The human capacity to exercise poor judgment is boundless. It's why I make a living.
Epstein was a master manipulator it appears. He was able to smoke out powerful men who had a sexual desire to fuck teenagers.
Epstein's "hook" was that one was not alone .... joined by other influential and powerful men - "normalizing" the wrongdoing.
Thereafter, Epstein had leverage over these morons.
I don't believe there is anymore to the story.