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3.19 MB

Extraction Summary

6
People
7
Organizations
1
Locations
2
Events
2
Relationships
5
Quotes

Document Information

Type: Email correspondence / draft letter
File Size: 3.19 MB
Summary

This document is an email from March 20, 2016, sent by Jeffrey Epstein (implied) to Melanie Spinella, containing a draft of a highly contentious letter intended for Leon Black. In the draft, Epstein disputes a payment of $20 million for advisory services, claiming the agreed value was in the $50-60 million range for a $600 million transaction involving Phaidon and other assets. Epstein invokes their close friendship, mentions specific financial details including 'Apollo agreements' and 'BRH agreement,' and expresses unease about the fairness of the compensation.

People (6)

Name Role Context
Jeffrey Epstein Sender (Implied)
Author of the email/draft, discussing advisory fees, tax planning, and personal loans/payments.
Leon Black Recipient (Intended of the main text)
Addressed as 'Leon' in the text. Epstein discusses their business agreement, friendship, and disputes over a $20m vs ...
Melanie Spinella Email Recipient
Recipient of the actual email containing the draft text. Likely an assistant or intermediary.
Brad Karp Lawyer/Negotiator
Mentioned as having conversations regarding the payment amount; Epstein suggests a meeting with him.
Alan Associate/Advisor
Mentioned as having 'involvement' that warranted a discount, though Epstein disputes his value ('wearing a clown suit').
Debra Deceased (Leon Black's wife)
Mentioned in relation to 'use issue on debras death'.

Organizations (7)

Name Type Context
Phaidon
Publishing company involved in the transactions and payout discussions.
Artspace
Investment mentioned in relation to debt and payouts.
Apollo
Mentioned in 'apollo agreements'.
Athene
Mentioned in relation to a transaction.
Rothschild
Mentioned in relation to a transaction.
BRH
Mentioned as 'BRH agreement', described as 'your largest asset by far'.
House Oversight Committee
Source of the document (footer).

Timeline (2 events)

N/A
Meeting in dining room regarding advisory fees.
Dining room
N/A
Debra's death
N/A
Debra Black

Locations (1)

Location Context
Location where Epstein and Leon Black had a conversation about upfront advisory fees.

Relationships (2)

Jeffrey Epstein Business/Friendship Leon Black
Refers to him as 'closest of friends', discusses 'advisory fee', mentions 'dining room' meetings.
Jeffrey Epstein Professional/Adversarial Brad Karp
Mentions conversations with Brad Karp resulting in lower payments; asks to sit together.

Key Quotes (5)

"you unilaterally changed our agreement."
Source
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Quote #1
"you are my closest of friends ,but my experience is that when amounts get large, people tend to get unhappy when it actually comes time for them to pay."
Source
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Quote #2
"I proposed to discount our agreement to a 50 - 60 million range."
Source
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Quote #3
"Leon I feel It was remarkably unfair."
Source
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Quote #4
"I believe the decision re only paying 20 m has frankly , left me felling quite uneasy."
Source
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Quote #5

Full Extracted Text

Complete text extracted from the document (4,415 characters)

in June and then again Sept, we both agreed to a 50% of phaidon payout first projected at 20 . but less when artspace and debt taken out, - then only after weeks, when you delayed any detailed discussion of money wanting to give the issue a thoughtful response ( which I fully understand ) . you unilaterally changed our agreement. . 5m would be reserved for the future ? . and out of the remaining 15m ,? i would receive only a third. ( note : I'm confident that both the debt , and the art space investment will also lead to a write- off of another 30 m. plus ) In my dining room ,you were surprised when I said that i require most people to pay their advisory fee up front so that I am assured that I will be properly compensated for my work when strategies are implemented . you may recall that you appeared offended and said " are you suggesting that i would go back on my word " I said no , of course not ! you are my closest of friends ,but my experience is that when amounts get large, people tend to get unhappy when it actually comes time for them to pay.
I include below the email i sent to you on April 15, the day i was examining your returns It laid out my understanding of the compensation agreed for a transaction of the magnitude to the penny of the one just completed.ie 600m When it appeared that the transcation would and could go foward I was the first to point out that our agreement would cost you too much money, therefore
From day one I proposed to discount our agreement to a 50 - 60 million range. An extremely fair price for all the transactions just completed . including Phaidon. - I was never told that this was out of range. in fact, alternative methods of payment . ie my plane, or an -in-kind payment were discussed ( ie including keeping the 30m portion of the fee outstanding till March ) ,I provided , only because you specifically requested a detailed step by step execution plan and reviewed all documents that i was given access to. ( Phaidon was never forthcoming ) in order to make my many corrections . ( as i said more needed on phaidon ) . I was then told that Alans involvement warranted a discount . Even in the best of light , though it is beyond question that not one time in the three years of his retainer has he ever proposed a unique idea. (including any way to deal with the use issue on debras death ,or even the most basic review of your largest asset by far , the BRH agreement. ) O.K. - lets say he made a contribution to the plan and stretch reality beyond the pale and say it was 50 %. though no one could posit such a large amount unless they were wearing a clown suit. , the payment and our formula of 37 percent associated with the deal was known . It had both sent in writing and spoken about on the phone numerous times , a detailed execution plan was provided . then and only then, after the entire transaction was laid out for the group to follow You told me that after a number of conversations with brad karp that a total of only 20m would be paid , (and even that was more than you originally contemplated ) for both transactions .
Leon I feel It was remarkably unfair. Did brad even knew of our prior agreements.? ? , I would ask that you I and Brad karp sit together if you think it would be helpful. . I would like to send him this email, with your consent of course. If the transactions were never consummated , i would not be owed a dime, however , the expected fee was known up front. , the detailed step by step plan was followed and overseen by me, the amount that I had requested before the transaction had even begun, had already been heavily discounted, out of friendship, . I believe the decision re only paying 20 m has frankly , left me felling quite uneasy. and colors the view about the Athene or Rothschild transaction.
Date: Sun, Mar 20, 2016 at 11:17 PM
Subject:
To: Melanie Spinella <[REDACTED]>
glad to see you are personally on the mend - as well as the fence. -- As you know i dread money discussions with you-- however -we should address the issue of what you would like to do moving forward. re- do family office, accounting trusts , estate and apollo agreements . Along with your " payment " last year we agreed . no further obligations on each side. yes, i continued to moan. I realize that though I ve done quite a lot this year already , it is not your responsibility. . As you often like to
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_023262

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