Financial figure Steven Hoffenberg, once a longtime partner of the late businessman and central to one of the most infamous scams in American history involving Jeffrey Epstein, has died at age 77 in his Connecticut apartment, according to multiple local outlets on Thursday.
Relying on police sources, the Daily Mail reports that after a concerned call from a friend, officers went to Hoffenberg’s home and found his body lying in a state described as decomposed, indicating the death occurred at least a week earlier. The details have prompted investigators to proceed with standard procedures as they seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the death, with officials noting the scene did not show obvious signs of violence at first glance. The Derby Police Department in Connecticut confirmed a body was found at a local residence on Thursday night and noted that a forensic process would establish the identity. The police also indicated that the initial autopsy did not reveal trauma, though the definitive cause of death awaits toxicology results.
Hoffenberg was the chief executive officer of Towers Financial, a firm linked to Epstein through business dealings during Hoffenberg’s involvement in a large-scale investment scheme. The scheme later drew attention after Hoffmanberg sought bankruptcy protection in 1993 amid investigations that uncovered losses for nearly 3,000 investors. Hoffenberg was arrested in the mid-1990s and received a 20-year prison sentence. He agreed to a substantial compensation package of hundreds of millions of dollars as part of his settlements.
Sexual abuse and human trafficking accusations
Epstein faced a long list of serious allegations, including sexual abuse and trafficking, and was arrested in 2019 on charges related to illicit conduct with minors. He died by suicide while in custody in New York before a trial could proceed on the full scope of accusations, according to local authorities and subsequent investigations. Hoffenberg indicated in interviews that he first met Epstein in the 1980s, describing a rapid alignment in interests that later evolved into a business partnership and a high-profile association with a controversial financier.
Prior to the exposure of Hoffenberg’s multimillion-dollar scheme, he was already a recognizable figure in New York. Among his ventures, he briefly owned the historic New York Post, a publication that had been facing financial difficulties during that period. Hoffenberg’s relationships with powerful figures in politics and the business world, coupled with his role in a major financial scandal, left a lasting imprint on the era’s market narratives and regulatory scrutiny.