Lawmakers investigating the late convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein are turning their consideration to 3 males who Epstein’s longtime assistant accused of sexual abuse in closed-door testimony this week, sources aware of the matter informed NCS.
In an interview with the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, former Epstein assistant Sarah Kellen accused the three men of wrongdoing and recognized them by identify, House Oversight Chair James Comer stated.
Sources informed NCS that Kellen named Frederic Fekkai, a French superstar hairstylist; Philip Levine, the previous mayor of Miami Beach and cruise trade entrepreneur; and Patrick Demarchelier, a French style photographer.
Kellen accused Fekkai and Levine of sexually assaulting her and testified that Demarchelier uncovered himself to her, one of the sources aware of the matter stated. Another supply stated Kellen asserted that Fekkai assaulted her in 2002 – earlier than she met Epstein – when the 2 have been alone collectively in a resort room whereas on a visit to Hawaii to fulfill with modeling brokers.
A media consultant for Fekkai disputed that Fekkai had performed something incorrect.
“Mr. Fekkai was astonished to read of Ms. Kellen’s testimony. Mr. Fekkai never abused anyone. He never participated in any illegal behavior. He knew nothing about Epstein’s repugnant depravity or trafficking. He did nothing wrong,” the consultant, Mark Herr, stated in a press release.
Herr additionally particularly denied the allegation of assault: “That is categorically false. Mr. Fekkai never assaulted anyone.”
NCS tried to achieve Levine and representatives of Demarchelier, who died in 2022, by way of cellphone calls and emails, in addition to direct messages on social media. Earlier this 12 months, Levine informed WLRN in a press release that he had solely met Epstein “a few times” and regretted it.
“As I have stated previously, my only connection to Jeffrey Epstein arose solely through my former friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell. I met Epstein only a few times. I never conducted business with him, never visited his island and never flew on his aircraft. I regret ever meeting him,” he stated on the time.
Kellen testified that Demarchelier launched her to Epstein, who he characterised as a scout for attainable Victoria’s Secret fashions, one other supply aware of the matter informed NCS.
None of the boys have been charged with against the law in reference to Epstein, and Comer stated the committee had not beforehand recognized of allegations of sexual abuse towards them.
A NCS overview of the Epstein recordsdata launched by the Department of Justice confirmed that Levine and Fekkai had ties to the late convicted intercourse offender courting again years. The recordsdata, nonetheless, don’t seem to disclose any direct interplay between Demarchelier and Epstein, based on NCS’s overview. There is no indication within the publicly obtainable Epstein recordsdata reviewed by NCS that any of the three males had been interviewed by federal investigators.
Kellen is a polarizing determine in Epstein’s orbit whose work with the disgraced financier supplied her entry to important data on his actions. In 2007, she was labeled by regulation enforcement as one of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators. But she has described herself as a sufferer of Epstein’s abuse, and a few observers acknowledge her expertise is sophisticated, even when regulation enforcement did examine her for presumably aiding Epstein. Comer stated she was not interviewed by regulation enforcement till 2019; her lawyer declined to remark.
“He groomed me, sexually and psychologically abused me, controlled me, manipulated me, dominated me, and gaslit me until I could no longer tell which thoughts were mine and which were his,” Kellen informed lawmakers of Epstein, based on a duplicate of her opening assertion. “It was like living with a permanent virtual reality headset on. I was reminded every day how powerful he was — how influential he was — and that to turn on him or disobey him would mean losing everything: my job, my home, everyone I knew in the world, even my life.”
Comer declined on Thursday to call the people and promised his committee would launch a transcript of Kellen’s interview as quickly as attainable.
The accusations that Kellen leveled towards the boys, Comer stated, would offer congressional investigators a brand new result in chase down.
“Of all the people that we’ve interviewed thus far, this was by far the most substantive and productive interview that we’ve had,” he informed reporters Thursday.
The recordsdata reveal that over a few years, Epstein spent hundreds of {dollars} on the famed Frederic Fekkai salon for himself and others, based on invoices and bank card statements launched by the Justice Department.
But Epstein’s relationship with Fekkai appeared to increase past that of an expert hairdresser and a consumer, based on the DOJ’s Epstein recordsdata.
At least 4 occasions, Fekkai reportedly asked to make use of one of Epstein’s residences, emails from the recordsdata present.
In 2010, Fekkai additionally requested to make use of Epstein’s room for an appointment together with his personal masseuse, an email shows. Epstein agreed, however informed an individual – whose identify is redacted within the recordsdata – to let Fekkai know that Epstein can be house. That similar 12 months, Epstein boasted to a redacted individual that he had recognized Fekkai for 10 years and “helped his company form.”
In 2013, Epstein requested Fekkai for assist discovering a multi-lingual assistant, and Fekkai responded he would check his rolodex, an e mail exhibits. That similar 12 months, Fekkai wrote Epstein a few feminine coming to 1 of his salons, and a consultant of Epstein wrote to invite Fekkai over for cake for Epstein’s birthday.
And Maxwell informed performing Attorney General Todd Blanche in an interview final 12 months that Epstein and Fekkai have been “friendly, very friendly.”
Epstein and Levine have been in touch by way of the early 2000s and had plans to speak on the cellphone, and meet in particular person, a number of occasions all through the years, based on the Justice Department’s recordsdata. It is not clear within the recordsdata if the conferences truly passed off.
In 2003, for instance, the files show that Levine had tried to rearrange a enterprise assembly for Epstein with the previous managing director of the corporate overseeing Sephora.
In 2010, the 12 months after Epstein was launched from jail in Florida after being convicted on state prices associated to intercourse crimes, Levine wrote to Epstein, “I am happy that everything has come to a positive ending for you during these tough times… You are a great guy.”
Levine ran efficiently for mayor of Miami Beach in 2013, and unsuccessfully to be governor of the state in 2018. Epstein’s inbox is stuffed with marketing campaign emails from Levine. In 2013, Epstein responded to a generic campaign email asking how he might donate to the marketing campaign, and somebody responded from the “Levine for Mayor” account directing the financier to make use of their web site.
Levine additionally appeared to have had a relationship with Maxwell, Epstein’s legal confederate, emails present.
Levine requested Maxwell in a single e mail to “scout” at a celebration she was attending in 2001. In 2003, Levine informed her that he had a “hot, young thing spending the weekend…call me,” another email exhibits.
Maxwell informed Blanche, then the deputy legal professional normal, final 12 months that Levine was the one who launched her to former President Bill Clinton. She referred to herself and Levine as “very good friends.”
Maxwell and Levine appeared to have a relationship the place they ceaselessly joked with sexual undertones, emails present. In one email, Maxwell referred to Levine as her boyfriend. In messages from 2001, Maxwell says that she “unceremoniously dumped” Epstein for Levine.