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Mr. Hoffenberg, the 77-year-old former business associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted of operating one of the largest Ponzis in United States history, was discovered dead at his home in Connecticut.
“A subsequent dental record comparison is underway to make an identification and subsequent notifications to appropriate next of kin,” police said in a statement.
Hoffenberg was facing up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in 2013.
The cause of death is unknown, but Hoffenberg’s attorney, Michael Bachner, said it was “untimely and unexpected.”
Bachner also said that Hoffenberg had been cooperating with authorities in an ongoing investigation into Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking ring.
“I am deeply saddened by the untimely and unexpected death of my client, Steven Hoffenberg,” Bachner said in a statement.
“Steve was a kind and gentle man who was loved by all who knew him. He dedicated his life to helping others, and he will be deeply missed.”
Hoffenberg had been convicted of running a $460 million Ponzi scheme in the 1990s, and while he was never charged for his role in Epstein’s strategy, he had said he told authorities about Epstein.
“There’s no question that I told them. It makes no sense that they didn’t charge him,” Hoffenberg told The New York Times in 2018.
Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019, and he died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial. His death sparked outrage and conspiracy theories, with many wondering if Epstein had been murdered to prevent him from revealing damaging information about influential people.
Hoffenberg’s death is likely to add fuel to those theories, as it comes just days after Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested on charges of sex trafficking. Maxwell has been accused of procuring girls for Epstein to abuse, and she has denied any wrongdoing.
Towers Financial Corporation, founded by Hoffenberg in 1985, has been the leading debt collection agency in New York. In the late 1980s, he engaged Epstein to assist him at Towers.
“He was my best friend for years. My closest friend for years. He was my guy, my wingman,” Hoffenberg said.
“He appeared to be brilliant, extraordinarily gifted, and talented in convincing people to buy from him. And a criminal mastermind,” Hoffenberg said of Epstein.
“He knew many people in the brokerage business that sold securities, and they gave him access to investors.”
He was close friends with Epstein for years and even referred to him as his “wingman.”
The two men were involved in several businesses together, including a now-defunct print magazine called Trump Style.
Hoffenberg pleaded guilty in 1996 to federal charges of bilking investors out of $460 million. He served 13 years in prison and was released in 2009.
Epstein, 66, was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Following the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell, another alleged madam and Epstein’s former girlfriend, on charges of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in unlawful sex acts, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of perjury, Hoffenberg’s death came as no surprise.
Authorities have not released any information about the cause of Hoffenberg’s death.
