Epstein was a sociopathic pedophile who realized the simplest way for him to get rich - and stay "safe" - was to blackmail powerful people with life-destroying material
And he just did that for two decades while pretending to run a hedge fund
Epstein was a partner at Bear Stearns so he had some cash and would have had easy access to marks in high society
The idea that he would have been "bankrolled" by shadowy interests is silly
Great minds etc