Steve Cohen and The Epstein Files

If you type in the name “Steve Cohen” into the Epstein Files database, you get 113 matches. While there are several Steve Cohens in the world, a majority of the 113 obviously refer to Steven A. Cohen, majority owner of the New York Mets. It remains unclear if Cohen ever had any sort of relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, or if he ever encountered him in person, but Epstein definitely knew who Cohen was and, as you will read, ran in the same finance and art collecting circles as the hedge-fund manager. I asked Cohen via DM on X if he knew Epstein. He has yet to respond. 

Chronologically, the first mention of Steve Cohen is from 2001, when a Steve Cohen left a message to one of Epstein’s lawyers, Jeffrey Schantz, to “please call” him.

In 2003, Epstein sent a Steve Cohen in New Rochelle, NY a FedEx package weighing exactly five pounds.

On April 5, 2005, a Steve Cohen sent Jeffrey Epstein a message to, once again, please call him. 

In 2010, publicist Peggy Siegal asked Epstein, “Do you know Steve Cohen? I do not.”

In 2012, a man named Todd Meister emailed one of Epstein’s personal assistants, Leslie Groff, giving advice for Epstein on investing through reinsurance. Meister claimed he brought the idea to Steve Cohen at SAC “who is moving forward with it.” 

On March 30, 2013, Epstein wrote to his accountant Richard Kern, “I [always] forget the name of the guy from steve cohen that tried to sell us that health strategy”.

On June 30, 2013, Epstein emailed Meister himself, warning him not be seen “in conflict” with certain people, including Cohen.

Less than a month later, a redacted individual asked Epstein to give him some news about finance because he had only been reading about politics lately. Epstein responded, “the prosectuiotn of steve cohen, they charged him wiht money lauderning in addtino to inside trading”.

On August 17, 2014, Epstein shot an email to Bill Gates. He asked Gates if he knew or would like to know a bunch of people, including Steve Cohen.

In 2015, Peter Attia asked Epstein if he knew hedge fund manager Jim Simons. In response, Epstein said “steve cohen took 50 1”. Attia responded, “What? 50% of AUM and only 1% of returns, or the reverse?” Epstein didn’t answer.

In 2016, Epstein’s business affairs manager Brad Wechsler recommended a man named Joe Vinciguerra for an unidentified job with Epstein. Vinciguerra was described as “the #2 family tax person in Steve Cohen's Family Office.” Vinciguerra would ultimately decline the job offer, citing in part that he had “loyalty” to Cohen. 

Also that year, Richard Kahn asked Epstein if he had seen the new Showtime show Billions. “Believe it is a take on your neighbor Lutnick and or Steve Cohen vs [Preet] Bharara”

In 2017, a woman named Heather Gray told Kahn that she spoke to private equity investor and art collector Leon Black, who told Gray that Steve Cohen thought an unidentified Giacometti sculpture was “great” but “it wasn’t for him.”  This is interesting, because Cohen at that point had already purchased two Alberto Giacometti sculptures for a combined $242.3 million. Also of note: Leon Black would later funnel money to Epstein as part of a tax scheme involving the selling of a Giacometti sculpture to Epstein. 

In an email to Black on August 9, 2017, Epstein attached a trip schedule from the year prior, writing in the body of the email, “no need , and silly to have names. just moe info for somenone to abuse and useless to you . joe said steve cohen had only a net jet share, . to give the corrent answer i have asked for many numbers and charts. joe said ,he was suprised”.

A month later, Kahn sent Epstein a link to an article about Steve Cohen trying to sell his duplex penthouse at One Beacon Court. (He would ultimately sell it four years later.)

And then there’s the photo. It’s of Cohen and a person whose face is blacked out. It’s unknown when the picture was taken, or where. A reverse image search didn’t turn up anything. 

Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. will all be “slow played” and not start in Grapefruit League games at first, according to Carlos Mendoza. The Mets had done this the previous couple of years with Brandon Nimmo to potentially prevent injuries before they happen, which kinda worked? Alvy got severely banged up last year and is the starting catcher, so he’ll be given extra time to prepare. Baty tweaked his left hamstring two weeks ago, so he won’t be working on his outfield skills until that’s all fixed (he was seen working out at second base yesterday.) Polanco had surgery a year and a half ago and is on the older side of things. The Mets think Robert’s health issues can be resolved by strengthening his lower half. 

According to Mark Rosenman of Kiner’s Korner, he was an eyewitness at camp to Met hitters challenging a bunch of strike calls…and they were mostly wrong. Rosenman also wrote that Juan Soto seems more relaxed this spring compared to last.

In a sweet AMA, Jonah Tong claimed Clay Holmes would win a team arm wrestling contest. Did not expect that.

Starting this season, MLB Gameday will have a five-second delay and the game broadcasts will have a nine-second delay so teams can’t cheat with the new ABS challenge system by seeing where the pitch was.

It looks like the Puerto Rico vs. Columbia WBC match-up to begin Pool A play will be a pitching showdown between two old chums: Seth Lugo vs. Jose Quintana.

John Harper wrote about Carson Benge. He talked to scouts who like what they see when he hits.

After a Met fan told Luke Weaver he made the right choice leaving the Yankees for the Mets, Weaver said, "I'm going to strongly agree with you right now.” 

Luis Robert was surprised he was traded so late in the offseason. He had already sent some of his equipment to Arizona at White Sox camp. 

The big news around baseball yesterday was Tony Clark resigning as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. An internal investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law. Clark was already the subject of two other investigations of wrongdoing. This is seemingly a blow to the players. The MLB collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on December 1st, and the owners want blood.

You can now apply to sing the national anthem at a Brooklyn Cyclones game this season. Tell ‘em The Mets Newsletter sent ya. Or don’t. 

Shawn Estes turns 53 years old today. Estes will always be the Met pitcher who tried to plunk Roger Clemens and missed, but then homered off of him.