Richard Kahn, Jeffrey Epstein’s former accountant, testified Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee, the latest person to talk about his ties to the deceased sex offender in a closed-door deposition.
Kahn, who remains an executor of Epstein’s estate, has denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
In his opening statement before the committee, Kahn called Epstein’s crimes “terrible and unforgivable” and characterized their relationship as “strictly on a professional level.”
“I was not aware of the nature or extent of Epstein’s abuse of so many women until after Epstein’s death,” Kahn said, according to prepared text of the remarks obtained by MS NOW. “However, it pains me to think — and I deeply regret — that I may have unknowingly assisted Epstein in any way.”
Kahn began working as Epstein’s in-house accountant in 2005. He managed the late financier’s financial records and corporate entities, oversaw transactions and worked closely with Epstein’s lawyer, Darren Indyke, to manage the financial and legal structures that supported Epstein’s wealth and day-to-day operations.
In his opening statement, Kahn said Epstein “had substantial yearly expenditures and a large staff” due to his multiple homes. Kahn also added that while he tracked gifts that Epstein made to women and men, they represented “a very small fraction” of his spending, so Kahn “did not see them as red flags for abuse or trafficking.”
After Epstein’s death in 2019, Kahn and Indyke controlled his estate and key documents related to his activities.
They are also among the beneficiaries of the 1953 Trust, which will collect Epstein’s remaining assets after all claims against the estate are resolved. That means the pair stands to personally benefit from whatever is left of Epstein’s fortune. Critics argue this arrangement effectively made them gatekeepers of key evidence about Epstein’s network, and victims’ lawyers have accused them of limiting or delaying access to documents related to Epstein’s activities.
In a class-action lawsuit, women trafficked and abused by Epstein accused Kahn and Indyke of participating in or concealing his actions. Last month, a $35 million settlement was announced in the case, which is awaiting final approval by a judge. It resolved the case without any admission of wrongdoing by the defendants and shields the estate and executors from further lawsuits.
A lawyer representing the estate, Daniel Weiner, previously told MS NOW that Kahn and Indyke “reject as categorically false the suggestion that they knowingly facilitated or assisted Mr. Epstein in his sexual abuse or trafficking of women, or that they were aware of that abuse while they provided professional services for him.”
Kahn said Wednesday that he agreed to serve as co-executor of the estate because he believed his “knowledge of Epstein’s holdings would make me better prepared to help alleviate some of [the victims’] suffering.” He touted the Epstein Victim Compensation Fund as an example of how the estate has worked with victims confidentially.
The estate has paid out $121 million to 136 women who agreed to resolve their claims through the fund, and has paid or committed to pay $48 million to 59 additional women who have entered into direct settlements with the estate.
Kahn appears multiple times in the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice, mainly dealing with financial matters related to Epstein’s estate. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said in a statement on X that “Kahn was a central facilitator of Epstein’s ability to exploit girls and women,” adding, “We will leave no stone unturned as we seek answers.” Kahn’s testimony before the committee follows former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s testimonies before the committee last month. Bill Clinton denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and said he cut contact with the late financier before he learned of them. Hillary Clinton denied knowing Epstein or ever going to his homes. Democrats on the committee have pressed for President Donald Trump and others in his orbit to testify before the committee, including Attorney General Pam Bondi. Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick said he would appear before the committee after he confirmed that he and his family visited Epstein’s island in 2012, as shown in a document in the recently released files. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Ali Vitali contributed reporting.
Julianne McShane is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW who also covers the politics of abortion and reproductive rights. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at jmcshane.19 or follow her on X or Bluesky.
Leda Joy Abkenari is a planning coordinator at MS NOW.
Lisa Rubin is MS NOW's senior legal reporter and a former litigator. Recommended
