Who was Steven Hoffenberg? Jeffrey Epstein associate found dead in Connecticut apartment

Disgraced American businessman and one of Jeffrey Epstein's close friends, Steven Hoffenberg, was found dead at the age of 77 in his apartment. Hoffenberg's decomposed body was discovered at his Connecticut apartment on August 23, 2022 after authorities did a wellness check upon a concerned friend's call.

As of now, the cause of death is unknown but authorities told the Daily Mail that no visible signs of trauma were seen on his body.

Reports also suggest that Steven Hoffenberg's corpse was found in a state of severe decomposition. Authorities believe that he had been dead for at least a week. Although all records suggest that it was the businessman's body, a medical examiner is analyzing his dental records to make an official identification.

A Derby Police Department spokesman told the New York Post:

“Every indication is that it is Mr. Hoffenberg. There’s nothing to suggest that it isn’t. We believe it’s him. We’re just waiting for dental records.”

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Steven Hoffenberg was the mentor to sex offender Jeffery Epstein

Steven Hoffenberg rose to infamy in 1990s for running one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history at Towers Financial Corp. with Epstein. This duped at least 200 people of as much as $500 million.

He spent 18 years in jail for his actions and came out a changed person in 2013. Moreover, from January to March 1993, Hoffenberg was The Post's court-appointed manager, saving the newspaper from bankruptcy. However, workers revolted against Hoffenberg, and he was ultimately succeeded by Abe Hirschfeld as the manager.

In 2019, Steven Hoffenberg told The Washington Post that Epstein was the architect behind the scam for which he spent years in jail. He said:

"I thought Jeffrey was the best hustler on two feet. Talent, charisma, genius, criminal mastermind. We had a thing that could make a lot of money. We called it Ponzi."

In his last days, Hoffenberg lived alone in an apartment in Derby, Connecticut. His concerned friend, identified as Maria Farmer, also told authorities that Steven contracted the Omicron variant of the coronavirus last month and was unable to recover.

While speaking with the Daily Beast, Farmer said:

“He was family to me. I loved him. He would never allow me to do anything for him (financially). He only wanted to do for others. He said, ‘Maria I’m spending the rest of my life on this earth helping people.’"

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Jeffery Epstein was a financier who was convicted in July 2019 on charges of child sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. He was found hanging a month later in a New York prison cell while awaiting trial for the accusations.

However, Steven Hoffenberg isn't the only close colleague of Epstein who passed away. French modeling scout Jean-Luc Brunel was found hanging in a Paris prison cell in February 2022. Brunel was awaiting his trial on charges of s*x**l harassment and r*p**g minors.