Short Answer
Epstein signed a new will on August 8, 2019 — two days before he was found dead — placing his assets, estimated at more than $577 million, into a trust called the 1953 Trust. The will named his attorney Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn as co-executors, and named biotech investor Boris Nikolic as a surprise successor executor.
In Detail
The 1953 Trust
The trust was named after Epstein’s birth year. Placing assets in a trust rather than dispersing them directly via will is a legal mechanism that offers more privacy, can complicate creditor and lawsuit claims, and allows for more flexible distribution of assets. Legal experts noted that the trust structure would make it more difficult for victims to access assets.
Timing Concerns
The fact that the will was signed just 48 hours before Epstein’s death raised immediate questions. Critics argued the timing showed Epstein was taking steps to protect his estate from victim claims, either because he anticipated his own death or because his attorneys were preparing for worst-case scenarios. Victim advocates described the late signing as potentially designed to frustrate compensation claims.
Boris Nikolic
The naming of Boris Nikolic, Bill Gates’s former science adviser, as a successor executor came as a surprise to virtually everyone, including Nikolic himself, who publicly declined the role.
Asset Inventory
The estate filed in the US Virgin Islands listed assets including numerous real estate properties (the Manhattan townhouse, Little Saint James, the Zorro Ranch, the Paris apartment, and Palm Beach mansion), financial accounts, and other personal property. Initial estimates put the estate at over $577 million, though the ultimate figure was subject to dispute.
Victim Compensation
The estate subsequently established the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program, which paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to more than 150 claimants.