Setting The Scene: Amber Heard, The Epstein Network, Johnny's Missing Millions & Media Scripts
The Intergenerational Dynamics of Cultivating Child Assets and Familial Transmission of Domestic Violence
Johnny Depp’s highly publicized 2022 defamation case against Amber Heard was framed as a melodrama, ramping up sensational details to elicit emotional responses from the public, while decontextualizing the larger battle at hand. How often did we see #AmberTurd dominate social media?
High-profile interpersonal conflicts that loudly play out in the headlines are often the turf wars of the networked elite. The public, conditioned by traditional archetypes and plot points, is trusted to follow their agenda. We can’t fault celebrities for adhering to Hollywood’s standard procedures for self-preservation.
This is how Hollywood operates.
Consequently, the public’s concern for particular social issues is weaponized in proxy battles between oligarchs, obscuring the public’s broader role in the game. Depp v. Heard is one such case: while public attention was fixated on a toxic relationship, billions of dollars swirled in the background.
If Johnny Depp is cast as an abusive stock character, what does that mean for his oeuvre, which will continue to reap profits for decades to come?
"Listen, one is not unaware of what is going on in the Twitter-verse, but that doesn't mean you have to react to it or take it as gospel or accede to their wishes. You have to do what you feel is right for the film, and that's really where we landed on it."
- Producer Peter Saffran responding in 2021 to fans request to remove Heard from Aquaman 2.
Was Amber Heard Groomed By The Epstein Network?
Jeffrey Epstein famously taught at the prestigious Dalton School without holding a college degree. Who placed Epstein at Dalton? Epstein’s intelligence is often downplayed, yet there is every indication he was recruited as a minor to move among elites despite his humble beginnings. As a teenager, he attended the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts. Could it be that he was identified and groomed by powerful figures at this stage, trained to blend in with high society and perform tasks such as forming strategic relationships, like his close association, and rumored romance, with billionaire Lex Wexner?
At the time Epstein taught at Dalton, the headmaster was Donald Barr, a former officer in the Office of Strategic Services (the precursor to the CIA). Someone placed Epstein at Dalton, but why would Donald Barr, of all people, approve this? There is evidence to suggest that Donald Barr's son, Bill Barr, may have attended Interlochen at the same time as Epstein. Decades later, Bill Barr would become the U.S. Attorney General overseeing the Department of Justice when Epstein died under mysterious circumstances in federal custody. Was Epstein’s death a sanctioned hit job driven by personal motivations, as well as foreign actors neutralizing an intelligence asset?
The dominant narrative surrounding Epstein focuses on the exploitation of minors from disadvantaged backgrounds, trafficked to create blackmail material for leveraging power over elites. Rarely discussed, however, is how young people are also recruited and cultivated to become players in the arenas of academia, politics, or Hollywood. Epstein was a recruiter for a meritocracy that stalks the shadows of the world we see.
Hollywood, much like Epstein’s circles, depends on cult-like structures, nepotism, and the transformation of child stars into adult icons. Alfred Hitchcock famously referred to actors as “cattle,” hinting at the industry’s exploitative underbelly. Intelligence networks cultivate assets without knowing precisely when they will be handy, viewing them as long-term investments in preserving intergenerational wealth and power.
When we consider how domestic violence is perpetuated across generations, is the powerful elite’s cultivation of assets any different?
Preserved In Amber
Gregory James Blount, a model scout, “discovered” Amber Heard in 2003—the year she coincidently turned 18. People think you take acting lessons, go on auditions, and with enough perseverance you get your first BIG BREAK. But, is this process distinguishable from military basic training? If they can break you down and build you back up in their image—are you not in their service?
The culture industry needs you to believe in meritocracy so they can sell dreams and dictate consumptive desires. Heard may have had the “it” factor to be chosen, but can a non-nepo baby understand the demands of enlisting in “The Industry.” The kicker: once you’re discharged from servicing Hollywood, you’re not a veteran—you’re washed up.
Nonworking actors never die; they just just get castaway.
Epstein, Ponzi Schemes & Teenage Dreams
Gregory James Blount’s LinkedIn shows a career split between South Florida and Los Angeles. One of his business ventures included founding charter schools near Palm Beach, FL—where Epstein owned a residence. Eagle Rock Academy, a school founded in 2014, lost its charter in 2018 due to misappropriating funds, including $150,000 redireced to Blount’s other companies. Despite Eagle Rock’s attorney, William Berger, pleading with the Palm Beach County School Board to reconsider, the school closed.
“I’m not really here to talk about the law. … I’m here to ask you to step back, be creative and innovative,” said Eagle Rock’s attorney William Berger.
- The Palm Beach Post, August 1, 2018
Berger, notably, also represented Epstein victims, in 2009, further linking Blount to the Epstein network. Quite the coincidence that Amber’s recruiter and Epstein are invested in teenagers’ secondary education. These overlapping associations illustrate how high-profile scandals often serve as containment operations, protecting networks while sacrificing pawns.
Berger worked on the cases of two alleged underage victims of billionaire Jeffery Epstein's sexual dalliances in his Palm Beach mansion. The women are currently suing Epstein, and the lawyers represent them on a contingency fee basis, Berger said.
- The Palm Beach Post, November 12, 2009
At the same time Berger was representing Epstein’s victims, his law firm partner Scott Rothstein was being exposed for orchestrating a $1 billion Ponzi scheme. Berger claimed he was unaware of this enormous criminal scheme, despite potentially benefiting from its booty. Sniff out one massive financial crime and you’ll run into a whole bunch more, but somehow law enforcement always shorts the investigation.
Blount is connected to another attorney in the Epstein network, Leah Saffian, who assisted him in obtaining trademarks for Eagle Arts Academy, which I previously mentioned, as well as the Atlas Charter School. Saffian practiced law in both the UK and California. I don’t know how she came to know Blount in Florida, yet she is best friends with Ghislaine Maxwell who has British, French, and American citizenship.
Is it fair that only Ghislaine Maxwell is serving 20 years in prison when we still don’t know who referred victims to the Epstein network or the identities on Epstein’s client list?
Cults, crime rings, and spy networks share fundamental similarities in their structure and operations: rigid hierarchies, distrust of outsiders, compartmentalized information, and so on. The individual pathology approach often fails to adequately explain these systems, as it overlooks the broader sociopolitical frameworks shaping our world.
We aren’t socialized to discern the mechanisms of power—its pulleys and levers—at the highest levels. When faced with high-profile trafficking rings, people often resort to satanic explanations because they cannot "see the roof for the ceiling."
Framing the behavior of cultivated assets within the context of a "cult" offers a lens for the public to better understand how power operates. This perspective not only fosters empathy for those trapped in these systems but also exposes the broader dynamics of control. Perhaps, with greater awareness, people may feel emboldened to cultivate power themselves against the oligarchy.
Various networks cultivate gifted children and provide them with crafted backstories to ensure they blend seamlessly with elites.
Essentialism & Interpersonal Violence
The planned public conversation surrounding Depp v. Heard, already primed to crave gruesome details, focused on picking sides rather than addressing the systemic roots of domestic violence. The public largely polarized over whether Amber or Johnny was the primary aggressor, rather than reflecting on how experiencing domestic violence in childhood could shape their adult relationships. Add to this the fact that both entered predatory Hollywood at very young ages and struggled with substance abuse—is it any wonder their relationship was volatile?
Many domestic violence survivors were triggered by the court proceedings, relating to the physical abuse Johnny and/or Amber endured, as well as to the -isms they experienced. Identity politics played a significant role in how the case was tried, both in court and in the public square.
Amber’s ex-girlfriend, Tasya van Ree, attributed Amber’s 2009 arrest for domestic violence to misogyny and homophobia:
“In 2009, Amber was wrongfully accused for an incident that was misinterpreted and over-sensationalized by two individuals in a power position. I recount hints of misogynistic attitudes toward us which later appeared to be homophobic when they found out we were domestic partners and not just ‘friends,’” Van Ree said in a message released Wednesday. LA Times, June 8, 2016
Meanwhile, a recording surfaced of Amber taunting Johnny, implying that the world wouldn’t believe he could be a victim—presumably because he is a man.
Earlier this month, a recording was played in the courtroom. In it, Heard says: “Tell people it was a fair fight and see what the jury and judge think. Tell the world, Johnny. Tell them, ‘I, Johnny Depp, I’m a victim, too, of domestic violence, and it was a fair fight,’ and see if people believe or side with you.”
Depp was asked on the stand how he responded when Heard told him to “tell the world” that he was a domestic violence survivor. He told the courtroom: “Yes. I am.”
For some of the men watching, who had endured violence from a partner, the frenzied response to the trial has felt personal. — NBC News, May 24, 2022
Add in the phenomenon of parasocial overidentification with celebrities, and we had a profound cultural moment reduced to toxic, abusive online interactions.
Was it truly productive to argue endlessly about Amber or Johnny’s guilt? Or was the public cacophony a convenient distraction used by Hollywood’s power players to mask widespread financial crimes?
The failure of #MeToo lies in how the infotainment media provides cover for criminal and abusive networks by spotlighting individual abusers as the main event. Media elites of all stripes show no genuine concern for the public’s well-being. Instead, they feed a cultural appetite for hostile discourse and revel in violence as entertainment.
Johnny & Amber
Johnny and Amber met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009, began dating in 2011, and were married in 2015. It appears that Heard may have been intentionally inserted into Johnny’s life, as it is highly unusual for someone to excessively document their fights and their partner’s substance abuse issues.
A brief overview of their relationship:
The couple's marriage was short-lived, and 15 months after their wedding, Heard filed for divorce in May 2016. Less than a week later, she accused Depp of domestic abuse and sought a domestic violence restraining order against the actor. In court paperwork, Heard recalled violent altercations, including an incident where Depp allegedly threw a cell phone at her face. Depp denied the claims and a spokesman for the LAPD told PEOPLE that officers on the scene at the time saw "no evidence of any crime." In August 2016, the exes reached a $7 million divorce settlement outside of court and the domestic violence case against Depp was dismissed.— People, December 5, 2024
Amber publicly stated that the $7 million divorce settlement would be donated to the ACLU and a children’s hospital.
Johnny’s Missing Millions
Celebrity estates have a notorious history of being targeted by white-collar crimes, often facilitated by large teams of managers, accountants, and lawyers. The mainstream media typically explains this vast criminal network by either blaming a few bad actors or claiming that celebrities can’t manage their money.
Just two months before Amber filed for divorce, Johnny discovered that his finances had been mismanaged for approximately 17 years and he had run out of his $650 million in earnings and owed $100 million in taxes. Depp filed lawsuits against his business managers, The Management Group (TMG), and lawyer, Jacob Bloom, both of which were settled out of court—in July 2018 and October 2019, respectively.
Depp’s lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against The Management Group seeks more than $25 million, alleging its owners failed to properly pay his taxes, made unauthorized loans and overpaid for security and other services.
- The Associated Press, January 14, 2017
Depp’s attorney, Adam Waldman, said that Bloom’s firm, Bloom Hergott, agreed to pay an “8-figure” amount to settle the case. Depp sued Bloom in October 2017, alleging that the attorney had improperly collected more than $30 million in legal fees over the course of their 18-year relationship. - Variety, October 30, 2019
It All Depp-ends On Understanding The Timeline
On May 21, 2016, Amber Heard recorded a video of Johnny Depp visibly upset. (Source: House Inhabit’s Instagram). This was the day after his mother died, two days before she filed for divorce, six days before Alice Through The Looking Glass was released, and seven days before she was granted a protective order. It was a PR coup d’état!
It raises questions: why would Heard document so much of her and Johnny’s relationship, especially when it reflected poorly on her, unless she was acting under orders from someone more powerful? And why would Depp, in turn, begin documenting their interactions? There’s a bigger play here than meets the eye—this is backpocket blackmail at work.
Depp only partially blamed Amber Heard for the negative press coverage framing him as an abuser. He understood that she was part of a larger operation to cover up the endemic financial crimes of Hollywood. Depp himself theorized that the troubles surrounding his finances and deteriorating marriage were tied to a wider conspiracy within the entertainment industry—“this vile fucking circus,” as he put it:
“But did it stop all the power mongers in Hollywood who were interested in shutting me up? Big money was being thrown about. People suing me at every opportunity. I mean, it’s all so obvious. Listen, I know I was never going to be Cinderella – I know this and accept it. But it felt like within a very, very short period of time that suddenly this version – for lack of a better word – of Cinderella had been immediately turned into the beast. He’s Quasimodo.” - Johnny Depp
- British GQ, October 2, 2018
Joel Mandel, of the Management Group, whom Depp sued for financial mismanagement, testified in Depp v. Heard at the request of Amber Heard’s attorneys. NPR provided an overview of Mandel’s testimony:
Things began to change around 2010, and it "became clear over time that there were issues with alcohol and drugs," Mandel said. "And that translated into more erratic behavior, more stressful behavior, more times when it was difficult to engage in the kinds of conversations I needed to do my job."
At one point, Depp was spending around $100,000 a month for a doctor and staff to help him get sober, Mandel said. At another, he was spending $300,000 a month on full-time staff, he said. And he said there also were times when Depp spent thousands of dollars a month on prescription drugs.
"The spending levels had grown very, very, very large and required that level of incredibly high income to be maintained," Mandel said. "And when it dropped off, the disconnect became untenable."
- NPR, May 19, 2022
Mandel states Depp’s financial trouble started around 2010—between the time he met Amber Heard and when they started dating. It is no coincidence that during the trial, Heard hired the same crisis PR firm that had represented TMG during Depp’s lawsuit against them.
Johnny hired business manager Edward White to straighten out his finances, a perennial service required in Hollywood.
Interestingly, White was later hired by Justin Bieber after Bieber left Lou Taylor’s Tri Star Sports and Entertainment. (Tri Star oversaw Britney Spears finances during her conservatorship, leaving her with an estate worth only $60 million.) Bieber, despite selling his music catalog for $200 million in 2023, reportedly faced financial issues in 2024. Two months after hiring White, Bieber was hit with a $380,000 tax bill and is reportedly considering suing his business managers (Tri Star?).
Financial crimes are a genre of Hollywood storytelling in their own right, with courtrooms as their sets, media outlets as their scripts, and celebrities’ personal lives as the the rising action.
TO BE CONTINUED…
In the backdrop of Depp v. Heard, a larger story unfolded involving Heard’s rebound romance: Elon Musk, whose effort to take Twitter private was an unspoken player in the trial. Think of public figurines, like chess pieces, who sell off their privacy so that the game of Risk can be played on the body politic.
I love the nuance of your writing. People want to focus on championing their “team” with no regard for the real problem… the rules of the game.