Epstein Accountant Testifies He Was Unaware of Abuse During Employment
Richard Kahn, the longtime accountant for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claimed during a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that he did not previously comprehend the full extent of the late financier's abuse. "I was not aware of the nature or extent of Epstein's abuse of so many women until after Epstein's death," Kahn stated, according to prepared remarks obtained by ABC News. "However, it pains me to think, and I deeply regret, that I may have unknowingly assisted Epstein in any way."
Accountant Expresses Regret and Denies Knowledge
Kahn, who served as a co-executor of Epstein's estate and oversaw his finances for over a decade, added, "Had I learned of any of his horrific behavior, I would have quit work immediately." He has faced intense scrutiny for his ties to Epstein, with survivors previously accusing Kahn and Epstein's attorney, Darren Indyke, of facilitating and concealing illegal conduct. Both have denied any wrongdoing, and Indyke is scheduled for a similar deposition next week.
During the deposition, Kahn explained that he tracked Epstein's gifts but "did not see them as red flags for abuse or trafficking," noting they were a small part of his spending. He also asserted he "had no role in setting up any of Epstein's companies" and did not view them as "improper or suspicious."
Lawmakers React with Skepticism and Scrutiny
House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) emphasized that Kahn was not being accused of wrongdoing in remarks ahead of the deposition, but highlighted evidence of 64 business entities linked to Epstein and significant money transfers. Democrats, however, met Kahn's statements with doubt. Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) claimed, "Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without Richard Kahn, who managed Epstein's money for years, authorized payments, including payments to victims and survivors."
Walkinshaw criticized Kahn's vague responses, saying, "Today we've heard from Mr. Kahn a lot of inability to recall, inability to recall emails, messages, activities he was involved in. From my perspective, I do not find it credible that he had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. If he was ignorant of Epstein's crimes, he was willfully ignorant of those crimes."
Insights into Epstein's Wealth and Client Transactions
Kahn provided details on how Epstein allegedly amassed his wealth, with Comer noting that Kahn was "under the impression" Epstein made money as a tax adviser and financial planner. The accountant named five clients who made significant transactions to Epstein, including:
- Businessman Les Wexner
- Hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin
- Investor and software engineer Steven Sinofsky
- Investor Leon Black
- Members of the Rothschild family
Politico contacted these individuals, with several disputing Kahn's claims. A spokesperson for Wexner, who previously testified to having no knowledge of Epstein's crimes, stated he had not transferred money to Epstein but paid him for "wealth management services." Black's spokesperson said Epstein was hired "for tax and estate planning work," while Dubin's representative denied he was an Epstein client. Sinofsky declined to comment, and the Edmond de Rothschild bank did not immediately respond.
Comer also noted that Kahn testified he had not seen Epstein engage in transactions with President Donald Trump or his family members, adding another layer to the ongoing investigation into Epstein's financial network.
