Epstein, Richardson, Zorro Ranch And the $80 Million Question
Jeffrey Epstein did not just orbit presidents and princes. Newly resurfaced email records show he maintained direct scheduling access to the office of former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson years after his 2008 sex offense conviction. The communications, combined with longstanding allegations about Epstein’s Zorro Ranch and the controversial 2008 lottery win tied to his trust, raise renewed questions about power, access, and optics in a state where Epstein held extraordinary influence. This is what the records actually show and what they don’t.
The Governor and the Financier: What the Emails Document
Emails dated 2010 through 2013 show staff from the Office of Governor Bill Richardson coordinating directly with Epstein’s assistant and longtime associate Leslie Groff.
The records reflect:
• Scheduling discussions about lunches in Santa Fe
• References to meetings at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch
• Attempts to coordinate travel logistics, including potential use of Epstein’s plane
• Mentions of Robert Redford and Woody Allen in proposed social gatherings
• A 2010 note arranging boat transport and driver pickup for the governor
One 2013 exchange states:
“The Gov must return to NYC very early on Thursday, and the only way he can get there is if Jeffrey does this flight for Gov.”
Another shows Richardson’s staff confirming Epstein would be at his Santa Fe ranch August 9–22, 2013, and exploring whether a lunch could be arranged around that schedule. There is no mention in the emails of criminal activity, minors, or misconduct. They document coordination, access, and social engagement. But context matters.
By 2010–2013, Epstein had already pleaded guilty in Florida (2008) to solicitation charges involving a minor and was a registered sex offender. His conviction was public record. The question is not whether these emails prove wrongdoing by Richardson. They do not. The question is why a sitting governor maintained private contact with, and considered travel arrangements involving, a convicted sex offender with known wealth, power, and a controversial reputation. Richardson has previously denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
Zorro Ranch: Allegations and Unproven Claims
Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in Stanley, New Mexico, roughly 30 miles from Santa Fe, has long been one of the most mysterious properties in his portfolio. Spanning approximately 7,000+ acres, the compound reportedly included:
• Multiple residences
• A main lodge
• An observatory style temple structure
• Guest quarters
• High security infrastructure
Former employees and litigants have alleged that Zorro Ranch was used for private gatherings involving powerful guests. More explosive are claims that surfaced in various documents and interviews suggesting:
• Allegations of buried victims on or near the property
• Claims that two “foreign girls” were buried following fatal incidents
These claims have not been proven in court. No confirmed bodies have been publicly recovered at Zorro Ranch. Law enforcement searches have not yielded publicly verified forensic findings confirming such allegations. That distinction is critical. The ranch remains controversial. It was listed for sale in 2021 for $27.5 million and sold in 2023 under a new name: San Rafael Ranch.
What is established:
• Epstein used the ranch as a secluded private compound.
• It offered greater isolation than his U.S. Virgin Islands property.
• Powerful political and cultural figures were invited there.
What is not established:
• That murders occurred there.
• That trafficking routes near the U.S. Mexico border were directly connected to the property.
• That any burial claims have been substantiated.
Responsible reporting requires that line.
The $80 Million Powerball Win: Coincidence or Optics Nightmare?
In July 2008, weeks after Epstein entered jail in Florida, Zorro Trust, the entity tied to his New Mexico ranch, won an $80 million Powerball jackpot. After taxes, the payout was approximately $29.3 million.
Key facts:
• The trust, not Epstein personally, claimed the prize.
• The trustee signing documents was ranch manager Brice Gordon.
• The drawing was part of a multistate Powerball system.
• There is no official finding of fraud tied to that drawing.
Still, the optics are extraordinary. A recently convicted sex offender with political connections in the state wins a massive lottery jackpot tied to property where he entertained elites. That coincidence alone fuels speculation. There is no evidence that the New Mexico Lottery was rigged for Epstein. Powerball drawings in 2008 used mechanical ball systems under audit. Rigging such a drawing would require coordinated insider manipulation and multi-level complicity. No investigation has produced evidence of that.
But the larger question persists:
Why was Epstein, already a public scandal, still socially connected at the highest levels in a state where his trust simultaneously hit a historic jackpot? The lottery win itself may be statistically random. The perception problem is not.
Influence, Access, and Political Judgment
Epstein’s post-conviction access to power is one of the most disturbing through-lines of his story.
He maintained relationships with:
• Former presidents
• Billionaires
• Academics
• Scientists
• Politicians
The Richardson emails fit into a broader pattern: Epstein was not socially exiled after 2008. He continued to move within elite circles. The existence of scheduling discussions and potential travel coordination does not prove criminal complicity. But it underscores something more systemic: Epstein’s wealth insulated him. Registered sex offender status did not prevent him from hosting governors, cultural icons, and political figures at a remote New Mexico compound. That is not conspiracy theory. That is documented access.
What We Know And What Remains Unanswered
Established:
• Emails show coordination between Richardson’s office and Epstein’s associates.
• Epstein’s trust won an $80 million Powerball jackpot in New Mexico in 2008.
• Zorro Ranch was used as a private gathering location for influential guests.
Unproven:
• That Richardson engaged in wrongdoing related to Epstein.
• That the Powerball drawing was manipulated.
• That burial allegations at Zorro Ranch have been verified.
Open Questions Worth Investigating:
• Why were formal ethics or vetting concerns not publicly raised in Richardson’s office post-2008?
• Were state security resources ever used in connection with Epstein visits?
• Were additional financial reviews conducted after the lottery win?
• Who ultimately purchased Zorro Ranch and under what structure?
The Bigger Story
Epstein’s story is not just about sex trafficking. It is about how power shields itself. The Zorro Ranch emails and the Powerball win are not smoking guns. They are data points in a larger portrait: a man convicted of exploiting minors who retained access to political leadership and extraordinary financial privilege. The system may not have been “rigged” in the lottery machine. But the system was undeniably permissive in who it allowed into its highest rooms. And that, more than the jackpot, is the story that still demands answers.
