Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden has positioned himself as a crusader for Epstein accountability, but newly released Justice Department documents reveal an uncomfortable family connection to the convicted sex offender.
According to the New York Post, emails from April 2016 show that Wyden's son Adam—who runs the private investment fund ADW Capital—arranged a business meeting with Jeffrey Epstein at the financier's Manhattan townhouse. The introduction came through mutual acquaintance Jonathan Farkas, who messaged Adam that Epstein "manages 5 billion" and wanted to review his investment record.
After their April 28, 2016 meeting, the younger Wyden sent a follow-up email describing himself and Epstein as "like minded individuals" and expressing hope that the disgraced financier would invest in his fund. "I live and breathe this business and take my returns, integrity and reputation quite seriously," Adam Wyden wrote, attempting to secure Epstein as a client. This meeting occurred seven years after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to soliciting prostitution from a minor in Florida.
Senator Wyden has spent four years pushing for Treasury Department releases of Suspicious Activity Reports on Epstein's finances, calling in a July floor speech to "follow the money" on the "ultra rich well-connected sex trafficker." When asked about his son's business dealings, the senator told the Post: "I don't speak to my kids about their business activities. My investigation began four years ago and continues unchanged."
Republicans quickly seized on the revelation. RNC spokesperson Nick Poche demanded Wyden "come clean right now about how much his family gained financially from Jeffrey Epstein and his connections," accusing the senator of using Trump attacks to deflect from family ties. Adam Wyden, now 41, declined to comment when contacted by reporters.
