## JAMES PATTERSON

Fi

But it seems that Epstein did work hard to untangle Wexner's finances. And it appears he succeeded. "Jeffrey cleaned that up right away," a former associate of Epstein's says.

The two men became all but inseparable.

"Very smart, with a combination of excellent judgment and unusually high standards," Wexner said of Epstein at the time. "Also, he is always a most loyal friend."

When Wexner wanted to break up with a woman he'd been dating for several years- a woman who moved to Ohio and con- verted to Judaism to make him happy-he dispatched Epstein to do the dirty work.

When Wexner hired a decorator for his Ohio mansion and wanted someone to verify the authenticity of several expensive antiques, Epstein flew in his friend Stuart Pivar, the renowned art collector and author. (According to Pivar, most of the antiques were cheap imitations.) When Wexner traveled abroad, he'd bring back trinkets and gifts for Epstein. When Wexner wanted to see Cats, Epstein arranged to have the cast perform in his mansion.

In Ohio, Wexner's associates whispered about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. In New York, they wondered about Epstein's role in Wexner's 1993 marriage to Abigail Koppel.

At thirty-one, Koppel was twenty-four years Wexner's junior. It was Epstein who negotiated the prenuptial agreement and orchestrated its very strange signing. Abigail signed the agree- ment in her law office. Wexner signed it in his office. According to an associate of Epstein's who was present, Epstein brought a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model along to Wexner's office, as if

to make the point that ther world. As a joke, Epstein pl belly and had Wexner sign it Epstein asked his friend: "Yes, Jeffrey," said Wexne "It was an uproarious sce Jeffrey being Jeffrey. That wa

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{"people":["james patterson","jeffrey epstein","les wexner","stuart pivar","abigail koppel"]}