Meet the millionaire buying Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side home
The seven-story limestone mansion at 9 East 71st Street changed hands in March 2021 when former Goldman Sachs executive Michael D. Daffey closed on the former Jeffrey Epstein residence for $51 million. The purchase marked a notable transaction on one of Manhattan’s most exclusive blocks, and the new owner signaled early plans to overhaul both the physical structure and its lingering associations.
Architectural Heritage and Design
Built in 1932 as the Herbert N. Straus House, the property was designed by Horace Trumbauer in a Beaux-Arts and French Renaissance Revival style. The roughly 28,000-square-foot residence spans seven stories and includes ten bedrooms and fifteen bathrooms. Its location just off Fifth Avenue places it among the most prestigious addresses in Manhattan, a pedigree that predates its later notoriety by decades.
Buyer Background and Investment Thesis
Daffey, an Australian native, served as chairman of Goldman Sachs’ global markets division before retiring around the time of the purchase. He had also realized substantial gains from bitcoin holdings. His spokesperson told the New York Post that Daffey had never entered the house or met its prior owner, yet he remained convinced of New York’s long-term prospects even as others questioned the city’s trajectory. The move from London with his wife reflected a deliberate bet on the market rather than any personal connection to the property’s recent past.
A new beginning
The $51 million price represented a steep discount from the original $88 million asking figure. Purchase documents show the transaction closed in March 2021, with proceeds directed to a restitution fund administered by Epstein’s estate for victims. Daffey remains the recorded owner as of 2025, and the planned relocation and renovation have since been completed.
Just in time for Spring cleaning
At the time of sale the mansion stood completely empty, with no furnishings or personal items left behind. Daffey executed a $925,000 renovation that concluded in 2024 or 2025. Work included partial demolition of an interior space previously associated with Epstein and removal of a brass “JE” element from the facade. City records and subsequent reporting confirm the alterations were structural as well as cosmetic, aligning with the earlier pledge of a full physical and spiritual reset.
Renovation Completion and Current Status
Post-renovation coverage notes that the updated residence has hosted private events under Daffey’s ownership. The work addressed both mechanical systems and finishes, producing a refreshed interior while preserving the building’s limestone exterior. Ownership records show no further transfers, indicating the property continues in private hands five years after the initial acquisition.
A steal
Top brokers described the $51 million figure as roughly half the value the mansion might have commanded under different circumstances. At under $2,000 per square foot in some analyses, the purchase stood out against comparable Upper East Side properties. Broker Dolly Lenz observed that many prospective buyers declined to tour the house because of its history, yet Daffey treated the acquisition as a long-term investment. The completed renovation and continued private ownership suggest the calculated risk has so far held.
Ongoing Public Perception and Stigma
Contemporary reporting recorded that several high-profile international buyers passed on the listing outright. Recent 2025 coverage of the renovation still references the property’s association with past abuse, confirming that the stigma has not entirely faded in public discourse. Daffey proceeded anyway, betting that time and physical changes would eventually separate the address from its earlier chapter.
