Good riddance! Epstein's $18million Florida beach estate where he abused underage girls is demolished by new owner
Developer Todd Michael Glaser purchased the sprawling Palm Beach estate for $18.5million last month and he sighed 'finally' as the first bulldozers began raising the house of horrors to the ground on Monday.
Glaser, who has previously said it would be personally satisfying to tear down the mansion due to its horrific history, said he plans to replace it with a 14,000-square-foot 'Art Moderne home'.
Breaking his rule not to comment publicly on his deals, Lawrence Moens, a Palm Beach real estate broker who represented Glaser, told the Palm Beach Daily News: 'I only got involved in the sale of Jeffrey Epstein's residence to ensure it would be wiped off the map of Palm Beach.'
On Monday, a large yellow digger was seen clawing at the walls and tearing out chunks of the luxury mansion - where Epstein forced school girls to massage him, sometimes in their underwear or naked.
The property, which has stood since 1952 and was bought by Epstein in 1990, includes a main house, a pool cabana building and another staff house - all of which are being demolished.
The swimming pool is also being destroyed and filled in.
Demolition crews on Monday pulled down the notorious Florida mansion where sex offender and financier Jeffery Epstein sexually assaulted young girls
Developer Todd Michael Glaser, who purchased the sprawling Palm Beach estate for $18.5million last month, sighed 'finally' as the first bulldozers began raising the house of horrors to the ground
Work crews stood by as the yellow digger tore down chunks of the home on Monday
On Monday, a large yellow digger was seen clawing at the luxury mansion where he forced school girls to massage him - sometimes in their underwear or naked - and tearing it down in large chunks
The waterfront Palm Beach estate (bottom right), just over a mile from Donald Trump 's Mar-a-Lago, went on the market in July for $21.995 million. Last month, Mr Glaser bought the property for a discounted price of $18.5 million
The waterfront Palm Beach estate, just over a mile from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago, went on the market in July for $21.995 million.
Last month, Glaser bought the property for a discounted price of $18.5 million.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges
Epstein's property had been locked up for over 18 months, since the sex offender's arrest, and has been graffitied with the words with the words 'GONE BUT NOT FORGIVEN' in blood-red paint.
Glaser had to ask permission from neighbors before razing the six-bedroom main house and three-bedroom staff house.
Such a request was necessary because of the pricey nature of the posh enclave, which usually prohibits such demolition projects during the winter months, when wealthy snowbirds flock to so-called Billionaires Row for its warm climate, white sandy beaches and palatial homes.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges that alleged he abused women and girls under the age 18 at the Florida estate and his Manhattan mansion in the early 2000s.
He bought the property in 1990 for $2.5 million and used it to allegedly abuse scores of victims.
Brad Edwards, a Fort Lauderdale attorney who represents around 50 clients who say they were abused by Epstein, described the demolition as 'symbolic'.
'I think that the symbolic power of destroying the house of horrors cannot be overstated,' he said.
'I can imagine there is going to be some amount of relief that the nightmare of what went on in the house [has] been buried to some degree.'
Glaser, the developer who has previously said it would be personally satisfying to tear down the mansion due to its horrific history, said he plans to replace it with a 14,000-square-foot 'Art Moderne home'
Huge trucks were brought in to remove the debris from the demolition, which was overseen by developer Todd Michael Glaser
Mr Glaser previously said it would be personally satisfying to tear down the mansion and replace it with a 14,000-square-foot 'Art Moderne home'
A large yellow digger was seen clawing at the luxury mansion where he forced school girls to massage him - sometimes in their underwear or naked - and tearing it down in large chunks
The property, which has stood since 1952 and was bought by Epstein in 1990, includes a main house, a pool cabana building and another staff house - all of which are being demolished. The swimming pool is also being destroyed and filled in. Pictured: One of the bedrooms in the main house is partially destroyed
Epstein bought the property in 1990 for $2.5 million and used it to allegedly abuse scores of victims. Pictured: One of the bedrooms in the main house in the process of being demolished
Brad Edwards, a Fort Lauderdale attorney who represents around 50 clients who say they were abused by Epstein, said the demolition is 'symbolic'. Pictured: The upstairs hallway of Epstein's mansion is in the process of being demolished
The nine-bedroom roughly 14,000-square-foot house with a large swimming pool was designed by architect John Volk in what is described as West Indies style. The pool is going to be demolished and filled in
Epstein was accused of abusing a number of school girls at the property which was left empty for 18 months following his arrest. Pictured: The rear exterior of Epstein's home
Built in 1952, it was one of a number of properties where Epstein groomed and sexually assaulted underage girls and women as part of a sprawling sex trafficking scheme, prosecutors said. Pictured: The front exterior of the Palm Beach home
The house was where the crimes that would eventually lead to his downfall were first reported, in 2005. Pictured: The first floor walkway inside Epstein's home
The millionaire financier bought the property in 1990 for $2.5 million, according to records
The swimming pool at Epstein's house (pictured prior to demolition work) will also be replaced. The property has roughly 170 feet of water frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway with space for a dock
Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach mansion on El Brillo Way where he sexually abused young girls is being knocked down
The property has roughly 170 feet of water frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway with space for a dock.
The nine-bedroom roughly 14,000-square-foot house with a large swimming pool was designed by architect John Volk in what is described as West Indies style.
Built in 1952, it was one of a number of properties where Epstein groomed and sexually assaulted underage girls and women as part of a sprawling sex trafficking scheme, prosecutors said.
The house was where the crimes that would eventually lead to his downfall were first reported in 2005.
Epstein had been recruiting underage girls for 'massages' from Palm Beach high school and one eventually confessed to her mother what was going on, who then went to the police.
The girls would be hired to massage Epstein in their underwear or totally naked. Often the massages progressed to sexual touching as Epstein allegedly used vibrators on the girls and masturbated.
He paid them $200-$300 a time with another $200 going to other schoolgirls who recruited them to go to mansion on Palm Beach's El Brillo Way.
Dozens of victims were underprivileged middle and high school girls recruited in and around Palm Beach County between 1998 and 2006.
Epstein had been recruiting underage girls for 'massages' from Palm Beach high school, and one eventually confessed to her mother what was going on, who then went to the police. Pictured: The house has 170 feet of water frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway and space for a private dock
Dozens of victims were underprivileged middle and high school girls recruited in and around Palm Beach County between 1998 and 2006. Pictured: The rear balcony of Epstein's Florida home
Epstein had been recruiting underage girls for 'massages' from Palm Beach high school, and one eventually confessed to her mother what was going on, who then went to the police. Pictured: The master bathroom features a marble bath
Reiter, who led the initial investigations of the alleged sexual abuse at the South Florida mansion, added: 'While it is critical that we learn from this tragedy, it is nearly as important that we follow with doing everything possible to erase any connection of him from our community. Pictured: The master bedroom in Epstein's home is laid bare before being demolished
Police raided the waterfront mansion on October 20, 2005, and found a fully equipped dentist's chair, a close-up photographs of young girls' backsides and a naked snap of his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Pictured: The now sparse kitchen that belonged to Epstein
Eventually Epstein pleaded guilty to a single charge of soliciting an under-age prostitute in 2008 under a sweetheart deal which saw him serve just 13 months in prison and required him to register as a sex offender. Pictured: The mansion's backyard
The sweetheart deal stirred up a lot of controversy after Epstein's lawyers negotiated with federal prosecution to allow him to plead to prostitution charges - which kept the victims in the dark. Pictured: The West exterior of Epstein's former home
After his conviction, Epstein continued living high-life and would jet between his homes in Palm Beach, his Manhattan Upper East Side townhouse, Paris, his New Mexico ranch and a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Little St James which were also venues for abuse. Pictured: The pool outside of the property is to be demolished and filled in
One of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts, claims that Ghislaine Maxwell brought her to the Florida mansion to teach her how to perform massages. She said they ended up in sexual activity. Pictured: One of four bedrooms which is now bare in Epstein's former mansion
Candles are pictured on the sink of the master bathroom of Epstein's Palm Beach home on Monday
Epstein pleaded guilty to a single charge of soliciting under-age prostitution in 2008 under a sweetheart deal after the allegations emerged.
The deal saw him serve just 13 months in prison and required him to register as a sex offender - but only in some states.
The 'sweetheart deal of the century' stirred up a lot of controversy after Epstein's lawyers negotiated with federal prosecution to allow him to avoid federal sex trafficking charges and plead guilty to letter state prostitution charges - which kept the victims in the dark.
While serving just 13 months in jail, Epstein was allowed to go to his office daily and he paid financial settlements to victims.
In a major blow for Epstein's victims, the U.S. Appeals Court ruled against a victim who wanted to hold the government to account for the deal which allowed Epstein to leave prison early and abuse further girls.
'Because of the way the court had ruled, they have created essentially what is a loophole large enough to literally drive a truck through,' Spencer Kuvin, an attorney in West Palm Beach, told CBS 12. 'It's incredibly upsetting what they've done,' he said.
The deal came after police raided the waterfront mansion on October 20, 2005, and found a fully equipped dentist's chair, a close-up photographs of young girls' backsides and a naked snap of his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Video obtained by DailyMail.com in 2016 of the police raid showed dozens of pictures — including one of a child aged no more than six or seven bending over in a tiny dress which was considered so bad that authorities blurred it out in the video — adorned the walls.
A dark-haired girl who appears to be around 15 poses in a tiny black bikini on the wall directly above a totally nude girl lying on a beach.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite, who was Epstein's girlfriend at the time of the raid, features in many of the pictures — including one where she too is outstretched naked on a beach. Maxwell has been accused of procuring young girls for Epstein's pleasure.
Police raided the waterfront mansion on October 20, 2005, and found a fully equipped dentist's chair, a close-up photographs of young girls' backsides and a naked snap of his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell
A small teddy bear (left) was seen sitting on a night stand next to what appears to be a replica of a lighthouse while a fully equipped dentist's chair (right) was also found
Video obtained by DailyMail.com in 2016 of the police raid showed dozens of pictures — including one of a child aged no more than six or seven bending over in a tiny dress which was considered so bad that authorities blurred it out in the video — adorned the walls
Those pictures and others — many focusing on Epstein's fixation with young girls' derrieres — are upstairs in and around his bedroom or in the pool house.
Downstairs much more innocuous photographs take up nearly every square inch on tables and sideboards.
The video, which runs for a little under 54 minutes, shows a fully equipped dentist's cart, complete with what appear to be drills, a lamp and other instruments, in one bathroom.
In another, Ghislaine Maxwell's black-and-white portrait hangs above the toilet bowl. On the opposite wall in full color is a young naked girl, back to the camera, running her hands through her hair.
A police report lists sex aids, videos, a school transcript, four massage tables and soap-on-a-rope among dozens of items cops seized alongside some of the framed photos of naked girls.
The raid on Epstein's home came as cops closed in on him toward the end of a 11-month undercover investigation.
That probe started when a woman from West Palm Beach claimed her 14-year-old daughter had been lured to the mansion and ordered to strip to her underwear while she massaged the billionaire financier.
One of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts, claims that Maxwell brought her to the Florida mansion to teach her how to perform massages. She said they ended up in sexual activity.
Roberts claims she had sex with Prince Andrew in three of Epstein's homes – his Manhattan mansion, his Palm Beach estate in Florida and, in a group of seven or eight girls, on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands.
The Prince has admitted to visiting all three locations but has denied having sex with Roberts.
Ghislaine Maxwell's black-and-white portrait hangs above the toilet bowl in one image from the video
Epstein's long-standing maintenance man Juan Alessi said Prince Andrew stayed in the main guest room – the 'blue room' - in the Palm Beach mansion.
At the time of the raid one bathroom contained soap in the shapes of male and female genitalia.
Alessi testified under oath that he set up massage tables for Prince Andrew on a daily basis during an extended stay there, thought to have occurred about 18 years ago. The duke denies the allegations made by Alessi.
'The former owner of this house did unmeasurable damage to the lives of countless children and was able to corrupt the legal system to the point that the courts have called it a national disgrace,' former Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter said.
Reiter, who led the initial investigations of the alleged sexual abuse at the South Florida mansion, added: 'While it is critical that we learn from this tragedy, it is nearly as important that we follow with doing everything possible to erase any connection of him from our community.'
After his conviction in 2008, Epstein continued living high-life and would jet between his homes in Palm Beach, his Manhattan Upper East Side townhouse, Paris, his New Mexico ranch and a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Little St James which were also venues for abuse.
He was arrested again at Teterboro Airport in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking minors in New York and Florida and died by suicide in jail a month later.
Epstein's ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, remains jailed on sex-trafficking charges. She has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for July.
The 59-year-old British socialite is accused of recruiting three girls, one as young as 14, in the 1990s for Epstein to sexually abuse during massage sessions at his New York and Florida homes. Prosecutors later added another sex trafficking charge for a fourth girl, who investigators said was groomed and abused in the early 2000s.
The New York townhouse sold in March for $51 million after being listed for $88 million.
Federal investigators raided the Manhattan townhouse back in May 2020 and reportedly recovered a locked safe filled with 'piles of cash', diamonds and an expired foreign passport listing Epstein's residence as Saudi Arabia inside.
The proceeds of the home sales will go to his estate, which recently created a compensation fund to cover settlements with his many alleged victims.
Glaser is known for building extravagantly-designed homes for wealthy and demanding clients, such as a home on Miami's Star Island that recently sold for about $49.5 million.
He was also one of the developers of the One Thousand Museum tower designed by the late Zaha Hadid in downtown Miami.
In June, Glaser confirmed that he had bought a 1925 mansion in Palm Beach for $17 million, which he intended to 'restore to its former glory', and where he intended to live with his wife, Kim.
Glaser has been developing property in the Palm Beach area since 2017.
In February, he and partners Philip Levine, Scott Robins and Jonathan Fryd sold a spec home at 113 Atlantic Avenue for $9.41 million to a scion of the family that founded Cumberland Farms, according to The Real Deal.
Next door, at 111 Atlantic Avenue, another spec home that the partners developed is under contract and is expected to close in July, Glaser said.
The partners also developed two spec villas with a courtyard at 237 Brazilian Avenue in Palm Beach, which recently hit the market for $7.9 million each, the site reported.
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