The idea of Epstein having real friends reminds me a bit of that drug dealer in our youth who sold drugs to be popular and everybody who bought off him called him their "mate" and maybe spent a little time with them but when they got arrested nobody was willing to put his bail up or give a character reference because ultimately they were just their drug dealer and they were only being nice in the hope of a) getting free drugs or b) not getting in trouble with the drug dealer who deep down they were a bit scared of.
The idea of Epstein having real friends reminds me a bit of that drug dealer in our youth who sold drugs to be popular and everybody who bought off him called him their "mate" and maybe spent a little time with them but when they got arrested nobody was willing to put his bail up or give a character reference because ultimately they were just their drug dealer and they were only being nice in the hope of a) getting free drugs or b) not getting in trouble with the drug dealer who deep down they were a bit scared of.