Robert Zangrillo is a Miami-based real estate developer, venture capitalist, and founder of Dragon Global, a venture capital firm that has invested in major technology companies including Facebook, Twitter, and Uber. He became nationally known in March 2019 when he was charged in Operation Varsity Blues, the largest college admissions bribery scandal ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

On March 12, 2019, federal prosecutors in Boston charged Zangrillo with paying $250,000 to facilitate his daughter's admission to the University of Southern California as a transfer student in 2018. On January 20, 2021, in the final hours of his presidency, Donald Trump pardoned Zangrillo. Zangrillo was the only parent charged in the Varsity Blues scandal to receive a presidential pardon.

The specific nature and extent of Zangrillo's connection to Jeffrey Epstein, if any, remains unclear from publicly available sources. His inclusion in Epstein-related research databases may warrant further investigation or clarification.

Sources

South Florida Business Journal, "Trump pardons Dragon Global CEO Robert Zangrillo, named in college admissions scandal" (Jan. 20, 2021); CBS Miami, "Miami Real Estate Developer Robert Zangrillo Charged In College Admissions Scam Investigation" (Mar. 12, 2019); Miami New Times, "Major Miami Investor Charged for Paying Bribe to Get His Daughter Into USC as Part of National Scandal" (Mar. 12, 2019); Bloomberg, "Venture Capitalist Robert Zangrillo Charged in College Admission Scheme" (Mar. 12, 2019); CNBC, "Tech venture capitalist charged in massive college entrance cheating scam" (Mar. 12, 2019); CBS News, "President Trump Pardons Robert Zangrillo, Father Charged In College Admissions Scandal" (Jan. 20, 2021).