Jeffrey Epstein’s former mansion on the Upper East Side has seen a significant renovation, costing about $1 million, aimed at erasing all remnants of the financier and his disturbing crimes, as reported. However, a recent memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, has once again put the property at 9 East 71st Street in the limelight.
In her memoir titled “Nobody’s Girl,” Giuffre shares harrowing experiences of sadomasochistic abuse she endured in a massage room she referred to as the Dungeon. In this room, she claims to have faced brutal treatment, including being chained, collared, and beaten until unconscious.
While the townhouse maintains its exterior appearance, with only the engraved brass letters of Epstein’s name removed, the interior has undergone extensive changes. Michael Duffy, a former Goldman Sachs executive, completed a $925,000 renovation last year after purchasing the mansion for $51 million in 2021—a substantial discount from its original asking price of $88 million.
Records indicate that Duffy’s renovations involved the demolition of many walls to eliminate the maze of rooms Epstein had used to exploit numerous women while entertaining various influential figures over the years.
Gone are Epstein’s lavish decorations and furniture. Instead, the rooms have been transformed with new plaster walls and tiles. His old kitchen appliances have been replaced, and his vast study has been integrated with other spaces.
While Epstein’s bedroom and large master bathroom remain structurally intact, a wall in the back bedroom—believed to be the notorious massage room—was removed, aligning with Giuffre’s account of the abuse she suffered there from 2000 to 2002.
Giuffre vividly describes the Dungeon as a dark marble alcove adorned with intimidating decor, like black lacquered furniture and a giant stuffed tiger. She recounts how Epstein controlled her through an intercom and monitored her with cameras installed in every room of the house.
Reactions from New Yorkers emphasize unease about living in a place with such a dark history. One resident, Henry Francois, noted, “It’s a dark, dark, strange place,” expressing his discomfort and aversion to living there.
This mansion, originally built in the 1930s, has seen its share of notable owners, from Macy’s heir Herbert N. Strauss to Victoria’s Secret mogul Les Wexner, who filled it with artwork but never lived there. Duffy, who has found success in finance and cryptocurrency, acquired the mansion after selling a penthouse in Noho.
While some neighbors say they wouldn’t mind living in a space where someone had died, they draw the line at residing in a location tied to Epstein’s horrific actions. Others, like Liz from California, echoed sentiments that living there would feel like residing in a site of tragedy, confiding that such a history leaves no room for peace.
