Exclusive: New York attorney general seeks information on financier Epstein's philanthro... Page 2 of 4 By David Ingram I NEW YORK WATCH UVE: erolosten norsti.n...LpieLi :nn , . , ., The New York AttorseyGenerat'srOthce hasntenNetters to-the charitablefoundation of' financier Jeffrey Epstein seeking information on whether it is complying with slate registration requirements. Epstein, 62, has been a tabloid sensation since allegations arose in a court proceeding in December that he forced an underage girl to have sex with Britain's Prince Andrew, prominent U.S. lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and other high-profile men. Prince Andrew and Dershowitz have denied the allegations. A lawyer for Epstein has called them Ott and discredited. fr:ENDiiic: STORIES Epstein spent 13 months in a Florida jail after pleading guilty in 2008 to procuring an underage girl for prostitution. Since well before then he has cultivated a reputation as a philanthropist through websites and press releases about his donations, especially to 1 Harvard University. In a letter dated Monday and reviewed by Reuters, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's Charities Bureau asked Epstein's lawyer Darren Indyke to explain why Epstein's foundation, which is incorporated in the U.S. Virgin Islands. should be considered exempt from New York law. A charity based outside New York is required to register with the New York Charities Bureau if it does business in New York or holds property in the state. It must also file annual financial reports with the bureau. Other U.S. slates have similar requirements. If the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation has to register in New York, it could he lotted to disclose financial details that other U.S. foundations routinely make public, such as how much money it disburses each year. The foundation does not release those details now, so the extent of Epstein's philanthropy Is not known. In a Jan. 28 letter to the foundation, the New York Attorney Genera