Picture this: In 2004, Mortimer Zuckerman—the sharp-minded billionaire who owned the New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report—inked a high-stakes deal with Jeffrey Epstein to bankroll Radar magazine, putting real money behind the disgraced financier’s vision for pop culture stardom. They were equal partners in a bold media gamble, rubbing shoulders in New York’s elite circles.
But the shock hits harder now: Zuckerman’s name appears repeatedly in Epstein’s world—from entries in the infamous little black book, to contributing a cheeky, satirical letter in Epstein’s 2003 birthday album joking about “vital statistics” and fake origins, to emails and social overlaps in a lost era of Manhattan power players.
This media mogul, a fixture in philanthropy and publishing, stayed connected through elite networks long before Epstein’s crimes exploded into public view.
What drew Zuckerman into Epstein’s orbit—and what, if anything, did he know about the shadows lurking beneath?
In 2004, Mortimer Zuckerman—the billionaire media magnate who owned the New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report—teamed up with Jeffrey Epstein in a high-profile media venture. The two became equal partners in financing Radar magazine, a glossy pop-culture title founded by Maer Roshan that aimed to blend irreverent celebrity coverage with literate takes on politics and style. They committed up to $25 million to relaunch the publication after its test issues, with the first under new ownership slated for spring 2005. Zuckerman praised Roshan as uniquely suited to capture young, urban tastemakers, while Epstein, the enigmatic financier, brought capital and ambition to the table. The partnership extended from earlier failed bids, including a consortium’s unsuccessful attempt to buy New York magazine in 2003.
The venture proved short-lived. Radar folded after just three issues in December 2005, with Zuckerman and Epstein citing a tough advertising climate and lack of traction. Some reports speculated Zuckerman distanced himself upon learning more about Epstein’s legal troubles—Epstein’s 2005-2006 Florida investigation was brewing—but the official line remained economic.
The connection ran deeper. Zuckerman’s name appears in Epstein’s infamous “little black book,” the leaked 97-page elite contact directory seized in probes, listing multiple phone numbers and addresses tied to the media mogul’s New York world. This Rolodex captured Epstein’s vast network of influential figures, from billionaires to politicians, often annotated for quick access.
Even more revealing: in Epstein’s 2003 50th birthday album—a leather-bound, three-volume scrapbook compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell—Zuckerman contributed a satirical letter. In a cheeky, faux-journalistic style, he claimed an “extensive search” of the New York Daily News archives uncovered “vital statistics” on Epstein, humorously fabricating that he was born in Liechtenstein, had a wife and three children, and other absurd details. The entry, released publicly in 2025 by the House Oversight Committee alongside contributions from figures like Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Leon Black, and Alan Dershowitz, placed Zuckerman in the “friends” section of Epstein’s inner circle. The album mixed bawdy jokes, drawings, and tributes, reflecting a pre-scandal era of playful elite banter.
What drew Zuckerman into Epstein’s orbit? As a sharp-minded publisher, philanthropist, and real-estate tycoon (via Boston Properties), Zuckerman thrived in Manhattan’s overlapping circles of finance, media, and high society. Epstein, with his aura of Wall Street wizardry and connections to billionaires like Leslie Wexner, positioned himself as a connector and investor. Their Radar deal likely stemmed from shared social scenes—Palm Beach, New York fundraisers, or mutual acquaintances—where money and influence mingled freely. Zuckerman’s involvement appeared business-driven: he had a track record of savvy media bets, like his profitable Fast Company investment.
Yet questions linger about what Zuckerman knew of Epstein’s shadows. No public evidence links him to Epstein’s crimes, which exploded publicly in 2019. Zuckerman, a fixture in Jewish philanthropy and Democratic circles, maintained distance post-2005. Still, the black book entries, joint investments, and birthday contribution paint a portrait of proximity in a lost era of unchecked elite networking—where ambition, humor, and secrecy intertwined before scandal forced reckoning.
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