. And Donald Trump is not featured either. A protester holds a sign outside the White House demanding the release to all files related to ... More Jeffrey Epstein in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2025.(Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP) Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich is not the only Epstein documentary. There is Surviving Jeffrey Epstein, first on Lifetime, then available on Hulu and Amazon Prime, and Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein? on Hulu only. Both of those were released in 2020. I would be a bit surprised if more docuseries did not emerge when the events currently unfolding settle, given all the new developments and information that have emerged (or rather, what surprisingly has not yet emerged). The Netflix documentary was well-received with an 81% critic score. Audience scores were a bit lower with a 67%, with some wanting answers they did not find over the course of the four hours. We'll see if it manages to stay on Netflix's top 10 list as more developments emerge from the story. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Cosmopolitan
15-07-2025
- Cosmopolitan
What is Jeffrey Epstein's net worth – and what happened to all his money?
The name Jeffrey Epstein is one that has become synonymous with a string of heartbreaking crimes: the former teacher and financier, who was found dead in a jail cell in August 2019 following an apparent suicide, was a known sex offender with numerous victims. Later, Epstein would go on to become a multi-millionaire with a flashy inner circle, including the likes of Donald Trump and Prince Andrew, and was accused of running a sex trafficking ring to live out his sordid fantasies with vulnerable young girls (something President Trump has emphatically denied knowledge of). In 2008, Epstein was given an 18-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to soliciting sex from girls as young as 14, but this turned out to be the tip of the iceberg. Given his links to big names and the subsequent allegations that he ran a sophisticated sex trafficking ring, there has been major public interest in the life and wealth of Epstein. His crimes—and the far-reaching network of enablers around him—were also the focus of the hit Netflix documentary series Filthy Rich. Another of Epstein's famous associates is his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Once a socialite and best known as the daughter of media tycoon Robert Maxwell, she was convicted in 2022 on charges of child sex trafficking in association with Epstein and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. She was found guilty of helping him recruit and groom young girls for abuse. Meanwhile, Virginia Giuffre – perhaps the most well-known accuser, who claimed she was trafficked by Maxwell to have sex with Prince Andrew at the age of 17 – sadly passed away earlier this year. Giuffre had long been a powerful voice for victims and continued fighting to be heard even amid intense public and legal scrutiny. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all allegations. While parts of Epstein's criminal enterprise have come to light, many aspects of his life remain shrouded in mystery, including the full extent of his wealth, how he came to possess it and where Epstein's money has ended up today. According to a Forbes article, just weeks before Epstein's death, 'The source of his wealth—a money management firm in the U.S. Virgin Islands—generates no public records, nor has his client list ever been released.' At its peak, Epstein's fortune was estimated to be around $560 million (£416 million). As for how he made his money, Epstein's early career was riddled with deception. After falsely claiming to have a college degree, he briefly taught maths before landing a job at the investment bank Bear Stearns in the mid-1970s. There, he rose to partner before being dismissed for a series of violations. In 1981, he set up his own firm—Intercontinental Assets Group Inc.—which specialised in helping clients recover lost funds. Ironically, it's also later claimed that in 1993, Epstein was involved in a 'Ponzi scheme' – a fraudulent investing scam in which investors are falsely told there are high rates of return with little risk. Steven Hoffenberg, who was jailed for eighteen years for his role in the scheme, said of Epstein, "[He had] no moral compass. He was a brilliant, seductive, criminal mastermind." Despite Hoffenberg's claims, Epstein was never charged in connection with the scheme. It remains unclear whether he benefited financially from it. Another striking allegation came from billionaire Les Wexner, the longtime CEO of Victoria's Secret, who accused Epstein of 'misappropriating' $46 million of his personal fortune. At one point, Wexner even gave Epstein power of attorney over his finances. On 8 August 2019—just two days before his death—Epstein signed a document that transferred all of his assets into a private trust known as the 1953 Trust (possibly named so as a nod to the year of his birth). 'This is the last act of Epstein's manipulation of the system, even in death,' said attorney Jennifer Freeman, who represents survivors of child sexual abuse, in an interview with The Guardian. Because trusts are private legal entities, the identities of Epstein's beneficiaries—and the amounts they may have received—are shielded from public view. For victims, this means initiating a lengthy legal process just to access financial disclosures, let alone claim compensation. Judges must rule on whether victims qualify, determine appropriate payouts, and possibly reduce any amounts allocated to beneficiaries—who have the right to contest such decisions. The trust absorbed all his assets; properties, cash, investments, and valuables. Over the years, the 1953 Trust has paid out more than $164 million to victims via a compensation fund, and money generated by the sales of some of Epstein's infamous properties – like Little Saint James (aka the "private island") and his sprawling Manhattan townhouse. Despite his death, elements of Epstein's wealth have actually continued to grow: a key remaining asset is a venture capital stake he took out in entrepreneur Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures, originally worth $40 million but now valued at up to $200 million. But while this may make it sound as though Epstein's estate is dripping in cash, not everything is as spendable as it seems – a big chunk of the estate is still tied up in Thiel's venture capital fund. Why? Because those kinds of investments take forever (okay, years) to pay out. So while the estate might look like a multi-millionaire's dream on paper, that cash isn't sitting pretty in the bank just yet. Until the investment is cashed, the executors can't touch it, and sadly, that means Epstein's victims are unlikely to see a penny of those future profits—especially since most compensation funds have already wrapped up. Another frustrating example of how Epstein's wealth continues to stay just out of reach. As of 2025, the estate's value is estimated at around $150 to 200 million, though legal and financial scrutiny continues, and beneficiaries of the trust remain mostly unknown. One of the most valuable assets remaining in Epstein's estate is a $40 million investment he reportedly made into a pair of funds managed by Valar Ventures in 2015 and 2016, which is a fintech-focused venture capital firm co-founded by billionaire tech mogul Peter Thiel – a man who has long sung Trump's praises and who financially backed Vice President JD Vance during his bid for the VP position. Thiel's reputation as a powerful figure with big political influence and a pro-nationalist agenda has also seen the spotlight shift on him of late. Epstein's stake, according to filings seen by The New York Times and reported by Reuters, has since ballooned to an estimated $170–200 million, and some have questioned why victims cannot access it. The answer? Because venture capital investments are typically locked in for years, the Epstein estate cannot yet liquidate this particular asset. The eventual beneficiaries of these profits remain unclear, but for now, the victims of Epstein's crimes are unlikely to see a share from this particular pot of his estate. There's also zero public evidence that Thiel had a close, personal relationship with Epstein or was aware of any of his crimes, however the pair's connection has drawn renewed attention given Elon Musk's recent X posts about Trump allegedly being on the Epstein 'client list' (which the FBI now denies even exists). Musk and Thiel are both co-founders of PayPal, an online payment platform, and big name players in the Silicon Valley tech sphere, as was Epstein once upon a time. Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
The Spinoff
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
‘Freaking obsessed': Josh McKenzie on meeting his 90s child star crush
Josh McKenzie, local star of The Hunting Party, Filthy Rich and La Brea, shares his life in television. Like almost every New Zealand actor who has made it into a big snazzy international TV show, Josh McKenzie cut his teeth on Shortland Street long before he starred in enormous American productions like La Brea and The Hunting Party. Playing the role of executive assistant Nate, McKenzie says the soap opera was 'one hell of a training ground' for a young actor. 'You learn how to deliver dialogue at pace with one or two takes convincingly, and you've just got to be pumping constantly – otherwise you look like an idiot,' he laughs. It's this stamina and work ethic that he says sets New Zealanders apart in the international industry, and came in very handy on the set of The Hunting Party. In the fast-paced procedural, in which a task force is assembled to hunt escaped serial killers after an explosion at a top secret prison facility, McKenzie plays former soldier and prison guard Shane Florence. 'It's a very fast turnaround show, but still nowhere near as fast as Shortland Street,' he says. 'Honestly, after you do Shortland Street, everything else feels like a luxury.' And while he acknowledges procedural shows might not be 'hip' at the moment, McKenzie says they always have a place in his watchlist. 'I'm a real sucker for any kind of procedural – killer of the week, crime of the week, medical case of the week. They're all nice little comfort watches for me.' Auspiciously, he was deep into rewatching House when he got the call to join The Hunting Party. 'It's a very different backdrop, but a similar format – you've got the central unit of people who are trying to solve a problem, and everyone fills an archetype.' The first episode of The Hunting Party opens with its gigantic, secret citadel blowing up in the middle of nowhere, and McKenzie still remembers how it felt to be there. 'It's kind of like stepping into a theme park,' he says. 'You're on your first day on set and there's the ruins of a giant top secret prison right there. That feeling never really gets old for me, where that inner child wakes up and just wants to run around and have fun.' And while we are channeling childhood, we then asked McKenzie to take us through his life in television. My earliest TV memory is… I was so freaking obsessed with McDonald's Young Entertainers that I wrote a handwritten letter to Drew Ne'emia. McDonald's Young Entertainers really awoke something in me, it was like our version of the Disney Kids. The show I would rush home from school to watch is… Malcolm in the Middle was my big after school show, which I've also started rewatching again recently. It really holds up and you can see how much of a genius Bryan Cranston was. He's actually incredible. My first TV crush was… I would honestly probably have to say Drew Ne'emia. I served him a drink when I was working at Lone Star and I was about to say, 'hey, man, I wrote you a letter when I was seven' but I didn't. My first time on screen was… I played like a handless skeleton in a Halloween special for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. I got to choose my costume and I wanted the skeleton, but he was missing one of the gloves. They were like 'can you choose something else' and I was like 'no, I want to be the skeleton'. So that's how I was a handless skeleton on Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. My TV guilty pleasure is… My partner is obsessed with Shahs of Sunset, which is a show about some of the worst people. I was building some Ikea furniture and watching it with her, and then I found myself being totally engrossed by the episode. My favourite NZ TV ad is… My little sister was in the Milky Bar ad where Jemaine Clement played the bad guy with a moustache. It was set in a saloon with all the little kids playing the hokey typical roles in a Western. She played the saloon girl, and I vividly remember remembering visiting on set when she was doing that. My favourite TV character of all time is… What Anthony Starr did in Outrageous Fortune with Jethro and Vann made a huge impression on me as a budding young actor, so those twins are definitely up there as some of my favourites. I also love Ted Danson's character in Cheers, Robin Wright's character in House of Cards, Gillian Anderson in The Fall is fucking epic. The TV project I wish I could be involved in is… The Sopranos or The Wire – every character has something going on. I'm also a video game fan, so The Last of Us would also be a dream. A show that I'll never watch, no matter how many people say I should is… I won't watch TV shows on Tiktok. I just can't. It hurts my soul. And I'm sure it's the future of how we're going to digest media, but I just can't bring myself to do it. My friend always sends me these these micro soaps, three minute long episodes, and they are all so bad. It's always the richest man in the world, but his wife is cheating on him, but she's actually richer than him. All these terrible setups and they just churn them out. The last thing I watched on television was… I watched the latest episode of The Last of Us and the last episode of The Pitt, both in the same night.
