Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin

Millions of pages from the Epstein files have been unsealed, but they leave behind even more unanswered questions about how the money and criminal network actually worked. Today, Nicole traces the financial trail behind Jeffrey Epstein’s fortune—what we know, what prosecutors could never fully explain, and how a man with no real business amassed hundreds of millions of dollars.

Nicole breaks down Epstein’s mysterious rise from Wall Street suit to shadowy “financial consultant,” the ultra-wealthy clients who funded the majority of his income, and the explosive reputational fallout that continues to ripple across corporations, universities, and global power players. She also sets straight the rumors that Epstein created Bitcoin, and explains the real financial consequences of association in today’s markets.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here’s what Nicole covers today:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

00:18 The Epstein Files: A Who's Who of Power

00:58 Following Epstein's Money Trail

04:42 Financial Fallout of the Epstein Files

06:20 The Bitcoin Theory

07:28 Ongoing Legal Battles and Reputational Risks

09:22 The Power of Survivors

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

For some collectors, art is about beauty, meaning, and power. For others, it’s a convenient place to clean dirty money.

Today, Nicole breaks down the hidden financial playbook behind the global art market, and why some billionaires treat paintings less like décor and more like offshore bank accounts. From subjective valuations and private appraisals to tax-free warehouses, art-backed loans, and regulatory gray zones, this episode walks through the exact five-step system the ultra-wealthy can use to store, grow, and sometimes quietly clean massive amounts of cash.

You’ll hear how a $5 million painting can magically become a $20 million asset on paper, why some of the world’s most valuable art never leaves storage, and how auction houses legally facilitate transactions that banks never could. Then Nicole pulls it back to real life — what this reveals about how wealth actually moves, why valuation is often narrative-driven, and how everyday investors can borrow the thinking without needing a Picasso or a private jet.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here’s what Nicole covers today:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

00:18 Art as an Investment

01:14 How the Wealthy Buy Art 

02:18 Freeports and Tax Havens 

03:20 Reappraisal and Inflating Art Value 

04:46 Using Art as a Financial Tool 

06:16 Money Laundering Through Art 

07:16 Lessons for Everyday Investors 

08:17 Investing in Art Without Millions 

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Your first $100,000 in investing feels impossible—until you see the math. Today, Nicole breaks down why the first $100K is the hardest money you’ll ever make, what changes mathematically once you cross it, and the path to get there… without a hot stock tip, crypto bro, or dumb luck.

Nicole walks through a real, doable five-year plan based on the average U.S. salary —including exactly how much to invest each month, where to put your money, and how the beautiful power of compound interest quietly accelerates behind the scenes. 

Try Nicole’s Compound Interest Calculator

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here’s what Nicole covers today:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

00:18 Why Your First $100K Is the Hardest

02:53 Year-by-Year Investment Plan

03:05 Year 1: Building the Habit

04:00 Year 2: Gaining Momentum

04:33 Year 3: Growth Year

04:59 Year 4: Push Harder

05:37 Year 5: Reaching the Goal

06:00 Reality Check: Life Throws Curveballs

06:33 Passive Income

07:20 Your Next Steps and Resources

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

From Kim Kardashian, J.Lo, and Ariana Grande, Chris Appleton has styled the biggest names in Hollywood, but his journey getting there was not easy. Today, Chris opens up about the hustle it took to go from a small-town salon in the UK to red carpets, and the bumps in the road along the way.

Chris shares the financial trauma, internal battles, and deep personal work it took to get to the top—and stay there. He gets vulnerable about the struggles behind the success: coming out after being in a heterosexual relationship, the breakthrough moment with Christina Aguilera that allowed him to beat his imposter syndrome, and why the word “fine” isn’t in his vocabulary.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources

Find video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Check Out Chris’ Book Your Roots Don’t Define You

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Here’s what Nicole talks about with Chris:

00:00 Money Rehab Presents: Chris Appleton

03:01 Childhood Struggles and Financial Trauma

06:53 Telling the Hater Inside to Quiet Down

10:54 Navigating a Scarcity Mindset

13:44 Chris’ Erewhon Smoothie

16:27 Chris’ Early Hustle Days and Evading Train Conductors 

21:52 Moving to LA and Chris’ Big Break with Christina Aguilera

26:07 Chris’ Coming Out Story and Hitting Rock Bottom

32:05 Why “Fine” Isn’t Fine

34:52 Why the Hair Salon Feels Like Therapy

38:01 How Chris Built His Reputation and How to Sell the Sizzle

41:46 Lessons from Kim Kardashian

44:42 Chris’ Take on Marriage, Relationships and Self Love

45:01 The Importance of Self-Love and Selectivity

48:46 Chris’ Tip Listeners Can Take Straight to the Bank

Is kindness an asset or a liability in business? Daniel Lubetsky—founder of Kind Snacks—makes a strong case for kindness as a competitive edge. He joins Nicole to share the behind-the-scenes story of buying out a private equity firm for $220 million to preserve his direction, the difference between being nice and being kind, and why values-driven leadership isn’t just idealistic—it’s strategic. Plus, how he’s helping the next generation of founders build principled, profitable businesses through Camino Partners and Shark Tank.

Keep up with Daniel on Instagram

Learn more about Camino Partners

Read Daniel's Op Ed