Epstein’s Accountant Claims No Knowledge Of Abuse Or Trafficking, But Expresses Regret

Richard Kahn, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant, testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, claiming he had no knowledge of the financier’s notorious criminal activities, including sexual abuse and trafficking. Kahn’s statements were made in his opening remarks, which were obtained by ABC News, and in which he denied seeing any “red flags” in Epstein’s finances that would have signaled his involvement in criminal activity.

Kahn, who served as Epstein’s accountant for over a decade and as co-executor of his estate following Epstein’s death, told lawmakers that his interactions with Epstein were strictly professional. “While Epstein was alive, I 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,” Kahn said.

He admitted that Epstein did, however, give “gifts” to both men and women, although he downplayed these gifts as a “very small fraction” of Epstein’s spending. Kahn emphasized that he did not see these actions as indicative of the illicit activities Epstein was later accused of.

Regarding Epstein’s 2006 arrest, Kahn explained that Epstein had downplayed the charges to him, claiming it was a “mistake” and that he didn’t know the girls involved were underage. At the time, Kahn believed him. “Had I known the truth, I would have quit work immediately,” Kahn said, expressing regret for not recognizing the signs earlier.

Kahn continued, “I was not aware of the nature or extent of Epstein’s abuse of so many women until after Epstein’s death. However, it pains me to think, and I deeply regret, that I may have unknowingly assisted Epstein in any way.”

Legal Scrutiny of Epstein’s Financial Practices

Kahn’s testimony is central to understanding how Epstein’s elaborate financial network may have supported his criminal activities. Some of Epstein’s victims have claimed that Kahn, along with other key figures in Epstein’s inner circle, played a role in creating the “complex financial infrastructure” that facilitated his illegal operations.

Kahn has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal actions. In his closed-door deposition, Kahn described his role in Epstein’s financial affairs, which included overseeing his business dealings and financial accounts. The deposition, a rare glimpse into Epstein’s financial operations, could provide further insights into how Epstein funded his lavish lifestyle while hiding his crimes.

The U.S. Department of Justice released new documents earlier this year, revealing Kahn’s role in managing Epstein’s finances, including handling payments from Epstein for his services, which reportedly totaled over $10 million between 2011 and 2019.