An Australian man running for mayor in Massachusetts is facing a unique problem due to comparisons to the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, because of his name. Geoffrey Epstein, who goes by “Geoff,” however, has said that he wasn’t afraid of the homophonic resemblance of his name to the notorious sex trafficker.
“That other one is a dead American, and I am a live Aussie. But, of course, there is all the horrifying criminality and darkness of the other guy. I have lived my life trying to be straight up and improving things,” Epstein, who is seeking office in Framingham, told HuffPost.
The aspiring politician has said that he does not intend to change his name to avoid association with Epstein. “I like my name and I am proud of my family,” he said, adding that his family fought in World War II. The Australian man, who was born on September 11, holds a PhD in theoretical physics.
In 2024, another politician, a New York State Assemblyman named Harvey Epstein, faced a similar controversy over his name, which is similar to that of Jeffrey Epstein, as well as convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein.
"Your name is your name. It is what it is. Both [Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein] are horrific,” the politician had said.
{{/usCountry}}"Your name is your name. It is what it is. Both [Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein] are horrific,” the politician had said.
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