Fox News Flash top headlines for August 16
Fox News Flash top headlines for August 16 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com
A large painting of former President Bill Clinton wearing a blue dress similar to that of Monica Lewinsky’s and red heels was found hanging in the New York City mansion of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who recently died in an apparent suicide, according to several reports.
A woman who visited Epstein’s mansion before his July arrest on sex-trafficking charges told the New York Post the large painting was inside the home in Manhattan, a block away from Central Park. She also recalled seeing a mannequin of a woman wearing a wedding dress hanging from the ceiling above the staircase inside the residence.
TRUMP RETWEETS POST IMPLYING BILL CLINTON BEHIND JEFFREY EPSTEIN’S DEATH
“It was hanging up there prominently — as soon as you walked in — in a room to the right,” the unidentified source told the Post. “Everybody who saw it laughed and smirked.”
“It was hanging up there prominently — as soon as you walked in — in a room to the right. Everybody who saw it laughed and smirked.”
The portrait, dubbed “Sparring Clinton,” was created seven years ago by an Australian satirical artist based in New York City as part of her master’s thesis at the New York Academy of Art.
Petrina Ryan-Kleid told the Post her school sold the painting of Clinton at a fundraiser at the Tribecca Ball in 2012 to one of the attendees. She said she never found out who purchased it.
It remained unclear if Epstein attended the fundraiser and how he acquired the piece of art.
“As with most of my paintings, I had completely lost track of this piece when it was sold seven years ago. So it was a complete surprise to me to learn yesterday that it wound up in Epstein’s home,” Ryan-Kleid said in a statement to the Post.
Epstein was found hanging inside his Manhattan jail cell, officials confirmed Saturday. He reportedly had been taken off suicide watch and was on “special observation” when he was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Federal investigators raided Epstein’s Manhattan mansion to search for evidence that could corroborate claims the financier ran a prostitution ring of underage girls from the residence located a block away from Central Park.
Another unnamed source, reportedly a hedge fund manager, told the Post he had visited Epstein’s mansion to pitch investment strategies to the multimillionaire.
A $5.9 million painting was hung on the wall of the mansion’s home office. A taxidermied tiger and a poodle were also in the room, according to the source, who snapped photos of the home office when he was admitted by house staff.
Both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump were photographed partying with Epstein in the 1990s. Recently released private flight logs show Clinton, who was Epstein’s friend, rode on Epstein’s private jet, the Post reported.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The FBI continues to investigate Epstein’s death. The Manhattan jail’s warden was replaced pending the results of the investigation after it was found jailers failed to carry out rigorous protocols put in place to monitor inmates on special watch.
Conspiracy theories have circulated online surrounding Epstein's apparent suicide, including some that imply former President Bill Clinton was linked to Epstein's death.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj and Sam Dorman contributed to this report.
More from Politics
