Architect Robert Couturier told The Guardian that around 1987 businessman James Goldsmith warned him against Jeffrey Epstein, describing the financier as a sexual deviant who recruited children.
Couturier, who designed homes for Goldsmith in New York and Mexico, recalled that the businessman did not want Epstein near his family. Goldsmith’s daughter Jemima also told the newspaper that her father despised the financier and did not consider him a friend.
The Guardian’s investigation examined the business circle around Goldsmith and its links to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. A woman identified as Jane Doe 4 alleged that Epstein sexually abused her as a teenager during visits to the island. She also alleged that he introduced her to Donald Trump and trafficked her to other men.
The White House called the allegation about Trump baseless and said it was not supported by credible evidence. The Guardian said it found no conclusive evidence that Epstein visited Hilton Head during the period described by the woman. Epstein’s brother Mark told the newspaper he knew of no such visits.