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Certainly one of Jeffrey Epstein’s closest enterprise associates testified in Might that he was unaware throughout his employment of allegations that the financier had sexually abused scores of teenage ladies and younger girls, two folks briefed on the matter stated.
Richard Kahn, who was Mr. Epstein’s accountant for 14 years, stated in a confidential deposition that he had realized concerning the worst of Mr. Epstein’s actions solely after his demise, the folks stated. Mr. Epstein killed himself whereas being held in a federal jail on intercourse trafficking costs after his July 2019 arrest.
Why the Deposition Testimony Issues
The deposition was taken in reference to a class-action lawsuit that accused JPMorgan Chase of getting facilitated Mr. Epstein’s intercourse trafficking through the years he was a buyer. JPMorgan agreed final yr to pay $290 million to almost 200 victims in a settlement.
What Mr. Kahn Was Requested About
The 2 folks briefed on Mr. Kahn’s testimony, who requested anonymity as a result of the deposition has not been made public, stated he had been questioned about matters together with money paid to girls related to Mr. Epstein and allegations that the financier coerced some into same-sex marriages.
Mr. Kahn stated that he had been unaware that any girl was being abused and that none had ever requested for assist, in response to the folks, who described a few of his testimony.
Mr. Kahn and Darren Indyke, a longtime lawyer to Mr. Epstein, had been liable for managing a number of the financier’s enterprise affairs. Mr. Kahn, who has not talked publicly about his time with Mr. Epstein, stated through the deposition that he had met with him at the least as soon as each three weeks, however stated he by no means did Mr. Epstein’s taxes. Mr. Epstein named each males coexecutors of his onetime $600 million property and so they arrange a course of that has offered about $155 million in restitution to Mr. Epstein’s victims.
A lawyer for Mr. Epstein’s property declined to remark.
Money Paid to Feminine ‘Assistants’
Mr. Kahn stated within the deposition that he didn’t know the way a lot money had been stored in a protected at his Manhattan workplace to reimburse or pay a few of Mr. Epstein’s workers and feminine associates, whom the sources stated Mr. Kahn had described as being Mr. Epstein’s “assistants.” Mr. Kahn stated he had not been instantly concerned with paying the ladies, who he stated would run errands for Mr. Epstein and journey with him. Mr. Kahn stated he had helped a number of girls open financial institution accounts. Mr. Kahn stated Mr. Epstein would generally ask him to run itemized reviews detailing a specific girl’s spending habits.
Identical-Intercourse Marriage Preparations
Some lawsuits in opposition to Mr. Epstein’s property have charged that he pressured six girls to marry one another in an effort to assist some with their immigration standing. Within the testimony, Mr. Kahn stated that he knew that a number of girls related to Mr. Epstein had married one another, however he didn’t know the main points. He additionally stated he didn’t know whether or not Mr. Epstein had organized the same-sex marriages, which occurred after these unions turned authorized in New York. Mr. Kahn stated he had ready tax returns for one of many {couples}. All the {couples} have since divorced.
Epstein’s Advisory Enterprise Cloaked in Secrecy
Mr. Kahn stated he was conscious Mr. Epstein, who thought of himself a tax and property planning skilled, had 10 or fewer enterprise shoppers. He stated he was not at liberty to call them due to confidentiality agreements. Mr. Kahn stated he had sat in on a few of Mr. Epstein’s consumer conferences, in response to the sources. He stated a lot of what the financier had accomplished concerned reviewing shoppers’ holdings and going over varied tax implications and methods for his or her heirs.
‘Carve-Out’ Provisions in Settlements
Mr. Kahn stated one in every of Mr. Epstein’s feminine victims had acquired a “carve-out” provision in a settlement with the property that will allow her to pursue claims, if any, in opposition to Leon Black, the personal fairness billionaire, and James E. Staley, a former prime JPMorgan govt. He stated he believed one other sufferer had been granted an identical association. In a court docket listening to final yr, it was disclosed that the lead Jane Doe plaintiff in a separate class-action lawsuit involving Deutsche Financial institution had gotten such a settlement carve out.
Legal professionals for Mr. Staley didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Susan Estrich, a lawyer for Mr. Black, who was one in every of Mr. Epstein’s largest tax and property shoppers, stated that “there was no suggestion that Mr. Black engaged within the intercourse trafficking which Mr. Epstein perpetrated” and to recommend in any other case “could be false and defamatory.”
What’s Subsequent
Mr. Kahn stated that as of final spring the property’s property had been in all probability value about $40 million after considering settlements and bills. He stated any remaining property could be distributed in response to the phrases of a belief Mr. Kahn had described as poorly drafted.
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