Jeffrey Epstein has gone down in history as one of the worst individuals in the financial world. After being convicted as a child sex offender for sex trafficking and other crimes, the disgraced financier died in his prison cell in August 2019. But he apparently left behind a pile of cash in his name. Since he spent time building an inner circle of wealthy businessmen, including Donald Trump at one point, Epstein grew his fortune and overall net worth. With all the money the billionaire had, Epstein used underage girls for sexual favors.
However, Epstein’s wealth has been questioned in recent years, with many challenging the notion that he was a billionaire. Below, learn how Epstein became wealthy.
What was Jeffrey Epstein’s net worth before he died?
After pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting and procuring prostitution, Epstein’s lawyers claimed he was a billionaire and worth over $1 billion at the time. However, several sources and publications have challenged his billionaire status. Per Forbes , “details of Epstein’s net worth remain shrouded in mystery,” and the publication has never included him in its global billionaire rankings. In 2010, Forbes reported: “The source of his wealth—a money management firm in the U.S. Virgin Islands—is not publicly recorded, nor has his client list ever been released.”
What is Jeffrey Epstein’s net worth after his death?
Epstein had a net worth of $500 million after he died, according to Celebrity Net Worth, which cited a Justice Department auditor’s confirmation of his fortune.
How did Jeffrey Epstein get rich?
Epstein’s early life raised many eyebrows. Without a college degree from either of his high schools (Cooper Union or New York), he was hired to work as a physics and math teacher for teenagers at the Dalton School in New York City in the 1970s. He was eventually fired for his performance, but several allegations of inappropriate behavior around teenage girls surfaced later in life.
After meeting and getting to know Bear Stearns’ then-CEO, Alan Greenberg, Epstein was offered a job as a junior assistant to a floor trader. Epstein rose through the ranks and went on to work at several firms.
Eventually, Epstein raised enough capital to oversee his own financial empire. He oversaw his firm, J. Epstein & Company, which was later renamed the Financial Trust Company.
Is there really an Epstein list?
Apparently, the infamous Epstein “list” doesn’t exist, the Justice Department said in July 2025. The department said no more files related to the disgraced financier would be made public, even though U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised the client list would be released. Earlier this year, she said in a Fox News interview that a document related to the Epstein controversies was “sitting on [her] desk” awaiting release.
Politicians, influencers, and other notable and far-right figures criticized Bondi for failing to deliver on what they believed was a promise.
