Reid Weingarten
Weingarten illustrates the structural advantages a former DOJ prosecutor provides as outside counsel to a figure like Epstein: government relationships that yield insight into investigative posture, a white-collar client roster that generates cross-industry and cross-jurisdictional intelligence, and institutional prestige that signals legal sophistication to prosecutors. The deliberately undefined nature of his role with Epstein reflects the complexity-as-credential model, where ambiguity in function complicates outside scrutiny.
Reid Weingarten, a senior partner at Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C., served as Jeffrey Epstein's lead criminal defense attorney in United States v. Epstein, 19 Cr. 490 (SDNY 2019). But his formal role as defense counsel was merely the terminal stage of a relationship documented across 245 emails spanning 2011 to 2019, making him Epstein's single most frequent correspondent in the released communications. Before any indictment was filed, Weingarten served as Epstein's real-time political intelligence conduit, case-intake advisor, and informal advisor — a man who breakfasted regularly at 9 East 71st Street, traveled with Epstein to Paris, discussed geopolitics over morning eggs, and consulted Epstein before accepting every major engagement from Michael Flynn to the Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
Weingarten's career began at the DOJ Public Integrity Section, where he built lasting relationships with future Attorney General Eric Holder and other officials who would later sit across from him in courtrooms and negotiation rooms. That DOJ pedigree appears to have been central to Epstein's interest in Weingarten: as he told Brad Karp in July 2015, when evaluating his own legal vulnerability four years before arrest, the quality he prized above all else was "relationship to law enf paramount." Weingarten embodied that criterion. His client list — Steve Wynn, Fethullah Gulen, Connecticut Governor John Rowland, and later Rajeev Misra of SoftBank — placed him at the intersection of white-collar defense, international diplomacy, and political power, a position that, based on the email record, facilitated intelligence-gathering and influence across sectors.
Yet the most revealing feature of the Weingarten relationship is its persistent informality. Six months before Epstein's arrest, Weingarten wrote: "Still have to figure out what my role is in all this shit." Despite being Epstein's top correspondent and a $750,000 billing relationship at Steptoe, Weingarten could not define his own position. The email record suggests this ambiguity served Epstein's interests: informal relationships avoided the documentation and disclosure requirements that formal engagements would have triggered. Weingarten was simultaneously defense lawyer, political advisor, intelligence relay, and social introducer — roles that, had they been formalized, would likely have created significant conflicts of interest.
DOJ Pedigree and the Revolving Door
Weingarten's value to Epstein was rooted in his origins at the Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section, the unit responsible for prosecuting corruption by public officials. There he worked alongside Eric Holder, a relationship Epstein was well aware of: when Weingarten emerged as a finalist for Trump's outside counsel position in May 2017, Epstein forwarded the Washington Post coverage to Leon Black, noting the Holder connection. The DOJ alumni network gave Weingarten something more valuable than courtroom skill — it gave him the ability to read the intentions of prosecutors before they acted.
The value of these connections became apparent on January 22, 2019, when Weingarten confirmed to Epstein what Epstein had apparently already learned through other channels: "Turns out you were right about sdny but they are going to wait their turn." When Epstein pressed whether the investigation was civil or criminal, Weingarten replied: "Crim." This exchange, documented in House Oversight records, documents bilateral information exchange about a federal criminal investigation — Epstein providing the initial tip, Weingarten independently verifying it through his own SDNY contacts. The fact that Epstein knew about the SDNY investigation before his own defense attorney indicates his information sources extended beyond any single lawyer.
Epstein as Case-Intake Advisor
One of the most unusual features of the Weingarten-Epstein relationship is that Weingarten consistently consulted Epstein before accepting major engagements. On February 16, 2017, Weingarten told Epstein he had to "decide today whether or not to take Flynn" — referring to Michael Flynn, who would become a central figure in the Mueller investigation. The same day, Epstein sent Weingarten a Politico article about Alexander Acosta's nomination as Labor Secretary, which inevitably raised the specter of Epstein's own 2008 plea deal. Three months later, when a Washington Post reporter informed Weingarten he was a finalist for Trump's personal outside counsel, Weingarten's first instinct was to forward the inquiry to Epstein: "Do I have the choice? And if so, your view?" Epstein responded: "do you want it? or jared?" — a reference to Jared Kushner, who Bloomberg reporter Greg Farrell confirmed also wanted Weingarten as his attorney.
The pattern repeated with the Huawei CFO case following Meng Wanzhou's December 2018 arrest. Weingarten wrote to Epstein from Kent, Connecticut: "should I take the huawei cfo?" His firm, Steptoe & Johnson, was indeed later involved in the Huawei prosecution. In each instance, Epstein functioned not merely as a sounding board but as an intelligence resource who could assess the political landscape surrounding a potential engagement. For a defense attorney, knowing which cases carry hidden political risks — or hidden political opportunities — is valuable. Epstein provided that assessment, and in doing so, made himself a recurring part of Weingarten's decision-making process.
The Steptoe Billing Relationship
The financial dimension of the Weingarten-Epstein relationship centered on Steptoe & Johnson's legal fees, which totaled approximately $750,000. By January 2019, Epstein had paid roughly $450,000 and owed an outstanding $300,000, a balance that provoked Weingarten's exasperation: "How the fuck are we back here after the unspeakably awful evan barr debacle." Evan Barr was a prior Steptoe attorney on Epstein matters who had been replaced by Michael Miller, suggesting the billing dispute had a history of personnel turnover and miscommunication.
Weingarten described himself as "the 800 pound gorilla" at Steptoe but acknowledged institutional constraints: "there are 500 lawyers here, processes, etc." Despite his seniority, Weingarten assured Epstein that Steptoe would not pursue the debt aggressively. Epstein deflected responsibility, claiming he had not been personally involved "except for the ridiculousness." The modest scale of these fees — relative to the multi-million-dollar billings at Kirkland & Ellis or Paul Weiss — underscores that Weingarten's value to Epstein was not primarily as a billing vehicle but as a relationship asset. The $750,000 purchased not just legal hours but ongoing access to Weingarten's DOJ network, political intelligence, and willingness to serve as Epstein's eyes and ears across Washington's legal establishment.
Weingarten's personal political donations were minimal for a lawyer of his stature: just three contributions totaling $3,000, all from Washington, D.C. This absence of a political donor footprint, while operating at the highest levels of political lawyering, suggests Weingarten's influence operated through professional networks and personal relationships rather than the traditional donor-access pipeline.
Political Intelligence and the Mueller Channel
From mid-2017 through 2018, Weingarten and Epstein maintained a running commentary on the Mueller investigation that reveals both the depth of their trust and the quality of Weingarten's inside knowledge. On July 25, 2017, Weingarten wrote: "If trump fires mueller and gets away with it it is 1933 berlin." By November, he was more fatalistic: "Trump is going to fire mueller and republicans on hill won't do a thing." Epstein responded with a tactical suggestion: "shouldn't mueller just file sealed indictments against jared ivanka and junior? they would stay even if he were fired."
The intelligence flow was not merely political speculation. Weingarten provided insider readings of White House dynamics: "Trump stopped them? He cannot stand mcgahn" (January 15, 2018), to which Epstein replied with his own intelligence: "mcgann feels if he stays he risks indicment." When Epstein forwarded detailed intelligence in May 2018 about "a us citizen working for mi5" calling "trump campaign insiders," Weingarten was the recipient — suggesting Epstein treated him as someone with both the clearance and the judgment to process sensitive political intelligence. Weingarten's operational security was evident in his refusal to discuss Russia, Trump, or Comey with Bloomberg: "ain't saying sh to anyone on or off the record."
The SoftBank Connection and International Operations
In late January 2019, Weingarten was evaluating potential legal representation of Rajeev Misra of SoftBank's Vision Fund — what Weingarten colorfully called "the SoftBank caper." Before accepting, he sought Epstein's intelligence and endorsement. The engagement connected to Alessandro Benedetti, Epstein's Paris neighbor on Avenue Foch whom Weingarten had known of since at least December 2011, and to Ron Soffer, a French-Israeli lawyer whom Weingarten considered hiring for the matter. Weingarten asked Epstein to "get the book on him" — requesting intelligence vetting of a potential hire, suggesting he relied on Epstein as an informal due-diligence resource.
This SoftBank thread connects to Weingarten's earlier international activity. In December 2011, he wrote to Epstein from Kiev: "Got back last nite...kiev is pretty wild...need to be in dc monday morn first thing." This Ukraine travel occurred during a period of significant U.S. legal and political interest in the country — the Tymoshenko trial had concluded in October 2011, Paul Manafort was active in Ukrainian politics, and Viktor Pinchuk was engaging American intermediaries. The same email thread referenced "interesting jeffrey-reid projects," confirming joint ventures that extended well beyond the attorney-client relationship. The combination of Paris, Kiev, and SoftBank traces an international footprint that parallels Epstein's cross-border activity patterns.
Social Brokerage and the Breakfast Table
Epstein deployed Weingarten as a social asset, brokering introductions between his defense attorney and political figures. In March 2018, Epstein arranged a breakfast meeting between Weingarten and Steve Bannon: "Steve is coming to meet you breakfast." Weingarten replied simply: "I am there." On the eve of Epstein's arrest in July 2019, another Bannon breakfast was planned. Separately, Weingarten agreed to a private meeting with Mike Pence: "agreed to meet pence one-on-one Thursday in dc." The email evidence suggests these meetings were arranged by Epstein for strategic purposes.
NY Magazine's fact-checking correspondence confirms the regularity of these breakfast meetings at Epstein's Manhattan residence. The magazine asked whether, "the morning after the Qataris came over," Weingarten had breakfasted at 9 AM and discussed "his defense of CT governor John Rowland, the Qatari visit, and who controls ISIS" — whether "Weingarten believed Turkey was using ISIS as a proxy." A white-collar defense attorney discussing active cases, geopolitical intelligence, and foreign policy at his client's breakfast table, where the previous evening's guests had been Qatari officials. Epstein also managed Weingarten's media profile through Michael Wolff, directing that "weingarten quotes out" before a client's sentencing — controlling the public narrative surrounding Weingarten's cases.
Epstein's contact lists confirm Weingarten's position in the inner circle. In self-addressed reminder emails, Weingarten appears alongside Kathryn Ruemmler, Mortimer Zuckerman, and Glenn Dubin. On a separate "list for bannon steve," Weingarten sits among Noam Chomsky, Tom Barrack, Ehud Barak, Prince Andrew, Thorbjorn Jagland, and Ken Starr — the full spectrum of Epstein's political, legal, and intelligence networks. Epstein offered Weingarten and Ruemmler as social introductions to unnamed third parties in March 2018, curating access to his legal advisors as a form of social capital.
The Concealed Role with Brad Karp
One of the least understood threads in the Weingarten record is his deliberately hidden relationship with Brad Karp, chairman of Paul Weiss. Weingarten told a third party: "don't mention my role with brad till we both think it useful." This instruction to conceal a legal advisory connection between two of the most prominent white-collar attorneys in America — both of whom had relationships with Epstein — suggests coordination that neither wanted disclosed.
The connection gains significance through Karp's own Epstein entanglements. In July 2015, Epstein wrote to Karp evaluating his legal vulnerability: "add Levander or Weingarten? relationship to law enf paramount." This email, where Epstein assessed his own defense options four years before arrest, shows Karp and Weingarten occupying complementary roles in Epstein's legal architecture. Karp brought Paul Weiss's institutional weight and corporate defense capability; Weingarten brought DOJ relationships and criminal defense experience. The instruction to keep Weingarten's "role with brad" hidden suggests they may have been coordinating legal strategy across their respective firms while maintaining the appearance of independence — an arrangement that would raise ethical questions if the coordination involved shared clients or adverse parties.
The Formal Defense and Its Aftermath
When the SDNY indictment finally came in July 2019, Weingarten assumed the role he had been informally preparing for since at least 2015. He served as co-lead defense counsel alongside Martin Weinberg of Boston, with Steptoe colleagues Michael Scavelli and Jason Meade supporting. The defense team filed appearance notices on July 11, negotiated bail memos through July 14-15, argued the bail hearing on July 25, and filed preservation requests on August 1. After Epstein's death on August 10, Weingarten requested an independent pathologist and pursued a Second Circuit appeal (Dkt 19-2221) on August 20. Weingarten also participated in a call with SDNY prosecutors on November 19, 2019 regarding a potential indictment even post-mortem — suggesting the investigation's scope extended beyond the now-deceased defendant.
The day before Epstein's arrest, the email traffic was operational. Weingarten told Epstein about "a hysterical wynn-trump issue that will make you laugh" — referring to his representation of Steve Wynn in the DOJ investigation related to Elliott Broidy. A breakfast with Bannon was planned for the following morning. The arrest came instead. Weingarten's simultaneous representation of Wynn and Epstein — both subjects of DOJ investigations, both connected to the Trump White House — placed him at an intersection of overlapping federal interests, where information from one engagement could inform his understanding of another.
All Connections
15 total
All Connections
15 totalDefense counsel 19 Cr. 490 (SDNY 2019). Personal advisor 2011-2019, 245+ emails. ~450K paid in Steptoe fees, 300K owed. Paris travel Sept 2011. Regular breakfast meetings at 71st St.
Weingarten represented Wynn in DOJ investigation related to Elliott Broidy. Discussed Wynn-Trump issues with Epstein.
Weingarten represented Gulen in Turkey extradition matter post-2016 coup. Team included Steptoe colleagues.
Co-defense counsel for Epstein in US v. Epstein 19 Cr. 490 SDNY. Weinberg based in Boston. Coordinated on bail, discovery, preservation, and 2nd Circuit appeal.
Long-term professional friendship from DOJ Public Integrity Section. Epstein forwarded WaPo article to Leon Black noting Holder and Weingarten met during their early years at the Justice Department.
Weingarten: 'agreed to meet pence one-on-one Thursday in dc.'
Weingarten evaluating potential legal representation of Rajeev Misra SoftBank Vision Fund as of Jan 25, 2019. Sought Epstein intelligence and endorsement before accepting engagement.
Weingarten (Steptoe) considered hiring Soffer for the SoftBank caper in Jan 2019. Soffer had approached Weingarten seeking work. Weingarten asked Epstein to vet him.
Epstein introduced Bannon to Weingarten for breakfast 3/24/2018. Additional breakfast planned 7/7/2019. Weingarten on Epstein list for Bannon.
Both on Epstein contact lists alongside each other. Both offered as social introductions by Epstein. Both senior attorneys.
Weingarten had concealed advisory role with Karp re Epstein legal matters. Weingarten told Epstein: do not mention my role with brad. Karp is chairman of Paul Weiss.
Epstein directed Wolff PR strategy on Weingarten quotes. Epstein to Wolff: weingarten quotes out. governone has not been sentenced.
Weingarten asked Epstein re Barrack/Chagoury connection.
Weingarten knew of Benedetti through Epstein by Dec 2011, later considered deploying someone on SoftBank caper Benedetti orchestrated
Weingarten was Epstein's primary criminal defense attorney at Steptoe & Johnson. Weingarten discussed Barr in context of Epstein strategy. Farkas told Epstein (Apr 2019): 'Told you Barr would protect Trump known him for 50 years.' Weingarten confirmed SDNY investigation intelligence (Jan 2019) while Barr was being confirmed as AG. Weingarten's role as defense counsel meant direct institutional interaction with Barr's DOJ.
All Findings
24 total
All Findings
24 totalfinancial (3)
Reid Weingarten (Epstein defense attorney, Steptoe and Johnson) made only 3 personal political donations totaling 3000 dollars: 1000 to Strickland for Colorado (2002), 1000 to Alex Sanders for Senate (2002), 1000 to Friends of Mark Warner (1996). All from Washington DC. Minimal political donor despite being a high-profile white-collar defense attorney. No coordination with other Epstein network donors detected.
Weingarten discussed Steptoe & Johnson billing dispute on Jan 22, 2019. He reported that 'the Steptoe numbercrunchers advise me Jeffrey has paid about 450 and owes about 300 and seems disinclined to make Steptoe whole'. He referenced the 'unspeakably awful evan barr debacle' and questioned whether Miller had made an error. Weingarten called himself 'the 800 pound gorilla' at Steptoe and said the firm would not chase Epstein for the money. Separately, Epstein stated 'im not sheyl, frankly i havent been involved in this at all except for the ridiculousness' and suggested resolving it by end of month. Total Steptoe billing: approximately K (K paid, K outstanding).
Weingarten disclosed that Epstein owed Steptoe & Johnson significant legal fees. In an undated email, Weingarten told Epstein: 'the Steptoe numbercrunchers advise me Jeffrey has paid about 450 and owes about 300 and seems disinclined to make Steptoe whole.' This was preceded by 'How the fuck are we back here after the unspeakably awful evan barr debacle.' Weingarten described himself as 'the 800 pound gorilla here' but noted 'there are 500 lawyers here, processes, etc.' This reveals ~K in total Steptoe legal fees for Epstein, with K unpaid, and a prior billing dispute ('evan barr debacle').
communication (10)
Weingarten told a third party 'don't mention my role with brad till we both think it useful' -- referring to Brad Karp (Paul Weiss chairman). This suggests Weingarten had a confidential advisory role related to Karp and Epstein that was strategically concealed. Weingarten also told Epstein: 'Still have to figure out what my role is in all this shit.' In Sept 2011, Epstein told Matthew Menchel (Kobre & Kim LLP attorney): 'your name just came up, when you sent an email to weingarten, he is with me in paris love to see you' -- confirming Weingarten traveled with Epstein internationally.
Epstein managed Weingarten's media exposure through Michael Wolff. In EFTA02512781 (2/1/2015), Epstein wrote to Wolff: 'weingarten quotes out. governone has note been sentenced.' This shows Epstein directing Wolff's PR strategy on behalf of Weingarten's clients, removing quotes before sentencing. Additionally, Epstein offered Weingarten and Ruemmler as guests to an unnamed person in March 2018: 'did you enjoy last night. leon doesnt listen as much as he should. but he is a good guy. Im in palm beach for the weekend. next week if you like Kathy ruemmler. or reid weingarten and or miro lacjak.' This demonstrates Epstein curating social/professional access to his legal advisors.
Epstein used Weingarten in legal strategy discussions about his own vulnerability as early as July 2015. In EFTA02341191, Epstein wrote to Brad Karp (Paul Weiss partner): 'add Levander or Weingarten? relationship to law enf paramount. difficult to settle as there are others that would i think might be encouraged to emerge. most other similar cases are usually a one off. perfect storm. cosby, wey. money, wall street etc.. terrible.. if she falls into the hands of the bottom fishers. very bad. very. they will want the pr.' This shows Epstein considering Weingarten for his defense team 4 years before arrest, discussing strategy around potential accusers and law enforcement relationships.
Weingarten appears in Epstein's personal to-do/contact lists alongside his most important associates. In a Sept 2015 email to himself, Epstein listed: 'weingarten, ruemmler. zuckerman, holterbosch. kamen kerry jaret. GLENN CALL. AIRCELL coverage? scarola, sanctions. paul mccartney - leon. grubman motola peggy.' In a separate list labeled 'list for bannon steve,' Epstein included Weingarten alongside: 'chomsky, barrack barak, zagat, nathan, brian greene, yau, eo wilson, prince andrews, jagland, clinton pastrana, richardson, leahy, jarecki, schumer, ranieri, waheed, mongolia, ruemmler, weingarten, amabani, rochsild, dersh, ken starrk.' This places Weingarten in Epstein's inner circle of legal/political advisors.
Epstein sent Weingarten a Pizzagate article about the Clintons on 12/20/2016, and Weingarten replied 'Clinton' in an Oct 2012 email. Epstein also shared Trump tax story coverage with Weingarten (10/3/2018), to which Epstein responded defending Trump: 'how unfair yes, it was written by financial illiterates. . referencing todays dollars? with no back up. IRS looked at all. .they ignored taxes paid along the way.' Weingarten's reaction to reading the NYT Trump tax story: 'Reading the nytimes trump tax story...so wish I was with you right now.' Weingarten also told Epstein 'Of course I trust you...what is going on?' (2/21/2019) after Epstein said 'Trust me' -- suggesting a deep personal bond.
Weingarten and Epstein had extensive real-time discussions about Mueller investigation strategy from 2017-2018. Key exchanges: (1) 7/25/2017 Weingarten: 'If trump fires mueller and gets away with it it is 1933 berlin'; (2) 11/2/2017 Weingarten: 'Trump is going to fire mueller and republicans on hill won't do a thing'; same day Epstein: 'shouldnt mueller just file sealed indictments against jared ivanka and junior? they would stay even if he were fired'; (3) 12/1/2017 Weingarten: 'Beginning of the end...will say trump told him to go the russkies'; (4) 1/3/2018 Weingarten: 'Internet is crashing right now about this....trump apparently off his rocker'.
Epstein used Weingarten's knowledge for political intelligence and strategy. Key intelligence exchanges: (1) 1/15/2018 Weingarten: 'Trump stopped them? He cannot stand mcgahn' -- insider knowledge about White House counsel dynamics; (2) Epstein to Weingarten 1/15/2018: 'mcgann feels if he stays he risks indicment'; (3) 1/12/2018 Epstein: 'Senate subpoena?'; (4) 5/20/2018 Epstein sent Weingarten detailed intel about a 'us citizen working for mi5' calling 'trump campaign insiders'; (5) 10/2/2018 Weingarten: 'Turns out you were right about sdny but they are going to wait their turn' -- confirming Epstein had advance knowledge of SDNY investigations; (6) 11/15/2018 Weingarten: 'So fucking much going on'; (7) Weingarten declined to discuss Russia/Trump/Comey with Bloomberg: 'ain't saying sh to anyone on or off the record'.
Epstein introduced Steve Bannon to Weingarten for breakfast on 3/24/2018. Epstein to Weingarten: 'yes 730?' then 'Tonight or tomnight' then 'Steve is coming to meet you breakfast'. Weingarten: 'I am there'. This was before Bannon's legal troubles but shows Epstein brokering high-level political introductions to his defense attorney. Separately, on 7/6/2019, Epstein told Weingarten 'bannon for breakfast tomor' -- one day before Epstein's arrest on 7/6/2019.
Weingarten asked Epstein whether he should take the Huawei CFO case (Meng Wanzhou, arrested 12/1/2018). In an undated email, Weingarten wrote to Epstein: 'Kent, connecticut....and you? Hear about Bannon in italy? should I take the huawei cfo?' This shows Weingarten consistently consulted Epstein about major case decisions. Weingarten's firm Steptoe was indeed later involved in the Huawei case (US v. Huawei Technologies, EDNY, filed 8/22/2018). Bloomberg reporter Greg Farrell also confirmed Jared Kushner wanted Weingarten as his attorney (6/23/2017): 'I am told on good authority that Jared wants you as his atty.'
NY Magazine (Alex Yablon) sent fact-checking questions to Epstein that confirm Weingarten regularly breakfasted at Epstein's Manhattan residence. The email asks: 'The morning after the Qataris came over, did you have a 9 AM breakfast with the attorney Reid Weingarten? Did you discuss his defense of CT governor John Rowland, the Qatari visit, and who controls ISIS? Did Weingarten believe Turkey was using ISIS as a proxy?' This confirms Weingarten discussed geopolitics and his active cases with Epstein over breakfast, and that the relationship was openly described to journalists.
relationship (2)
On Jan 22, 2019 at 9:09 PM, Weingarten wrote 'Still have to figure out what my role is in all this shit...' revealing uncertainty about his own position in Epstein's operations at this late stage (6 months before arrest). This is significant because Weingarten was Epstein's #1 correspondent (245 HF Parquet emails) yet still lacked a defined role, suggesting the informal/ad-hoc nature of Epstein's operational structure. Combined with the SDNY RICO intelligence-sharing, the SoftBank briefing, and the Steptoe billing relationship, Weingarten occupied a hybrid lawyer-advisor-fixer role that defied conventional categorization.
Lobbyist name search for 'Weingarten' returned only Amanda Weingarten at Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton and Garrison LLP, who lobbied for Carlos Ghosn Bichara in Q3/Q4 2019 and Q1 2020 on civil rights and criminal justice in Japan. Reid Weingarten (Epstein's defense attorney, 245 emails) does NOT appear as a registered lobbyist. Amanda Weingarten appeared alongside Brad Karp (Paul Weiss chair) in the Ghosn filings. Paul Weiss is a major white-shoe law firm representing high-profile criminal defendants. The Ghosn-Weingarten-Karp connection at Paul Weiss warrants further investigation for any Epstein overlaps.
legal (7)
On 2/16/2017, Weingarten told Epstein 'I know...I just saw that and almost threw up....also have to decide today whether or not to take flynn.' This confirms Weingarten was offered the chance to represent Michael Flynn and was consulting Epstein about the decision in real-time. The same day, Epstein sent Weingarten a Politico article about Alexander Acosta (Trump's DOL nominee) and the Epstein plea deal.
Weingarten was a finalist for Trump's outside counsel position in May 2017. WaPo reporter Ashley Parker emailed Weingarten on 5/22/2017 stating 'we understand you're one of the finalists for the role, and have already spoken with senior White House' officials. Weingarten forwarded this to Epstein asking 'Do I have the choice? And if so, your view?' and Epstein replied 'do you want it? or jared?' then 'we should talk.' Epstein also forwarded the WaPo article to Leon Black and to Darren Indyke ('whoops').
Weingarten represented Steve Wynn in DOJ investigation related to Elliott Broidy. WaPo article (8/17/2018) forwarded by Steptoe colleague Brian Heberlig to Weingarten stated: 'An attorney for Wynn, Reid Weingarten, declined to comment, saying only that Wynn is cooperating with the Justice Department.' Epstein shared this article with Steve Bannon. Separately, on 7/6/2019, Weingarten told Epstein: 'Have a hysterical wynn-trump issue that will make you laugh.' Weingarten also represented Fethullah Gulen in the Turkey extradition matter (confirmed in multiple 2016 media reports).
Weingarten confirmed Epstein's intelligence about SDNY investigation on Jan 22, 2019 at 2:59 PM, writing 'Turns out you were right about sdny but they are going to wait their turn'. When Epstein asked 'Civil or crime', Weingarten replied simply 'Crim'. This shows Weingarten had independent access to information about the SDNY criminal investigation and was sharing it with Epstein, and that Epstein's original tip about the RICO claim was accurate.
On Jan 22, 2019, Epstein assessed an unnamed lawyer ('new guy') that Weingarten had discussed, asking 'you seemed to imply that your new guy could only shoot blanks? if thats so. its an easy decision. , if not. oy'. Weingarten clarified 'Not my new guy...not repping him'. Epstein then pressed 'do you think he has the goods?' This exchange shows Epstein vetting lawyers through Weingarten, evaluating their capabilities for undisclosed purposes, while Weingarten maintained distance from the individual. The identity of the 'new guy' is unresolved.
Weingarten served as co-lead defense counsel for Epstein in US v. Epstein, 19 Cr. 490 (SDNY 2019). Defense team included Martin Weinberg (Boston), Marc Fernich, Michael Scavelli (Steptoe), and Jason Meade (Steptoe). Key dates: 7/7/2019 Weingarten email 'Thanks see you in the morning' re case; 7/11/2019 appearance notice filed; 7/14-15/2019 bail memo discussions; 7/25/2019 bail hearing; 8/1/2019 preservation requests; 8/10/2019 Epstein death and pathologist request; 8/20/2019 2nd Circuit appeal (Dkt 19-2221); 11/19/2019 call with SDNY re indictment even post-mortem.
Mark Weingarten (245 Epstein emails, HDI founder, See Forever Foundation) has no FARA registration. HDI's CODEL pipeline to China and advisory board of 33+ Congress members should trigger FARA obligations if acting on behalf of CCP/Taihe interests. Weingarten's absence from FARA is consistent with the broader pattern: none of Epstein's key intermediaries who connected US officials with foreign governments (Weingarten/China, Rod-Larsen/Norway, Barak/Israel) registered under FARA.
intelligence (2)
EFTA00925685 (Dec 9, 2011): Weingarten to Epstein: 'Got back last nite...kiev is pretty wild...need to be in dc monday morn first thing.' Weingarten had just returned from Kiev, Ukraine in Dec 2011 — during a period of significant US legal interest in Ukraine (Tymoshenko trial Oct 2011, Manafort active, Pinchuk dealings). This is 8 years before Weingarten's SoftBank involvement and connects to the broader Ukraine thread (Schoen FARA #6071 for Pinchuk, Waldman dual Deripaska/Lavrov registration). Weingarten also referenced 'interesting jeffrey-reid projects' — confirming joint ventures beyond attorney-client.
Weingarten at Steptoe & Johnson was Epstein's criminal defense pipeline. On Jan 22, 2019, Weingarten confirmed the SDNY intelligence: 'Turns out you were right about sdny but they are going to wait their turn.' He also revealed he was navigating role conflict: 'Still have to figure out what my role is in all this shit.' Separately, Weingarten raised Steptoe billing: Epstein had paid ~450K but owed ~300K ('How the fuck are we back here after the unspeakably awful evan barr debacle'). Evan Barr was a prior Steptoe attorney on Epstein matters, now replaced by Michael Miller. Weingarten had independent SDNY contacts who confirmed Epstein's tip.