This place will need very good cleaning.
The mysterious buyer who bought Jeffrey Epstein’s elegant Upper East Side mansion for a $ 51 million bargain is a former Goldman Sachs executive who is moving from London to New York and plans to live in the house with his wife.
Michael D. Daffey bought the seven-story, 40-room property on 9 East 71st Street for well below its original $ 88 million price – and is determined to ensure that no trace of its former owner remains.
“They are planning a complete reform, physically and spiritually,” said a source.
The Australian recently retired from the big financial company after spending the past year as President of Global Markets at Goldman, in charge of reshaping trade in Europe after Brexit – and also after making money from Bitcoin.
“Sir. Daffey had never been to his home or met its owner, but he believes very much in the future of New York and will be on the other side of everyone who says the best days in the city may have been in the past. Loeser, spokesman for Daffey.
The best brokers tell the Post that the price is a steal, considering that any similar property in Manhattan that did not have a connection to one of America’s most misrepresented sex offenders could easily have raised $ 100 million.
“I think it’s half done,” said broker Dolly Lenz, who was among those who tried to sell the property. “It’s 28,000 square feet. This costs less than $ 4,000 a foot for the most magnificent mansion on the best block, close to Fifth Avenue. It’s the best in New York. “
Even such a deal was difficult to try for many who could afford to pay in that price range.
“We offered it to many people who said, ‘We don’t want to go near this place,'” said Lenz. “Chic international people who are always in agreement said ‘No way’.”
Sources say none of Epstein’s old belongings are in the house.
“The house was completely empty,” said a source. “There was nothing strange and scary about it.”
Another source said Daffey bought with cash and a bridge loan.
Adam Modlin, from the Modlin Group, represented Daffey and also Epstein Estate as a broker.
Lenz thought Daffey made a good decision when buying a property.
“I think he made a smart move, however, it will be a long time before people forget that this was a place where children were abused,” she said. “But he is betting on that in the long run. This is what some people do ”.
The money is going straight to a Jeffrey Epstein victim restitution fund, which is controlled by Epstein’s estate.
In 2019, Epstein was found dead in his prison cell awaiting trial for sexual crimes that abused 14-year-old girls. Epstein pleaded not guilty. During an FBI operation, federal agents found images of child sexual abuse in the mansion’s vault. The 40-room house is one of the largest in the city.
Epstein and his supposed partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, entertained the rich, real and powerful in his home, which was programmed to secretly record his guests.
Some of those who stayed overnight included Prince Andrew. The mansion previously belonged to Epstein’s client, Victoria’s Secret owner, Les Wexner.
The sale was interrupted by an asset freeze order placed in the US Virgin Islands by more than two dozen alleged victims and Denise George, the attorney general of the US Virgin Islands last month, after the Victim Compensation Program de Epstein said he would suspend offers of compensation on financing issues.
A judge rejected the request. The fund has received more than 150 requests for alleged victims since its launch last June, paying $ 55 million so far to an undisclosed number of victims, according to reports.