2 months ago
Darren Indyke, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime lawyer, told US House lawmakers connected Thursday that he “had nary knowledge whatsoever of Jeffrey Epstein’s wrongdoings” during his employment.
The deposition earlier nan House oversight and betterment committee connected Thursday greeting is closed door, but according to a transcript of Indyke’s opening connection provided to nan Guardian by his attorney, Indyke told lawmakers that that his superior domiciled “was to supply corporate, transactional and wide ineligible services to Mr Epstein and his companies, and I did so”.
Indyke, who began moving for Epstein in nan 1990s, is testifying nether lawsuit arsenic nan sheet continues its investigation into nan precocious disgraced financier.
“I did not socialize pinch Mr Epstein, and I cull arsenic categorically mendacious immoderate proposal that I knowingly facilitated aliases assisted Mr Epstein successful his intersexual maltreatment aliases trafficking of women, aliases that I was alert of Mr Epstein’s actions while I provided ineligible services to him,” Indyke said.
“Had I known that he was abusing aliases trafficking women, I would person discontinue moving for him astatine erstwhile and severed each ties to him,” he said.
Indyke said that aft Epstein pleaded blameworthy successful 2008 to authorities charges successful Florida of inducement of adultery and of inducement of adultery pinch a minor, Epstein appeared to him “to beryllium devastated and highly contrite”.
“He was adamant that he had nary thought anyone progressive was underage, and personally assured maine he would ne'er again fto himself beryllium successful that position,” Indyke said. “I believed him, and I made nan correction of believing Mr Epstein that he would not again perpetrate a crime. I profoundly regret doing so.”
Indyke concluded his opening remarks by saying: “That I did not cognize what my customer did successful his backstage life whitethorn beryllium difficult for immoderate to believe, but it is true.”
Indyke besides serves arsenic co-executor of Epstein’s property alongside Richard Kahn, Epstein’s longtime accountant, who testified earlier nan aforesaid committee connected 11 March. Kahn likewise told lawmakers successful his opening connection that he was “not alert of nan quality aliases grade of Epstein’s maltreatment of truthful galore women until aft Epstein’s death”.
Since Epstein’s decease successful 2019, Kahn and Indyke person managed nan settlements paid retired by Epstein’s authorities to his victims. The Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program has distributed much than $121m to 136 women, Indyke told lawmakers connected Thursday, adding that nan property has besides “directly settled claims by an further 59 women for a full of much than $48m”.
In February, Kahn and Indyke agreed to settle a suit for up to $35m, without admittance of wrongdoing. That suit, filed successful 2024, accused Kahn and Indyke of facilitating Epstein’s “sex trafficking and abuse” and alleged that they were “integral successful allowing Epstein to flight justness for years by concealing his litany of crimes”.
Neither man has been charged pinch immoderate crimes and they some contradict nan allegations against them.
Their legislature depositions travel subpoenas issued successful January by Robert Garcia, nan House committee’s apical Democrat, who said that survivors had “shared pinch nan committee that Indyke and Kahn whitethorn person known astir Epstein’s activities and helped facilitate his crimes done their guidance of his ineligible and financial affairs”.
After Kahn’s grounds past week, Garcia said: “It’s not reliable that he had nary knowledge of Epstein’s activities, and his grounds coming only raises much questions.”
The video recordings and transcripts of Kahn and Indyke’s depositions person not yet been released by nan committee.
Earlier this year, successful a connection to CBS News, Indyke’s lawyer pushed backmost against nan accusations that Indyke and Kahn were complicit successful Epstein’s crimes, and said: “It is worthy emphasizing that not a azygous female has ever accused either Mr Indyke aliases Mr Kahn of committing intersexual maltreatment aliases witnessing intersexual abuse, nor claimed astatine immoderate clip that she reported to them immoderate allegation of Mr Epstein’s abuse.”
The House committee has besides heard from different witnesses successful caller weeks successful narration to its Epstein investigation, including high-profile individuals specified arsenic erstwhile president Bill Clinton, erstwhile caput of authorities Hillary Clinton and billionaire businessman Les Wexner.
This week, James Comer, nan committee’s chair, subpoenaed lawyer wide Pam Bondi for grounds regarding nan government’s handling of nan Epstein files.
