Trump Aide Boorish Boris's Assault Bust

RAP SHEET UPDATE: Epshteyn was convicted in 2021 for drunkenly groping young women in a nightclub.

MARCH 10--A White House aide known for his combative behavior was once arrested for sucker punching a smaller man during a bar dispute, an attack that left the victim bloodied and resulted in the assailant being sentenced to attend anger management classes, according to police and court records.

Boris Epshteyn, a special assistant to President Donald Trump, was busted by Arizona cops in January 2014 after walloping another patron during a 2:25 AM confrontation at a Scottsdale nightspot. Epshteyn, 6’ 4” and 275 pounds, attacked a man seven inches shorter and about 70 pounds lighter than him, cops reported.

Epshteyn, 34, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to attend counseling, perform 25 hours of community service, and pay about $360 in fines and court costs. He was also barred from having contact with the victim or returning to Whiskey Row, the business where he was arrested.

Seen in the above Scottsdale Police Department mug shot, Epshteyn is a special assistant to the president in charge of overseeing White House officials and surrogates appearing on TV on behalf of the Trump administration. In a Politico story this week, Epshteyn, who was born in Moscow, is portrayed as a coarse Trump advocate who has frequently offended network bookers and made comments that have been "interpreted as racially insensitive and demeaning.”

Epshteyn, a lawyer and New Jersey resident, went to college with Trump’s son Eric and was a frequent cable news guest during the presidential campaign. He was among the first group of key hires announced by Trump before he took office in January. In addition to his messaging duties, Epshteyn reportedly authored the White House’s controversial statement commemorating International Holocaust Memorial Day (which included no reference to the six million Jews killed by Nazis).

As detailed in a police report, Epshteyn had been partying with friends at Whiskey Row when an argument broke out with other patrons. Epshteyn told police that a man in the other group, Adam Raspanti, had been “hitting on” and kissing his friend’s girlfriend. “An argument ensued and they were separated,” cops noted.

Raspanti, 33, told police that he “observed Boris being kicked out of the bar” following the argument. When he later spotted Epshteyn inside Whiskey Row (seen below), Raspanti told police, he asked, “Didn’t you get kicked out an hour ago?”

Epshteyn responded by punching Raspanti in the face.

After bouncers stepped in and “everyone was removed” from the bar, Scottsdale cops arrived to find Raspanti holding his nose and apparently in pain. Witnesses told officers that Epshteyn “punched the victim in the face, blooding [sic] and bruising the man’s nose. There was corresponding evidence of injury on the man.”

Police described Epshteyn as a “large white male in a pink shirt” and “significantly larger than” his victim.

During questioning, Epshteyn denied striking Raspanti, a claim contradicted by witnesses. He charged that he had been shoved by Raspanti as he went to the bar to close out his tab, but that nothing further transpired.

Epshteyn was arrested for assault and transported to a nearby precinct where he was booked on the misdemeanor count. He was released after about an hour in custody.

After entering his guilty plea, Epshteyn was placed in a “diversion” program for first-time offenders. After Epshteyn fulfilled all conditions of the program, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the Scottsdale City Court case. A judge signed off on the motion in December 2014. (6 pages)