Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who committed crimes against underage girls in the United States, was on the verge of acquiring a multi-million dollar palace in Morocco, signing off on the transaction just one day before his dramatic 2019 arrest.
According to documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice this past January, Epstein had been pursuing the acquisition of the opulent Bin Ennakhil Palace since as early as 2011. However, his protracted disputes with the palace’s seller over price and complex purchasing arrangements stalled the deal for years.
The magnificent palace, nestled within Marrakech’s exclusive Palmeraie district, is widely celebrated as an architectural masterpiece. Constructed by an astounding 1,300 artisans, the property boasts an array of exquisite carvings and intricate mosaics, reflecting unparalleled craftsmanship.
Epstein finalized a substantial money transfer totaling US$14.95 million (approximately Rp248 billion) on July 5, 2019, a mere 24 hours before law enforcement apprehended him.
He initiated this transfer after purchasing an offshore company, established outside Moroccan jurisdiction, for €18 million (Rp301 billion). This company was the legal owner of the Bin Ennakhil Palace.
The U.S. Department of Justice documents further reveal that this lavish money transfer marked Epstein’s final significant financial transaction before his arrest by U.S. authorities on charges of sex trafficking.
However, a mere three days following his arrest, Epstein’s accountant, Richard Kahn, moved to cancel the money transfer. Consequently, the high-profile purchase of the Bin Ennakhil Palace never materialized.
Morocco notably lacks an extradition treaty with the United States. This fact fueled speculation among some Moroccan media outlets that Epstein’s motivation for buying the palace was to establish a sanctuary in the North African nation, thereby evading potential arrest by U.S. law enforcement.
Conversely, a former associate of Epstein, who chose to remain anonymous, contended that the transaction indicated Epstein was “completely unaware” of U.S. authorities’ imminent plans to apprehend him.
The associate elaborated, suggesting it “makes sense he would think of a potential sanctuary where he could still live like a king,” implying a general desire for a lavish escape, rather than specific knowledge of his impending arrest.
Nevertheless, the files released by the U.S. Department of Justice contain no references whatsoever to Epstein discussing Morocco as a potential refuge from U.S. authorities.
Epstein’s connection with Morocco, however, was not a recent development, dating back to at least the early 2000s.
Virginia Giuffre, one of his accusers, claimed that Epstein flew her to Tangier, a city in southwestern Morocco. She recounted being asked by Epstein to inspect the interior designs of several luxury properties in the city.
At that time, Giuffre stated, Epstein expressed a desire to redesign a portion of his own island residence in a distinctive Moroccan style.
In 2002, Epstein further cemented his ties to the region by attending the wedding of Moroccan King Mohammed, accompanied by Ghislaine Maxwell, after receiving an invitation from former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Epstein’s Extensive Connections
Following his conviction in the U.S. in 2008 for soliciting sex from underage individuals and his release from house arrest in 2010, Epstein’s interest in Morocco appeared to intensify.
The U.S. Department of Justice files indicate that in the same year (2010), Epstein reached out to former UK Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson, asking him to find an assistant capable of “finding a home in Marrakesh.”
Various documents released by the U.S. government this past January meticulously detail how Epstein made periodic visits to Morocco starting in 2012, underscoring his sustained engagement with the country.
Epstein was also known to reside in the exclusive Palmeraie area, a favored enclave for wealthy expatriates. Among his acquaintances there was Jabor al Thani from the Qatari Royal family, whom Epstein reportedly referred to as his “Arab brother.”
It is important to note, however, that the mere mention or inclusion of an individual’s photograph in the Epstein files does not imply any proven criminal wrongdoing on their part.
Bin Ennakhil and ‘Mr. Kiss’
Epstein’s girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, emerged as a central figure leading the property search in Marrakech. Her extensive visits and negotiations, documented through numerous emails in her name, were pivotal to the process.
Marc Leon, an associate with Kensington Luxury Properties, revealed to the BBC that Epstein’s focus had been squarely on their listed property, the Bin Ennakhil Palace, since 2011.
Initially, Epstein considered the Bin Ennakhil Palace, then owned by German waste entrepreneur Gunter Kiss, to be prohibitively expensive.
Epstein’s opening offer was reportedly so low that Kiss was offended and refused to engage further with him, according to a source close to Epstein who spoke to the BBC.
Undeterred, Epstein subsequently leveraged his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, and his established network in Morocco to conduct further inspections of the Bin Ennakhil Palace.
In 2018, Epstein personally visited the Bin Ennakhil Palace. Following this, Shuliak submitted a final offer for the property, deceptively purporting to act on behalf of Leon Black, a billionaire who was also a friend of Epstein’s.
Eventually, it became undeniable that Epstein was the true prospective buyer behind the elaborate facade.
Ultimately, Gunter Kiss consented to resume negotiations, as confirmed by both documents and sources close to Epstein.
Inside the Moroccan Palace Jeffrey Epstein Sought to Acquire:
The released files further indicate that at one stage, Kensington Luxury Properties proposed a “sales and tax strategy” to Epstein.
This scheme involved registering the property with Moroccan authorities as sold for €10 million (Rp198 billion). The remaining €20 million (Rp396 billion) of the transaction value would then be accounted for as the sale of shares in the offshore company that owned the property.
Such an arrangement would have enabled Epstein to register his name on the deed of the Bin Ennakhil Palace while significantly reducing the taxes he would owe to the Moroccan government.
However, Kensington Luxury Properties firmly denied to the BBC any involvement in unethical or illegal attempts to minimize taxes.
“This transaction did not violate any tax regulations,” Leon stated to the BBC, emphasizing its legality.
He added, “Epstein wanted to pay registration fees in Morocco, even though he was not obliged to do so… to be able to own the property in his own name,” suggesting Epstein’s desire for direct ownership.
Kensington Luxury Properties notably serves as a representative for the renowned UK-based auction house, Christie’s.
In the end, Epstein ultimately decided to purchase the Bin Ennakhil Palace solely by acquiring the shares of the offshore company.
He was in the midst of determining the precise method for registering the palace in Morocco when his arrest occurred in 2019, bringing his long-standing ambitions to a sudden halt.
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Summary
Jeffrey Epstein was on the verge of acquiring the luxurious Bin En