EPSTEIN MET WITH NYDFS'S BEN LAWSKY DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BITCOIN AND CRYPTO REGULATION, KNOWN AS THE BITLICENSE According to emails in the DOJ files, Jeffrey Epstein met with New York Superintendent of Financial Services Ben Lawsky in 2014. At the time, Lawsky was developing the BitLicense for the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). The BitLicense was the first major Bitcoin regulation established in the U.S., albeit at the state level. The regulation was heavily criticized by the young Bitcoin industry, and some companies avoided the state because of it. For example, some companies put notices on their websites stating that their services were not available to those living in Iran, North Korea, and New York. Following his time at the NYDFS, Lawsky was involved with the industry he regulated while at the department. He was on the Board of Directors at Ripple for a number of years, and another firm, NYDIG, received a BitLicense nine months after Lawsky joined it. In one email, Epstein claimed Lawsky should implement some sort of pro-bitcoin tax policy in New York. Blockstream co-founder (and then CEO) Austin Hill also asked Epstein for advice on an industry petition related to the BitLicense.

Also found an email forwarded to Epstein that appears to be an explainer on NYDIG during a time the fund was raising money. Lawsky is touted as the creator of the BitLicense and their Head of Regulatory Affairs.