Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime worker and legal professional Darren Indyke testified on Thursday that he “had no knowledge whatsoever” of the convicted intercourse offender’s wrongdoing and rejected “any suggestion” he assisted or facilitated his former boss’ crimes, in keeping with a duplicate of his opening assertion.
“Had I known that he was abusing or trafficking women, I would have quit working for him at once and severed all ties to him,” Indyke stated in a gap assertion to the House Oversight Committee, a duplicate of which NCS obtained. “The truth is that I did not know what Mr. Epstein did after hours, behind closed doors, and in places where I was not present.”
Indyke, one of Epstein’s longest-serving staff, labored as an legal professional for him for greater than 20 years on company, transactional and basic authorized providers. He described the work as a consulting function for “entirely legitimate purposes.”
Lawmakers are looking for solutions on that work and his knowledge of Epstein’s monetary dealings. The testimony occurred behind closed doorways, although lawmakers are anticipated to launch a video later.
In his opening assertion, Indyke pushed again on allegations that he withdrew hundreds of {dollars} in money on Epstein’s behalf to keep away from triggering financial institution suspicions. He stated the money was not used for “any improper purposes.”
Police investigators discovered that Epstein typically paid younger women and girls between $200 and $300 — funds that the ladies stated got here after he abused them below the guise of performing massages within the mid-2000s.
Indyke additionally categorically denied that he helped coerce younger girls into same-sex “sham marriages” with one another to bypass immigration, calling it “100% untrue.”
These allegations had been made in a 2024 class-action civil lawsuit filed by Epstein victims in opposition to Indyke and his fellow co-executor of Epstein’s property, Richard Kahn. The swimsuit alleged that the 2 had been facilitators in Epstein’s intercourse trafficking operation and “were also integral in allowing Epstein to escape justice for years by concealing his litany of crimes.” The pair strongly denied the allegations. Recently, the property agreed to settle the lawsuit for up to $35 million however admitted no wrongdoing. The court docket preliminarily authorized the settlement earlier this month.
Addressing the committee, Indyke additionally stated that after Epstein was convicted in 2008 on state costs of soliciting prostitution from a minor, his former boss appeared “devastated and extremely contrite.”
“He was adamant that he had no idea anyone involved was underage, and personally assured me he would never again let himself be in that position. I believed him, and I made the mistake of believing Mr. Epstein that he would not again commit a crime.”
“I deeply regret doing so. Most importantly, I feel horrible for those women whom Mr. Epstein abused,” stated Indyke.
Indyke pointed to his work as a co-executor of Epstein’s property, which has cooperated with the committee’s requests for proof and materials. The property additionally established a restitution program for Epstein victims, referred to as the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program, which doled out $121 million to 136 girls. The property has additionally settled a number of civil lawsuits filed by victims and agreed to pay $48 million to an extra 59 girls.