Topline
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime lawyer and accountant, who are now the executors for his estate, the Wall Street Journal reports, as reports suggest Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn may have helped facilitate the financier’s alleged web of abuse—though they deny any wrongdoing.
Richard Kahn, an accountant for the late Jeffrey Epstein, arrives for a House Oversight Committee deposition on March 11.
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Key Facts
The DOJ has opened a federal investigation into Indyke and Kahn—Epstein’s lawyer and accountant, respectively—and prosecutors have been scheduling interviews with witnesses and requesting documents related to the two men in recent months, the Journal reports citing anonymous sources.
Indyke and Kahn worked for Epstein for more than a decade until his death in 2019, the Journal reports, and have since gone on to serve as the executors of the financier’s estate, controlling what now totals more than $100 million in assets Epstein left behind.
It’s unclear what investigators are looking into specifically or what potential charges the men could face, the Journal notes, though the publication previously reported Indyke and Kahn used “financial and legal maneuvers” to help obscure Epstein’s financial transactions and were involved with payments to women.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein or knowledge of the late financier’s abuse.
The Journal reported in November that Epstein victims had urged lawmakers to investigate the two men, alleging they “helped orchestrate Epstein’s operation” and had taken steps to shield themselves from legal consequences, requiring victims who reached settlements with Epstein’s estate to sign agreements saying the victims would not sue Indyke or Kahn.
Indyke and lawyers for the two men have not yet responded to requests for comment, while the DOJ would not comment on any specific investigations to Forbes, but said, “We have always said with regard to Epstein that if the evidence presents itself, we will investigate.”
What to Watch for
It’s unclear how long any investigation into Indyke and Kahn could take, and opening an investigation does not necessarily mean the government will bring criminal charges. Without knowing what potential crimes prosecutors are probing, it’s also too early to say what potential penalties the men could face.
Tangent
The news of the reported investigation comes weeks after Epstein victims filed a new lawsuit against Kahn and Indyke, alleging the men “played critical roles” in “enabling” Epstein’s abuse “by providing Epstein the necessary financial and legal support for his sex trafficking operation by which Plaintiffs were victimized.” Attorneys for the two men told CNN they “emphatically” rejected the lawsuit’s accusations.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Leave a comment