Prosecutors Say They Found Odd Passport in Epstein's Safe

A judge won't decide whether Jeffrey Epstein is granted bail until Thursday, and both sides were given 20 minutes on Monday to make their case, reports CNN. Prosecutors argued he's a flight risk and could tamper with witnesses; his attorneys say the 66-year-old followed the terms of his 2008 plea deal to a T and should be permitted to reside in his Upper East Side mansion until his trial on child sex trafficking begins. But there were some nuggets that emerged, chiefly related to Epstein's wealth and what was found in his home.

• Prosecutors say that in Epstein's home safe they found an expired foreign passport from the 1980s bearing Epstein's photo but another person's name and giving his address as one in Saudi Arabia, reports the AP. The safe also held "piles of cash" and "dozens of diamonds."
• As for the hazy nature of Epstein's wealth, prosecutors say they have confirmed a net worth of upwards of $500 million and verified one of his accounts contained more than $110 million. But the AP reports prosecutors "cited a mysterious lack of financial records."

• His attorneys have offered to have Epstein wear a GPS device, post a bail as high as $100 million, and de-register his private plane. CNBC reports Epstein's lawyer said his client had given him the OK to agree to any bail conditions, including paying that 9-figure amount, but clarified that Epstein is not a billionaire.
• In a look at how his finances could be eaten up by victims, lawyers, and the government, the Washington Post explains that federal prosecutors are permitted to seek the forfeiture of properties where sex trafficking may have occurred. Per the feds' allegations, Epstein's New York and Palm Beach homes fall under this umbrella; his jet or other homes could be subject to forfeiture if evidence points to those locations, too.
• Epstein will remain behind bars while US District Judge Richard Berman debates his fate. The AP reports he's being held at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center just cells away away from drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. It draws a parallel, noting that like Guzman, Epstein allegedly ran a criminal network of his own—one facilitated by employees and recruiters.
• For instance, the AP spotlights Epstein's late butler at his Palm Beach home. Alfredo Rodriguez reportedly told authorities that he was instructed to always keep $2,000 on hand to dole out to girls; that he was tasked with cleaning Epstein's sex toys following girls' visits; that he once delivered roses to a girl at Royal Palm Beach High School; and that the girls who came to him ate like youngsters, consuming "tons" of cereal and milk.

(More Jeffrey Epstein stories.)