Morocco 2019 — Asset Concealment via Royal Network (Qotbi/Magidi/Berrada)

General Context (June-July 2019) Epstein is facing increasing legal pressure. His grand jury indictment by SDNY is imminent. In this context, the iMessages from June-July 2019 with Philippe Castro reveal a proactive démarche to move assets to Morocco.

Phase 1 — Initial Notary Request (June 2019) Epstein iMessage to Castro: 'I need a notaire in Morocco, I’m told the wife of Magidi could be the right one. He supposedly is an advisor to the king' (EFTA01214249-page3). Castro immediately confirms: 'Magidi is a very advisor of the king' and 'For Magidi he’s the real right man and his wife is great'. This confirmation is crucial: Castro explicitly validates ‘Magidi’s role as a royal advisor — providing a royal cover for the sought-after notary structure.

Phase 2 — Introduction of ‘Discreet’ Audit Firm (June 2019) Castro goes further and proactively recommends an audit firm: ‘ATRIUM AUDIT and CONSEIL, Mr. Tariq BERRADA, very professional and well-known for managing similar documents discreetly’ (EFTA01214283-page4). The word ‘discreetly’ is the key signal — Castro knows exactly what Epstein is seeking. Castro adds a notary: ‘Maître Fatih EL AZZOUZY’. He structures the introduction via a common reference: ‘call him from Medhi QOTBI’.

Phase 3 — Confirmation of the Network (June 2019) Epstein asks: ‘Is mr berrada expecting my call? whose name should I reference?’ Castro: ‘Yes! And call him from Medhi QOTBI’ (EFTA01214283-page5). Qotbi = president of the Fondation Nationale des Musées du Maroc, known to Epstein. This chain of introduction (Castro → Qotbi → Berrada) guarantees discretion through a hierarchy of trust.

Phase 4 — Sexually Explicit Message in the Same Thread (July 2019) On July 1, 2019, within the same Castro-Epstein iMessage thread, a sexually explicit message from Epstein is documented (EFTA01214283-page8). This contextual detail is important: it demonstrates that Castro and Epstein had a level of trust and complicity extending beyond asset matters. Epstein was willing to send this type of content to Castro 5 days before his arrest.

Phase 5 — Timeline of Urgency Last message of the thread: July 1, 2019. Epstein’s arrest: July 6, 2019 (tarmac Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, return from the Virgin Islands). The timeframe = 5 days. The simultaneity of an active search for a ‘discreet’ Moroccan notary and the imminence of arrest is highly significant.

Individuals Involved

• Philippe Castro: orchestrator, chief of staff Jack Lang / IMA
• Mehdi Qotbi: introduction reference, institutional royal link
• ‘Magidi’: direct advisor of Mohammed VI, wife = notary
• Tariq Berrada: ATRIUM AUDIT & CONSEIL, ‘discreet’ documents manager
• Maître Fatih El Azzouzy: alternative notary recommended
• Mohammed VI: implicit royal connection via Castro’s network

Probable Nature of the Sought Structure The concurring elements (notary + ‘discreet’ audit + pre-arrest timing) suggest: (a) creation of asset holding structures outside US jurisdiction, (b) transfer or concealment of properties/accounts, (c) potentially creation of a SCI or Moroccan trust structure benefiting from local law and royal discretion.