Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
Here are all the politicians Jeffrey Epstein, the money manager arrested on charges of sex trafficking, has donated to
Here are all the politicians Jeffrey Epstein, the money manager arrested on charges of sex trafficking, has donated to
Taylor Nicole RogersJul 12, 2019, 00:35 IST
Advertisement
Financier Jeffrey Epstein was an important political donor before he pleaded guilty to charges of felony sexual solicitation of underage girls in Florida in 2008.
Jeffrey Epstein, the financier charged with sex trafficking of underage girls, was once a major political donor.
Since 1990, Epstein has donated $147,426 to various Democrats and $18,250 to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Chuck Schumer, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Bob Dole received thousands a piece.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to felony sexual solicitation of underage girls. Epstein continued to make donations after he was released from a 13-month prison term.
Some politicians, including disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer and retired Senator Chris Dodd, returned Epstein's donations as accusations of the financier's wrongdoings became public. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also returned a $10,000 gift from Epstein three days after receiving it in 2018, according to The Daily Beast.
Keep reading to learn more about Epstein's political donations.
Delegate Stacey Plaskett, who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands in the House of Representatives, accepted donations from Epstein after he registered as a sex offender.
Epstein made the maximum individual contribution — $5,400 — to Plaskett's reelection campaign in 2016, The Daily Beast reported. Plaskett's district includes St. Thomas, where Epstein's firm is incorporated, and Epstein's private island.
Epstein also donated $2,700 to Plaskett in 2018.
Epstein sent $10,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in October 2018, only to have the money returned to him three days later.
"Without second thought, the DCCC immediately refunded this unsolicited donation," a DCCC spokesperson told The Daily Beast.
Epstein gave so much to Gwendolyn Beck, an independent running for Congress from Connecticut in 2014, that he violated the FEC's individual contribution limit.
Epstein donated a total of $12,600 to Beck — $2,600 directly to Beck's campaign, in addition to two donations of $5,000 each to two political groups supporting that candidate — records from the Federal Election Commission show. The FEC declined to prosecute.
Epstein donated $50,000 to former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer in 2006.
Spitzer returned the funds later that year, according to Reuters.
Spitzer was in office for 15 months before resigning amidst allegations of soliciting sex from prostitutes, CNN reported.
John Kerry received $4,000 from Epstein between 1991 and 2002.
Epstein donated a total of $7,000 to New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
Schumer received seven separate donations of $1,000 each from Schumer in 1992, 1995, and 1997, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
President George H.W. Bush received $1,000 from Epstein.
Epstein made a single donation to Bush's unsuccessful 1992 reelection campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Epstein also donated $2,000 to support Bill Clinton in 1992 — who defeated Bush.
Epstein made two separate donations to Clinton's campaign in 1992 — one in January and one in June — according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Epstein also donated $25,000 to the Clinton Foundation in 2006, Reuters reported. Clinton said in a statement that he also took four trips on Epstein's private jet in connection with his work for the Clinton Foundation, but that he "knows nothing about the terrible crimes" Epstein was charged with.
But in the 1996 election, Epstein supported Clinton's opponent, Bob Dole. Epstein donated $1,250 to Dole.
Epstein gave Dole $1,000 in March 1995, followed by another $250 that October, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Dole, the Republican nominee, lost the election to President Clinton.
Epstein also tried to donate more than $4,000 to former Senator Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat from New Mexico, but Bingaman returned some of it.
Bingaman received $4,073 from Epstein in three separate donations on December 17, 1993. Bingaman returned $2,073 to Epstein that same day, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Epstein donated another $1,000 to Bingaman in October 1994.
Former Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-Independent from Connecticut, received $3,000 from Epstein.
Epstein made three separate donations of $1,000 to Lieberman in 1994 and 1999, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Former Senator Tom McMillen, a Democrat from Maryland, received $3,000 from Epstein.