Epstein Estate Reaches $35 Million Settlement in Class-Action Lawsuit Over Advisers' Alleged Complicity
In a significant development, the estate of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay as much as $35 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit. The legal action accused two of Epstein's key advisers of aiding and abetting his extensive sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls. This settlement was disclosed in a court filing submitted to the federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
Details of the Settlement and Legal Proceedings
The lawsuit, filed in 2024, targeted Darren Indyke, Epstein's former personal lawyer, and Richard Kahn, his former accountant, who both serve as co-executors of Epstein's estate. According to the filing by Boies Schiller Flexner, the law firm representing Epstein's victims, the settlement aims to bring closure to claims that Indyke and Kahn facilitated Epstein's abuses by helping him establish a complex network of corporations and bank accounts. This system allegedly enabled Epstein to conceal his criminal activities, pay victims and recruiters, and ensure the advisers were "richly compensated" for their roles.
If approved by a judge, this agreement will conclude the legal battle against Indyke and Kahn. Notably, their lawyer, Daniel Weiner, emphasized in an emailed statement that neither adviser admitted to any misconduct as part of the settlement. Weiner stated that the co-executors were prepared to contest the claims at trial but opted for mediation to achieve finality regarding potential claims against the Epstein estate. He described the settlement as providing "a confidential avenue for financial relief" for victims who have not yet resolved their claims.
Background and Previous Compensation Efforts
This settlement adds to earlier efforts by Epstein's estate to compensate victims. Previously, the estate established a restitution fund that disbursed $121 million to survivors. Additionally, it paid out $49 million in other settlements. Epstein, who died in a New York jail in August 2019—a death ruled a suicide—was a central figure in a high-profile sex trafficking scandal that has drawn widespread public and legal scrutiny.
The Boies Schiller Flexner law firm has been instrumental in pursuing justice for Epstein's victims, having previously secured $365 million in settlements with financial institutions JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Those settlements addressed allegations that the banks overlooked red flags concerning Epstein, who was once a lucrative client.
The recent hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on February 11, where survivors of Jeffrey Epstein raised their hands during a House oversight session on the justice department, underscores the ongoing political and legal attention to this case. This settlement represents another step in the complex legal aftermath of Epstein's crimes, highlighting the persistent efforts to hold accountable those allegedly involved in facilitating his actions.
