Epstein’s Accountant Testifies He Was Unaware of Abuse, Names Clients Who Funded Financier

Richard Kahn, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant, testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, stating he was unaware of the extent of Epstein’s abuse and expressed regret for potentially unknowingly assisting the convicted sex offender. Kahn’s testimony came during a closed-door deposition as part of the committee’s ongoing investigation into Epstein’s financial dealings and network.

Kahn Claims Lack of Knowledge

According to a copy of his prepared opening statement, Kahn told lawmakers he “never observed any sexual abuse or trafficking of women and never received a complaint—either by one of Epstein’s victims or anyone else—of such abuse or trafficking.” He maintained that his relationship with Epstein was “strictly on a professional level.”

Kahn began working as Epstein’s accountant in 2005 and remained a close associate until Epstein’s death in 2019. He was also named a co-executor of Epstein’s estate, along with Darren Indyke, Epstein’s former attorney.

Committee Findings and Allegations

California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, stated after the deposition that Kahn admitted to facilitating a fake marriage between two women, impersonating Epstein in communications with banks, and confirmed Epstein frequently spoke about Donald Trump. Garcia criticized Kahn’s claims of ignorance, stating, “Jeffrey Epstein’s massive sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without the consistent payments and services of his long-time accountant Richard Kahn.”

Committee Chair, Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, reported that Kahn answered all questions after two hours of deposition and identified five clients who allegedly provided funds to Epstein: Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner, former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black, former Microsoft Windows Division President Steven Sinofsky, hedge fund investor Glenn Dubin, and the Rothschild family. Politico reported on these disclosures.

Trump’s Involvement Denied

Comer also stated that Kahn testified he had “never seen any type of transaction to [President Donald] Trump or anyone in his family,” marking the fifth witness to testify under oath denying Trump’s direct financial involvement with Epstein. Comer emphasized the investigation’s goal is to determine the truth and address failures in government oversight.

Kahn’s Role and Epstein’s Finances

Department of Justice files released on Epstein mention Kahn more than 50,000 times. ABC News reported that over a decade, Kahn managed Epstein’s finances through his company HBRK Associates Inc., handling transactions including medical reimbursements and tuition payments.

Kahn stated in his opening statement that gifts made by Epstein to women and men represented a “very small fraction of Epstein’s spending” and did not raise concerns about abuse or trafficking. He also claimed Epstein’s financial practices were “completely standard practice.”

Estate Settlements and Victim Compensation

Since Epstein’s death, Kahn and Indyke have managed settlements from Epstein’s estate to his victims. The Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund awarded over $121 million to more than 135 survivors before closing in 2021, according to the Associated Press.

Kahn testified that if he had known about Epstein’s “horrific behavior,” he “would have quit perform immediately.” He stated he was not aware of the “terrible and unforgivable things that he [Epstein] did to women and girls” until after Epstein’s death.