Jeffrey Epstein trust listed New Zealand man Brice Gordon for US$2m days before sex offender’s death

Jeffrey Epstein's private island, Little St James, in the US Virgin Islands.

A New Zealand man who worked for Jeffrey Epstein was listed to receive US$2 million just two days before the sex offender died in federal jail.

A 32-page trust document released as part of the Department of Justice Epstein Files sets out intended payments from the trust to distribute his vast estate.

Nothing in the trust documents suggests the man was involved in offending, and they are not accused of any wrongdoing.

Dated August 8, 2019, two days before Epstein died by suicide, it says it amends and restates an earlier 2019 trust and renames it ‘The 1953 Trust’.

It listed US$100 million for a woman described by overseas media as his girlfriend at the time.

Ghislaine Maxwell was listed to receive US$10m, and Epstein’s personal lawyer and in-house accountant were among the other main beneficiaries.

The convicted sex offender’s staff make up many of the other beneficiaries, among them long-time employee, New Zealander Brice Gordon.

Item 29 of the trust document states: “to BRICE GORDON, if he survives me, Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000).”

What we know about Brice and Karen Gordon

Gordon and his wife Karen are from New Zealand, and worked for Epstein for many years managing his properties.

The Herald has been unable to reach the couple and has not confirmed where they are currently living.

The NZDF has confirmed a Brice M Gordon served in the Army from the late 1970s to the late 1980s, and a Karen L Gordon served in the Navy from 1980 1989.

Public records show the Gordons lived in Waiouru during their time in the military, before moving to Dunedin in the 1990s.

The pair worked as property managers at Epstein’s New Mexico Ranch, living there at various times between the early 2010s and Epstein’s 2019 death, according to now-public documents.

They are now known to have also spent time managing his Caribbean Island, the Herald revealed.

Relatives contacted by the Herald said the pair have been living in the US, but each said they have not been in touch with them for decades.

One man who met the couple through a mutual friend while travelling in the US in early 2024 said they had been spending their time off-road camping.

The couple’s connection to Epstein was alluded to during his visit, the man claimed, “but they didn’t want to discuss it, and nor should they”.

Property records show a person named Brice M Gordon has historical property interests in Auckland, Dunedin and Queenstown.

That person also had interests in two businesses removed from the companies register in 2012 and 2013.

Unsealed investigation files into Epstein contain thousands of mentions of the Gordons, with documents detailing years of communication between them and Epstein.

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.