Epstein try to buy one palace for Morocco days bifor im arrest for 2019

Jeffrey Epstein bin try to buy a multimillion-dollar palace for Morocco di day bifor im arrest for 2019, according to documents wey di US Department of Justice release last month.

Epstein bin start to try to buy Bin Ennakhil since 2011, but wahala wit di seller ova di price and purchase arrangement bin drag for years.

Di grand palace for di luxury Palmeraie neighbourhood of Marrakech na architectural masterpiece wey take 1,300 craftsmen to build am, and e get ogbonge ornate carvings and mosaics.

Epstein bin sign $14.95m wire transfer on 5 July 2019, di day bifor im arrest, afta e agree to buy di offshore company wey get di property for €18m.

According to didocuments wey di US DoJ release , di transfer na Epstein last major financial transaction for di period bifor im arrest by US authorities sake of sex trafficking accuse as e return to New York.

Three days afta di arrest, Epstein accountant Richard Kahn cancel di wire transfer and na like di purchase no eva dey completed.

Morocco no get extradition treaty wit di US and local media bin speculate say one of di reason wey Epstein bin wan buy di property fit be say make e just park for di kontri to avoid arrest, if dem bring new charges against im.

However, one former associate of Epstein, who prefer to dey anonymous, tok say di transaction show say Epstein "bin no get any clue" say dem wan arrest am.

Di pesin add say "e go make sense if e bin dey think of potential sanctuary wia e go still dey live like king".

Di released files, however, no contain any reference to Epstein discussing di kontri as a possible refuge from US authorities.

Epstein connection to Morocco go back to at least early 2000s, wit Virginia Giuffre, one of im most prominent accusers, recounting for her memoir say Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell bin fly her to Tangier to inspect di interior design of some luxury properties.

Dat time, Epstein bin wan redesign parts of im island home in Moroccan style.

In 2002, Epstein also attend di wedding of Moroccan King Mohammed wit Maxwell, afta former US President Bill Clinton bin invite dem.

Epstein connections

Dem convict Epstein for di United States say e solicit underage sex in 2008, and following im release from house arrest in 2010, im interest for Morocco be like say e grow.

Di released files show say for di same year, Epstein bin ask former Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson to find an assistant for im wey fit help am "fin[d] house for Marrakesh".

Di documents detail how Epstein bin make periodic visits to Morocco from 2012, staying for di exclusive Palmeraie district, home to a wealthy community of expatriates including Jabor al Thani of di Qatari royal family, im close associate wey e describe as im "Arab brother".

Say dem mention pesin or pesin picture appear for di Epstein files no be indication of wrongdoing on im own.

Bin Ennakhil and 'Mr Kiss'

Epstein long-term girlfriend Karyna Shuliak bin start to search for di property for Marrakech, numerous visits and negotiations dey documented for emails unda her name.

Marc Leon, one partner for Kensington Luxury Properties, tell di BBC say Epstein focus settle for dia property Bin Ennakhil - wey be Arabic word for "between di palm trees" - as early as 2011.

For dat time, Epstein bin think say di palace, wey di former owner na di German waste magnate Gunter Kiss, bin dey overvalued for di price of €55m, and im initial offer bin dey so low dat Kiss bin dey offended and refuse to deal wit Epstein again, di source wey dey close to Epstein tell di BBC.

Later, Epstein use im girlfriend Shuliak and im network of contacts for Morocco to conduct further inspections of di property. For 2018, Epstein imself visit di property bifor Shuliak bin make final bids for di property as she pretend say she dey act on behalf of Leon Black, one billionaire investor friend of Epstein.

Las las, e bicom clear say na Epstein be di real prospective buyer but di seller "Mr Kiss" - as e dey known for die emails - agree to continue di negotiations, according to di documents and di source close to Epstein.

Inside di Moroccan palace wey catch Epstein eye

Di files show say, for one stage, Kensington Luxury Properties bin suggest to Epstein a "sale and tax strategy", whereby di property go dey registered wit di Moroccan authorities say dem sell am for €10m but a transaction of €20m go take place for di shares of one offshore company wey get di property.

Di arrangement for allow Epstein to register im name on di title deeds of di property while reducing di tax e for pay to di Moroccan authorities.

Howeva, Kensington Luxury Properties deny to di BBC say dem bin make any unethical or illegal attempt to minimise tax.

"Dis transaction no violate any tax regulations," Mr Leon tell di BBC. "Mr Epstein bin wan pay registration fees for Morocco, even though e no dey under obligation to do so… in order to own di property for im own name."

Di property company dat time na di local real estate representative of di popular UK-based auction house Christie's.

Las las, Epstein decide to buy di property kpatakpata by paying for di shares of di offshore company and e bin dey for di process of determining how to register am for Morocco by di time dem arrest am for 2019.