Stephen P. Hanson is a prominent New York City restaurateur who founded BR Guest Hospitality in 1987, building one of the city's largest restaurant groups with properties including Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos, Ruby Foo's, and STK. The archive documents 6,131 emails between Hanson and Jeffrey Epstein spanning from 2009 to 2019, revealing a sustained personal and business relationship. Hanson regularly met with Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse, sought his advice on business matters including a troubled hotel-restaurant venture, and provided Epstein access to his Hamptons residence. Epstein referred to Hanson as "one of my closest friends" in a 2014 introduction. The correspondence shows Hanson consulting Epstein on financial decisions, regulatory compliance, and business disputes through the Life Hotel project from 2017-2018, with Epstein acting as an advisor and mediator in Hanson's conflicts with business partners.
Background#
Stephen P. Hanson was born circa 1950 in New Rochelle, New York, and graduated from New York University's Stern School of Business in 1976. He began his restaurant career in the early 1970s as a maître d' at the original TGI Friday's before launching BR Guest Inc. in 1987 with the opening of Coconut Grill on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Over the following two decades, Hanson built BR Guest into one of New York's dominant restaurant empires, operating high-profile establishments including Blue Water Grill, Atlantic Grill, Fiamma, and multiple locations of Dos Caminos.
In 2007, Hanson sold 50% of BR Guest to Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Capital Group in a transaction valued around $150 million. Hanson left BR Guest entirely in 2013. He returned to the restaurant business in 2017 as an investor and operator in the Life Hotel project, a boutique hotel conversion of the historic Life magazine building at 19 West 31st Street in Herald Square, in partnership with developer David Mitchell. The hotel featured a restaurant called Henry, which Hanson operated until its closure in early 2018 amid financial difficulties and disputes with Mitchell.
Hanson was named Restaurateur of the Year by Bon Appétit magazine in 2003. No existing reporting has documented his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein prior to the 2026 release of Justice Department files, though The Guardian reported in February 2026 that Hanson sent relationship advice to a woman connected to Epstein's circle, instructing her how to manage a romantic situation involving Kimbal Musk. Hanson has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Correspondence with Epstein#
The archive contains 6,131 emails between Hanson and Epstein from 2009 through 2019, with Hanson as sender in 2,749 messages and recipient in 3,098. The correspondence reveals a close personal friendship and business advisory relationship that intensified during Hanson's Life Hotel venture from 2017-2018.
The earliest documented interactions date to 2009-2010, when Epstein helped place Story Cowles in a position with Hanson's organization. By November 2010, the two were coordinating social activities, including Boris Nikolic's party for Sam Altchek, where Hanson expressed skepticism about Epstein's attendance. Hanson arranged a lunch meeting between Epstein, Joe Pagano, and himself at Bill's Burgers in November 2010, with Epstein seated next to Andrew Farkas.
From 2010 through 2014, the emails document regular meetings and social coordination. Hanson attended multiple Tribeca Ball charity events as Epstein's guest, with his name appearing on Epstein's table alongside Karyna Shuliak and David Blaine in April 2014. In January 2014, Hanson was invited to a dinner at Epstein's townhouse with Woody Allen, Soon-Yi Previn, Tim and Nina Zagat, and Martin Nowak.
In November 2014, Epstein introduced Hanson to attorney Bruce Moskowitz, describing Hanson as "one of my closest friends" and providing contact information while both were in Palm Beach.
The correspondence became more frequent and substantive during 2017-2018 as Hanson navigated serious difficulties with the Life Hotel project. In April 2018, Hanson and Epstein engaged in an extended exchange about the New York WARN Act, with Hanson explaining his need to close the Henry restaurant before triggering mass layoff notification requirements. When Epstein challenged Hanson's legal advice, asking "Where are you getting this advice", Hanson detailed his calculations showing he had 44 employees and was "just under the wire on time" to avoid the law's six-month employment threshold.
Throughout April and May 2018, Epstein served as intermediary and advisor in Hanson's increasingly bitter dispute with hotel developer David Mitchell. When Hanson threatened to walk away from the project in late April, Epstein warned: "if you walk, before June 5. a sale will be impossible. . This is your project not mine". Hanson responded with a lengthy defense of his restaurant operation, arguing he had delivered what was planned while Mitchell "systematically tear[ed] this apart." The exchange shows Epstein mediating the conflict while noting "I am on the hook he has mortgaged himself up the kazoo".
By November 2018, with the hotel facing potential default on its debt, Hanson forwarded Epstein detailed financial correspondence about reserve fund balances and bank default clauses. Epstein advised: "help him sell the hotell . any other pressure for them moment i think is counter productive". Hanson replied that he was working to "sell the fb hard" and asking when Epstein would return to New York.
The final substantive exchange in the archive dates to March 2019, when Hanson attempted to coordinate a meeting in Palm Beach, asking if Epstein would be available. Epstein responded that he was "in Paris not sure when I return".
Throughout 2017-2019, Hanson repeatedly initiated contact seeking to meet with Epstein, with messages checking Epstein's location in New York or Palm Beach and requesting brief meetings. The pattern shows Hanson actively seeking Epstein's counsel and company during a period of significant business stress.
Connections#
Hanson's primary correspondent was Jeffrey Epstein, with 3,886 shared emails. His assistant Lesley Groff coordinated 454 appointments and communications, frequently arranging meetings at Epstein's townhouse and managing scheduling conflicts. Hanson had 225 shared emails with Erin Pepper, who worked in his organization.
The Life Hotel project connected Hanson to David Mitchell (45 shared emails), his business partner and developer of the property. Through the hotel venture, Hanson corresponded with financial consultants and legal advisors including Maryann Veytsman and Stacy Gilbert.
Barry Sternlicht, CEO of Starwood Capital Group who purchased BR Guest in 2007, appears in 81 shared emails with Hanson. Other restaurant industry connections include Craig Martin (195 emails), Rich Kahn (68 emails), and multiple BR Guest employees.
Hanson's correspondence occasionally intersected with Karyna Shuliak (171 emails), with whom he attended social events at Epstein's invitation. He also had limited correspondence with Jean-Luc Brunel (29 emails) and Sarah Kellen (40 emails).
Document References#
DOJ investigation files document numerous appointments between Hanson and Epstein at the Manhattan townhouse. A May 2017 calendar entry shows a 4:00 PM appointment with Steve Hanson, one of many such scheduled meetings. In June 2010, Groff confirmed Hanson for a 12:15 Thursday appointment. November 2010 scheduling emails show Joe Pagano and Steve Hanson meeting Epstein at 1:30 at Bill's for lunch.
The archive includes multiple references to Hanson providing Epstein and his associates access to his Hamptons residence. In June 2017, Groff asked Hanson if "the girls" could use his house in the Hamptons for a weekend. Hanson responded "Either us good" and later confirmed he would "open the house up Friday pm" for the June 30-July 2 weekend. The correspondence shows Groff coordinating the arrangement for women whose names are redacted in the files.
In July 2017, Epstein instructed staff to "go to drug store and get blood pressure machine and deliver to steve hanson TODAY". The correspondence shows an attempt to deliver the item to Hanson's home address, though Hanson had already left for the Hamptons.
Multiple documents reference Hanson attending the Tribeca Ball charity event as Epstein's guest across several years. In April 2014, Groff confirmed the guest list including Jeffrey Epstein, David Blaine, Steve Hanson, and Karyna Shuliak. Similar arrangements were documented for 2012 and other years.
The Life Hotel correspondence appears extensively in the DOJ files, documenting the financial deterioration of Hanson's restaurant venture and his consultations with Epstein throughout 2018. These emails show Hanson forwarding confidential business communications to Epstein and seeking his strategic guidance on disputes with Mitchell.
Visits to Epstein Properties#
Manhattan Townhouse: The archive documents frequent visits to Epstein's East 71st Street residence from 2010 through 2018, coordinated through Lesley Groff:
- June 3, 2010 – 1:30 PM appointment
- June 3, 2010 – 12:15 PM meeting confirmed
- November 19, 2010 – 1:30 PM lunch at Bill's Burgers with Joe Pagano
- April 16, 2012 – Attendance at Tribeca Ball, departing from townhouse
- March 20, 2013 – Inquiry about 8:00 PM visit
- May 6, 2013 – 2:30 PM appointment requested
- June 25, 2013 – 12:00 PM appointment
- July 18, 2013 – Dinner scheduled, later cancelled
- March 13, 2014 – 3:00 PM appointment
- May 19, 2017 – 4:00 PM appointment, later changed to 7:30 PM
- September 5, 2018 – 11:30 AM appointment confirmed
Palm Beach: Multiple emails show Hanson attempting to coordinate visits when both were in Palm Beach, including January 2019 exchanges asking "U still in palm", though specific visit dates are not confirmed in the available evidence.
Hamptons (Hanson's Property): In June-July 2017, Hanson made his Hamptons house available for women in Epstein's circle for the weekend of June 30-July 2, 2017.
Little St. James Island, New Mexico Ranch, Paris Apartment: No visits documented in the archive.