THE PALM BEACH POST

THE PALM BEACH POST • TUESDAY, JUNE 23. 2009 Judge asked to name receiver to keep eye on Epstein's assets By SUSAN SPENCER-WEN0EL Palm Beach Pint SteWriter WEST PALM BEACH 7-- An attorney represent- ing one of the passel of young women now suing billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is asking a federal judge to appoint a receiver to take over Epstein's prop- erty to prevent him from hiding or transferring as- sets abroad. Bradley Edwards also has asked that the re- ceiver order Epstein to post a $15 million bond to ensure money is avail- able if the women prevail in their lawsuits seeking damages because of the sexual contact they say Epstein had with them as minors. In a request entered into the court record Friday, Edwards wrote that Epstein. a man 'of "phenomenal wealth," now faces more than two dozen lawsuits. The wom- an Edwards represents is seeking more than $50 million in damages. "Accordingly, Epstein has currently pending against him lawsuits seek- ing more than $1 billion in damages. He thus faces financial ruin," Edwards wrote to US. District Judge Ken- neth Marra. Edwards cited no di- rect evidence that Epstein is transfer- ring assets abroad. He argued that because Epstein is a sophisticated money man- ager and is allowed out of the Palm Beach County Stockade each day to work at his office, he has the skill, the means and motive to be transferring assets abroad. Epstein is serving an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty nearly a year ago to state charges of felony solicitation of prostitution and procuring teenagers for prostitution. Epstein is allowed out of the stockade, though, each day from 7 am. to 11 p.m., a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office said recently. The saga began years ago when Palm Beach po- lice investigated reports that young women were being brought to Epstein's manse on El Brillo Way to massage him and have sex with him in exchange Epstein Faces more than two dozen suits. for money. Attorneys represent- ing the women have questioned Epstein about his sexual activities with their clients as well as his finances. Epstein has responded by invoking his right to remain silent and not incriminate himself. "The silence in the face of these questions speaks far louder than words," Edwards wrote. "As Justice (Louis) Bran- deis recognized long ago 'Silence is often evidence of the most persuasive character.' This is plainly one of those situations." An attorney who rep- resented Epstein during the questioning Robert U Critton Jr. of West Palm Beach. did not respond to an e-mail seeking com- ment. On Thursday, Circuit judge Jeffrey Colbath will consider whether to un- seal a deferred-prosecu- tion agreement Epstein entered with federal pros- ecutors. Attorneys have said that they seek to unseal that document in part to use it in striking at Epstein's right to remain silent esusan_spencer-wendel OpOpost.com EFTA00234516