House Oversight Chair James Comer and different Republican lawmakers are calling on the Justice Department to research allegations involving two males accused of sexually abusing Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant, in response to a letter offered first to NCS.
The new stress from the Republican lawmakers stems from testimony the panel obtained final month from the assistant, Sarah Kellen.
In her closed-door interview, Kellen mentioned Frederic Fekkai, a French celeb hairstylist, and Philip Levine, the previous mayor of Miami Beach, sexually assaulted her in separate incidents. She alleged {that a} third particular person, Patrick Demarchelier, a French trend photographer, uncovered himself to her, in response to a newly launched transcript.
Comer’s letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche requested the Justice Department to examine “the allegations against, and any other criminal conduct committed by” Fekkai and Levine particularly, noting Levine seems within the so-called Epstein information 600 occasions and that Fekkai was identified as a “close friend” to Epstein.
“Ms. Kellen provided new information crucial to our investigation that is helping to bring transparency for the American people and accountability for survivors. During her transcribed interview, the Oversight Committee received serious allegations of criminal misconduct involving two individuals,” Comer mentioned in an announcement. “The Oversight Committee is not a law enforcement entity, and our role is not to determine guilt or innocence. We are referring these allegations to the Department of Justice, which has the tools to investigate criminal misconduct.”
Comer’s workplace offered the letter to NCS together with the transcript of Kellen’s interview, which presents new particulars of her allegations in opposition to the three males she accused of sexual misconduct, as effectively as describing her interactions with Epstein and confederate Ghislaine Maxwell.
None of the boys have been charged with a criminal offense in reference to Epstein, and Comer has mentioned the committee did not beforehand know of allegations of sexual abuse in opposition to them.
A media consultant for Fekkai mentioned in an announcement to NCS that Fekkai “never ‘took advantage’ of Sarah Kellen and he did not introduce her to Jeffrey Epstein.” The consultant beforehand disputed that Fekkai had performed something mistaken, and specified “Mr. Fekkai never assaulted anyone.”
“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, mentioned beforehand.
A spokesperson for Levine mentioned in an announcement for this story, “Nearly a quarter century ago, our client had a brief intimate encounter with another consenting adult. Any allegation suggesting otherwise is not true.” Earlier this 12 months, Levine advised WLRN in an announcement 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 mentioned on the time.
Kellen’s alleged interactions with Fekkai and Levine
According to the transcript of her interview, Kellen mentioned she initially met Fekkai in 2000 or 2001 in Honolulu, whereas he was selling his hair care line. Fekkai, she mentioned, launched her to Epstein as a “Victoria’s Secret model scout.” She recalled realizing who Fekkai was, provided that she was “obsessed” with trend on the time, and later got here to comprehend his description of Epstein as a mannequin scout was deceptive.
“Clearly, he was not a Victoria’s Secret scout, and that’s what they were posturing him to be,” Kellen mentioned.
Kellen testified that Fekkai requested her to be in a hair present that “didn’t exist,” and that she ended up staying in his resort room as a result of she didn’t have the cash to purchase a separate room.
“He took advantage of me that night,” Kellen mentioned in her closed-door interview.
Kellen advised lawmakers that Levine abused her in 2002 or 2003 in Saint Tropez, the place she was with Epstein and Maxwell, who have been vacationing. She described Levine as one of Maxwell’s “really good friends” and alleged that Levine assaulted her after Epstein and Maxwell went to mattress, in response to the transcript.
“He brought me into his bedroom and said, you know, you must be so lonely, always with them and never – not having your own life and kind of not being able to be with anyone, kind of, and was -basically forced himself on me,” Kellen mentioned.
Kellen alleged that Levine additionally assaulted her on the seaside.
“We were kind of all walking, and I think it was Jeffrey and Ghislaine were kind of ahead of us, and then there was me and Philip. And then there was, like, this wooden kind of shack on the beach. And he just, like, grabbed my hand and pulled me into the shack,” she advised lawmakers. She mentioned she by no means thought of pursuing sexual assault fees.
Kellen additionally described an occasion that she mentioned occurred round 2002 in which French trend photographer Patrick Demarchelier uncovered himself to her in his studio after he took photographs of her. “He walked over to me with his pants down, and I refused.” She didn’t present additional particulars. NCS has tried to succeed in representatives of Demarchelier, who died in 2022.
Kellen is a polarizing determine in Epstein’s orbit whose work with the disgraced late financier gave her entry to vital data on his actions. In 2007, she was labeled by regulation enforcement as one of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators, and lots of consider she helped him recruit and abuse women. She has described herself as a sufferer of Epstein’s abuse. Kellen testified that she was not interviewed by regulation enforcement about her time working for Epstein till 2019.
More particulars on Epstein and Maxwell abuse
In her interview, Kellen additionally provided extra element in regards to the alleged abuse she mentioned she suffered by the hands of Epstein and Maxwell, who’s at present serving a 20-year jail sentence. Epstein, she mentioned, typically abused her on a “weekly basis,” and managed her life, dictating what she wore, how her hair was reduce and the place she lived.
“He was terrifying. He was completely dominating of everything in my life,” Kellen mentioned of Epstein, in response to the transcript. “He just decimated any source of autonomy that I had.”
Kellen described how it was troublesome to depart Epstein’s orbit, notably when he provided monetary help or to make desires come true.
“He was very good at targeting vulnerable people. He would get to know you and your situation and then offer to help,” Kellen mentioned.
Kellen recalled one occasion – she didn’t say when it occurred – the place Maxwell abused her on Epstein’s Little St. James Island. She mentioned she was not conscious Maxwell was concerned in abusing minors – however was not shocked.
“I remember Ghislaine just being on the bed naked. And I was not expecting her to be there, and I was just very surprised and extremely uncomfortable. And I just remember her kind of like touching me and showing me how to touch Jeffrey and what he liked,” Kellen mentioned.
Kellen accused Maxwell of turning “Jeffrey into the monster that he became,” describing her as “the most selfish person I had ever encountered.”
“She was mean and belittling. She would literally call me her slave, her minion, piglet, polyp on a donkey’s ass. Like, she would belittle you as much as she could to make herself more superior,” Kellen mentioned of Maxwell.
Throughout her years working for Epstein, Kellen mentioned she solely met Donald Trump as soon as for “maybe 5 minutes” at Mar-a-Lago in 2002 or 2003, when she accompanied Epstein to make use of the fitness center at Trump’s Florida membership, in response to the transcript. She mentioned she knew Trump and Epstein have been “friendly” as a result of Epstein had photographs of Trump in a number of of his houses.
She recalled that Trump banned Epstein from returning to his membership after he hit on a “member’s daughter,” and that the falling out between the 2 males occurred after they have been bidding on the identical property in Palm Beach.
She additionally mentioned she was on Epstein’s non-public aircraft with former President Bill Clinton for all of his journeys with Epstein to Asia and Africa, and noticed Bill Gates, former Prince Andrew, Ehud Barak and Leon Black, amongst others, interacting with Epstein. She didn’t allege any wrongdoing by any of these males.
Though Kellen described her personal abuse and experiences, her lawyer made clear within the interview that she would not discuss “other persons’ victimization.”
“The reasons for this include her own mental trauma, her ability to withstand sustained questioning on these points, legislative purpose and pertinency, concerns about the private rights of individuals including my client, and the protection of her constitutional rights” Kellen’s lawyer Kimberly Hamm advised the committee.
Kellen mentioned she could be extra keen to reply about different victims if she was given immunity by the Department of Justice or the Oversight Committee.