The body of Steven Hoffenberg, 77, an American businessman and fraudster, was discovered on Mount Pleasant Street on Thursday night, according to Derby police. His family has been contacted, and the chief medical examiner’s office has positively identified him.
Could not identify the body right away due to an advanced degree of decomposition, and authorities were awaiting confirmation from dental records, according to Derby police Lt. Justin Stanko. However, evidence at the site, including a car, cell phone, and medical history, all pointed to the person being Hoffenberg.
The findings of the toxicology tests will determine his cause of death. According to officials, an autopsy revealed no evidence of trauma, and there were no traces of a struggle or a forced entry into the flat.
Hoffenberg and his twin brother Martin were both born to Jewish parents on January 12, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York. He established a debt collecting business in the early 1970s, intending to purchase consumer debts from hospitals, banks, and phone companies. It turned out to be a Ponzi scheme in the end.
After dating Maria Santiago of Post All-Star News for a month, he wed her on July 10, 2014. In Manhattan, the ceremony took place in front of the Trump Tower. He had a daughter from his previous two marriages.
Regarding his fortune, Hoffenberg reportedly rented out the entire floor of Trump Tower, and he later told Farmer that “Donald’s crowd was my crowd.” He attempted to suffocate himself and was put on suicide watch in July. His property is estimated to be worth $500 million.
Through his company Towers Financial, Hoffenberg stole $460 million from 200,000 investors to support an opulent lifestyle that included private aircraft, expensive cars, and luxurious homes in New York and Florida, for which he served 18 years in prison.
Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Hoffenberg had given Epstein $25,000 per month in addition to a $2 million loan in 1988. Before passing away earlier this week, the former millionaire had lost most of his wealth. According to Biography Daily, he reportedly still had a net worth of $4-6 million.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner– After graduating from NYU with a master's degree in history, She was also a columnist for many local newspapers. Amelia Warner mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.