Donald Trump banned Jeffrey Epstein from his exclusive Mar-a-Lago club after the disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker tried to hit on the underage daughter of another member, according to a new book, "The Grifter's Club: Trump, Mar-a-Lago, and the Selling of the Presidency".
The authors of the book - Nicholas Nehamas, Sarah Blaskey, Caitlin Ostroff, and Jay Weaver - suggest that the incident occurred after Epstein had already been charged with soliciting prostitution, but several months before he pleaded guilty to the charges in 2008. They also claim that Epstein had himself been a member of Mar-a-Lago before he was banished - despite the Trump company's statements, denying that he ever had membership.
The US president, who knew Epstein for decades, repeatedly stressed he had not spoken to the disgraced billionaire for up to 15 years and was not "a fan of his". The late investor, accused of sex trafficking, is believed to have been a friend of former US President Bill Clinton, Britain's Prince Andrew, and many other rich and influential people.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 and was charged with running a sex trafficking network of minors, which he denied. The billionaire attempted to kill himself while in jail and was placed on a suicide watch. Shortly thereafter, he was removed from suicide watch and was found dead in his prison cell just days later. The death was officially ruled a suicide but it has sparked multiple speculations that Epstein could've been murdered by his "rich and powerful" friends who feared he might expose them.