Conversation

Notices

1. Embed this notice
   Col (kibcol1049@mstdn.social)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 22:31:31 JST Col

   The Wall Street Journal, says the Epstein files provide a look at a billionaires finances. Leon Black paid the late paedophile $158m for financial advice. In 2015 Black’s net worth was $5bn, his assets included 7 homes, 11 cars, a Gulfstream jet, a Benetti yacht, an $82m rare book collection and Chinese bronzes worth £335m. Dozens of bank accounts contained $154m in cash. Over 2 months that year, he splurged $27,000 on eating out, $35,000 on clothes and an impressive $67,000 on booze.

   • Embed this notice
     Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 22:31:28 JST Rich Felker

     in reply to

     • Deb Nam-Krane

     @dnkboston @kibcol1049 Most of those assets listed are purely money laundering and bribery vessels.

   • Embed this notice
     Deb Nam-Krane (dnkboston@apobangpo.space)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 22:31:29 JST Deb Nam-Krane

     in reply to

     @kibcol1049 The first number is the one that baffles me, because I can't believe Epstein would have been good for that. I tend to think those big numbers were a combination of hush money and access to other people.

     The last number completely tracks.

   • Embed this notice
     Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 22:53:53 JST Rich Felker

     in reply to

     • Deb Nam-Krane

     @dnkboston @kibcol1049 No, I just mean in general. The reason billionaires own all sorts of weird antiques and art with bonkers valuations is to use them as means to exchange money off the books. It's not like they actually have an appreciation for culture or history or anything.

   • Embed this notice
     Deb Nam-Krane (dnkboston@apobangpo.space)'s status on Thursday, 12-Feb-2026 22:53:54 JST Deb Nam-Krane

     in reply to

     • Rich Felker

     @dalias You mean what was sent to Epstein? @kibcol1049

   • Embed this notice
     Franchesca (frantasaur@mastodon.ie)'s status on Friday, 13-Feb-2026 00:24:48 JST Franchesca

     in reply to

     • Rich Felker
     • Deb Nam-Krane

     @dnkboston @dalias @kibcol1049 if it’s not money laundering then it’s a tax dodge. They all buy up some unknown artist’s work cheaply, thereby increasing the value and helping make a big name for them. Later they donate this art to a museum and write off the tax for the vastly inflated valuation.

   • Embed this notice
     Deb Nam-Krane (dnkboston@apobangpo.space)'s status on Friday, 13-Feb-2026 00:24:49 JST Deb Nam-Krane

     in reply to

     • Rich Felker

     @dalias Oh, I completely agree. Ever since I read the story about Hunter Biden's million dollar amateur art at a gallery, I haven't been able to look at "fine art" without thinking "money laundering". @kibcol1049

     Rich Felker repeated this.