Who Is Brock Pierce, the Crypto Millionaire Tied to Epstein and a Golden Trump Statue in Florida?

A golden statue of President Donald Trump unveiled at his Doral golf resort in Florida is drawing new scrutiny after cryptocurrency entrepreneur Brock Pierce, a documented associate of Jeffrey Epstein, appeared as a central figure at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Pierce, a former child actor and co-founder of Tether, was photographed helping unveil the 22-foot monument known as the "Don Colossus" at Trump National Doral Miami. The statue, covered in gold leaf, depicts Trump with his fist raised, echoing the pose he struck after surviving the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Daily Beast reported that the statue was funded by crypto investors promoting the $PATRIOT memecoin and cost about $450,000.

The event was led by Pastor Mark Burns, a Trump ally and member of Pastors for Trump, who described the ceremony as a tribute to Trump's resilience and political movement. Burns wrote that the unveiling was "far more than a ribbon-cutting" and called it "a moment of gratitude, honor, and remembrance." He also rejected comparisons to idolatry, saying the statue was "not a golden calf" and that supporters "worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone."

But Pierce's role quickly shifted attention from the statue's MAGA pageantry to his past ties to Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The New Republic reported that Pierce was a friend and business associate of Epstein for nearly a decade and helped him invest in the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. The outlet also cited a 2012 email in which Pierce told Epstein, "I had a great time with the girls. Hope they had fun too. Thanks."

The Verge also reported in February that newly released Epstein emails showed the financier had deep connections in the cryptocurrency world, including with Pierce. According to The Verge, Epstein met Pierce at the Mindshift Conference on Little St. James, Epstein's private island, in 2011. A representative for Pierce previously told The Hollywood Reporter that Pierce did not know who Epstein was at the time.

The same report said emails indicated Pierce and Epstein grew closer in 2011 and 2012, and that Pierce "appeared to email Epstein" the "great time with the girls" message in March 2012. The Verge also reported that Pierce facilitated a $3 million early investment by Epstein into Coinbase in 2014, though the outlet noted that Coinbase and Fred Ehrsam did not respond to requests for comment.

Pierce has long been a controversial figure in technology and cryptocurrency. He first became known as a child actor in films such as The Mighty Ducks before moving into digital entertainment and later crypto. The Verge described him as a co-founder of Tether, one of the world's most influential stablecoins.

His appearance at the Trump statue unveiling has also revived attention to Trump's own past association with Epstein. Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from Epstein and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein's sex trafficking case. Still, Epstein's name has remained politically explosive, especially as new documents and emails continue to surface.

The White House has said it was not officially involved in the statue project, but Burns said Trump called him and addressed the crowd directly during the event.

The statue was created by sculptor Alan Cottrill, who told The Daily Beast that Trump's team enthusiastically accepted the idea of adding a gold-leaf finish. "They loved the idea, of course," Cottrill said. "It's like pitching ice water to a man dying of thirst. It was not a hard sell."

Originally published on Latin Times

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