Feds Got Rothstein, Not Epstein.

The Epstein files have numerous documents related to $1.2 billion Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, who looked at Donald J. Trump as a role model.   

The homemade video shows billion-dollar Ponzi criminal Scott Rothstein sitting in the back of a limousine on his way to Yankee Stadium, a glass of vodka in his hand, lecturing to several children -- relatives and family friends -- who are attending the baseball game with him. 

"Here's one thing you should learn about me that's really important, everybody pays attention," Rothstein said. "If you are going to attack me in any fashion, be prepared for the counter-attack and understand that I duel with people much much smarter than you every day. Understand that the repercussions of engaging me could open the gates of hell. Understand that I am capable of evil far beyond anything your imagination could ever conjure up." 

A voice from behind the camera pipes up: "I can verify this as actual fact." The voice is that of Steve Caputi, a partner with Rothstein in the Café Iguana nightclub in Pembroke Pines and one of his closest friends "

He said, 'Listen, Trump operates the same way, the politicians operate the same way, when there's a problem you fix it," he said. "Sometimes you go outside the rules. Everybody does it, that's how it's done. That's how you get to the top." 

And Caputi rode along as Rothstein's meteoric rise began until both of them were hobnobbing with Donald Trump at his Mar-A-Lago estate. 

He said Trump was one of Rothstein's idols and Trump returned the respect in a big way one night at an event at the lavish Palm Beach spread. 

"Donald Trump puts his arm around Scott and says, 'You know, people you're looking at probably the next United States Attorney General,'" Caputi said. "And Scott's trying to look all modest, and Arlen Specter chirps in and says, 'Maybe someday a president of the United States.' And the whole room explodes with applause like the floor of a convention."

Rothstein used his ill gotten gains for influence peddling.  The perpetrator was looking at a reduced sentence (a la Jeffrey Epstein) but the government reversed their offer:

Prosecutors withdrew their motion two years ago to reduce Rothstein’s sentence based on his cooperation in the sprawling racketeering investigation because he provided “false” information and violated his plea agreement.

Sound familiar?   

Rothstein's co-conspirators were investigated, charged and convicted.  

Epstein's psychologist was the victim of a different fraud from financial advisor Donald Hardman.  He copied Epstein on communications with his attorney on settling the fraudulent debt with Regions Bank.  

Local law enforcement took an interest in the Hardman case, just as they had with Rothstein

Epstein started at $20,000 to settle a $200,000 debt plus interest.  The offer rose to $50,000.  It appears they settled on $75,000.   

Makes you wonder about Palm Beach, the new Wall Street given how many financial firms have located offices there.  

Trump II disabled white collar criminal investigatory capacity and ring fenced numerous areas as off limits for investigation.  He even appointed a white collar crime defense attorney as Ambassador to the United Nations.  

Should Trump pardon Scott Rothstein he could fulfill that Attorney General prognostication.  Pam Bondi's bombastic thugery is getting stale.

Trump II Appoints White Collar Criminal Defender to UN

Trump II appointed  attorney Todd Steggerda as United Nations Ambassador.  White House.gov posted on 2-11-26:

Todd Steggerda, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, with the rank of Ambassador.

Steggarda headed McGuire Woods Government Investigations and White Collar Litigation Group and has significant experience defending executives charged of federal crimes and coaching others how to avoid illegal actions.  

Trump II's administration neutered the government's white collar criminal investigative capacity while declaring former investigative areas "off limits."  I'll venture Steggarda's goal is to globalize the Trump white collar crime free-pass system.

Jesse wrote:

Lack of strategic vision, honor, and a sense of consequence are sorely lacking in most of our governing elites. 

 They rarely face any consequences for their incompetence and corruption, and have consequently developed a remarkably unnatural sense of life in their bubble of entitlement. 

This must be fashionable with governments these days, because there is so much of that going around. 

We learn nothing.

Trump II also appointed Karen Sessions for a plum government slot:

Karen Sessions, of Texas, to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission for a term of seven years from October 27, 2025, vice Mary T. Boyle, term expired.

Karen is the wife of Texas Representative Pete Sessions and a former Red Team candidate for Congress in Florida. 

Politicians Red & Blue love private equity underwriters (PEU) and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one.

Trump Appoints Another PEU

Trump II appointed a former tech CEO whose company had billions in private equity investment.  William Hague is the former CEO and Vice Chair of Tillman Infrastructure.  In 2022 Tillman got $1 billion from Carlyle.

The company took on more private equity loans in 2024.

Hague worked for a private equity underwriter (PEU) funded outfit until he joined Trump II's administration.  

Hague knows Carlyle, Apollo Oak Hill, HPS and Northleaf so he's a good fit for any modern administration.  Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one.

TechGod Vance Pops Off at Olympians

Former TechGod, now Vice President J.D. Vance informed Olympians they are "not there to pop off on politics."  In other words, Vance does not want or need citizen feedback.

Olympic values are Excellence, Respect and Friendship.  Vance and his boss fail at all three.  As a role model Trump II shows Olympic level lying, cheating, rudeness, insolence, impropriety, arrogance, unceasing need for ceaseless compliments from underlings and cruelty.  J.D. is the Chihuahua at his master's feet.

That Olympians are asked to reconcile the games values with Trump II's incompetence, insults and bullying, should not be a surprise.  

TechGods gave us abysmal customer service, so they've long proven their inability or lack of interest in feedback.  Vance comes from this cloth. 

Trump II's disintegration occurs before our very eyes and is due in part to his surrounding himself with sycophants like Vance and his clown car cabinet.  

J.D. and his creep boss think they can tell independent voters what to think and what to do.  Not happening.  

Insiders may not listen to the little people but many voters are tired of incumbents who can't seem to pass legislation, i.e. perform their actual job.  We'll see how many get sent home this November.  

Votes are feedback, VP. Vance so get ready to listen because an Italian Alps avalanche may be headed your way.  Get that beacon device in your backpack for you may get snowed under and need rescue.  

Recall Trump II's standing while the pharmaceutical executive fainted in the Oval Office and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy's fled the scene.  How good are you at self-rescue, Mr. Vance?  

Can you dig yourself out of a hole you placed yourself into?  

Update 2-12-26:  No surprise former TechGod Vance defended an indefensible social media posts by his boss.

“You know, the president said a staffer posted a video, he hadn’t even watched the whole thing, when he watched the whole thing he took it down,” Vance said. “It’s not a real controversy.” “Should he apologize for posting a video and then taking it down? No, I don’t think so,” 

Vance said. “I think people post things on social media and if you post something and you don’t like it, you can take it down.”

Trump II pops off politically all the time and goes much further than vanilla statements of discomfort by a few Olympians.   The athletes are uncomfortable about the number, size and scope of Trump II's pop offs.  Internet searches show Vice President Vance nearly synonymous with hypocrisy.

Lonsdale Excited about Erebor Launch

8VC Founder Joe Lonsdale celebrated the launch of Erebor Bank, recently given a national charter by Trump II's administration.

Erebor is an online bank located in Columbus, Ohio, the location of Anduril's new giant manufacturing plant.

Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey, has $850 million in economic development subsidies for their plant.  

I hope local banking is not included in the economic development impact analysis.  If it is, someone should remove that contribution.  TechGods prefer to pay fees to themselves while avoiding taxes.

Erebor is effectively the captive bank of Anduril and its more than 4,000 future employees.  Anduril sells military hardware to Uncle Sam.  Erebor was just approved by the feds.  How long before they visit the Fed or Treasury window?  

TechGods can churn taxpayer money as good as any New York City boiler shop can separate retirees from their bank accounts.

Stablecoins, anyone?  Erebor plans to have them in spades at their digital bank in Columbus with a secondary office in New York City.  Please Lord, let it be in an old boiler shop.

Trump Is

Trump II's loud, terrifying cries over the Jeffrey Epstein files include "hoax", "move on" and "you are the worst, you never smile."  

The "Just Us" Department fulfilled his two wishes, protect Trump and protect his wealthy friends.  Staff know what the boss wants, especially those who served as his personal attorney.

The White House issued a bizarre news piece yesterday "Don't be a Panican."  It is the kind of propaganda a disintegrating chief executive issues as his political ship sinks closer to the ethical bottom.  When you think Trump II cannot go any lower, he does just that.

I can see Trump II at the apex of Little Jeff's island yelling:

"Man the ego stabilizers.  Throw Kristi Noem overboard!   Prepare the pardon punch for Ghislaine.  Get the TechGods on the phone, I need more money!  Everybody's gone bananas, Obama, Obongo, Bongino....!"

Trump II is yet to recognize the fork in him.  He chose long ago who to serve and it is becoming more clear every day.  The days of blind allegiance are over for more people as each day passes.

“I think people are realizing it was all a lie. It was a big lie for the people. What MAGA is really serving in this administration, who they’re serving, is their big donors. 

“Those are the people that get the special favors. They get the government contracts, they get the pardons, or somebody they love or one of their friends gets a pardon.”” 

And those people are private equity underwriters (PEU), TechGods and other captains of industry.  Many of these people are in the Epstein files and thus need protection.  

The Lords frown upon ungrateful children who should be delighted that they were chosen for special attention.

Epstein could afford lawyers highly skilled at intimidation.

We'll see how many Lords in the files end up needing a pardon.  

Erebor: Captive Bank of Anduril

There's a new national bank in the U.S. courtesy of Trump II's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.  It's Erebor Bank.

Erebor Bank has no physical branches.  It was founded by TechGods Peter Thiel and Palmer Luckey, in part to serve Anduril's banking needs relative to their giant new Ohio manufacturing plant.  Fees, even bank fees, need to be kept within the TechGod family.    

Banking Dive reported Erebor Bank will cater to:

start-ups and high-net-worth individuals within the cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, defense and manufacturing sectors.

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), now bankrupt, catered to:

technology, life science/healthcare, and venture capital industries, serving as a specialized financial partner for startups, private equity firms, and their founders (wealthy).

Add a smattering of crypto to that SVB client mix.  Sounds like Erebor is targeting the same clientele.  

Peter Thiel wouldn't make a run on his own Bank of the TechGods.  Would he?  

Masking "advanced autonomous banking" with Hobbit lore should make any financial professional nervous.  

From SVB to Synapse, TechGods don't have a sterling reputation in the banking sector.  They do know how to convince politicians to give them new lanes of business to disrupt.  Erebor Bank is one of these.

Before one makes an Erebor deposit one should consider the source and who you might be banking alongside:

Evil is as evil does in the hallowed halls of power.