General Discussion

It’s all over X, so I checked AI to make sure it was true!!!

IA -July 2008, a Powerball jackpot drawing (July 2, 2008) had an advertised annuity value of around $85 million (cash option roughly $41–42 million pre-tax). The winning ticket was sold at a convenience store in Altus, Oklahoma (not New Mexico, despite some misreports). The prize was claimed by an entity called the Zorro Trust, which opted for the lump-sum cash payout and received approximately $29.3 million after taxes in August 2008.

This Zorro Trust is the same legal entity Epstein used for various holdings, including donations in New Mexico and ownership/management ties to his Zorro Ranch (the ~10,000-acre property in Stanley, New Mexico). Contemporary news reports from outlets like The Oklahoman (August 2008) confirmed the trust as the winner, with Brice Gordon (Epstein's longtime ranch manager) signing as trustee for the payout. The trust structure allowed anonymity under lottery rules at the time.

The timing is suspicious to many: Epstein had just begun his controversial 13-month Florida jail sentence (starting late June 2008, with work-release privileges), following his 2008 plea deal. Conspiracy theories online suggest this was not legitimate luck but a form of money laundering, rigged draw, blackmail payout, or hidden funding mechanism—especially given Epstein's unexplained wealth sources and the ranch's alleged role in his crimes.