Epstein Backed Coinbase in Crypto Exchange’s Early Years (1)

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made an early investment in crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc., years after he was charged by state authorities in Florida and served time in jail there.

Epstein invested around $3 million into the platform in 2014 through a US Virgin Islands-based entity called IGO Company LLC, according to emails released by the Department of Justice.

Six years earlier, Epstein had pleaded guilty to two prostitution charges in state court. He then served 13 months of an 18-month sentence.

The deal was brokered on his behalf by Brock Pierce, a cryptocurrency billionaire and former ...