Hire all the top gear (D3x + 70-200 vr 24-70 )lights etc and a nice big studio that provide the back drops and props. Hire a good assistant and MUA.

Tempting really, I never heard of such an offer in a real life, but then again no one else did right?
But let us play (and assuming the money is just to be spent on photo gear):
D700 body is probably good enough for the job 2000$
If it was really just an innocent portrait then:
85mm f/1.8D AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8D AF 450$
If we are being naughty here and are shooting something more than just a face:
Fast to focus AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G 450$
Light is important too so:
Couple of SB600s to be used with and controlled by D700 built-in flash 450$
Couple of low cost tripods for flashes 80$
LumiQuest Soft Screen for built-in flash 20$
And you are good to go, and you should go very fast and far away from this scene.

Hahah, Clothes might be mandatory, or not.

Uhm, Nikon D300, Nikkor 50mm f1.4 (the older version) three sb-600's with lightstands and umbrellas.

that adds up to about 2800$.

an extra two hundred for a lowepro bag. (the umbrellas and stands come with their own cases.)

I'm no expert, but sounds like a fun requirement. I'm going to take B and H prices.

1. Nikon D60 $449 (Used)
2. Flash SB600 $214
3. Lenses...? Maybe 50mm 1.4 AF-S?
4. Left over budget for I dunno. Maybe studio setup.

Shows you my expertise in photography, which is practically none.

Very conservative in my prices. But yeah, I had a go at it.

OK, here's one for the community at large:

Suppose you have a customer hire you to come shoot a portrait of them. The customer is highly eccentric and insists that you allow him to purchase all gear used for the shoot. He gives you an equipment allowance of $3,000. What would you tell him to buy. Remember that the only thing you can bring to the shoot are your skills as a photographer, and you can't keep the equipment when you are done.

How would you change your equipment list if it were some other type of shoot (Landscape, Wedding, etc.)?