Kathryn Ruemmler’s Testimony on Jeffrey Epstein

Kathryn Ruemmler, the former chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, appeared before Congress on Wednesday, stating that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was a “skillful liar” who used her to enhance his credibility. However, she also admitted that he had referred paying clients to her law firm.

Ruemmler, who stepped down earlier this year after private conversations with Epstein became public, explained to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that her continued business dealings with Epstein were influenced by their existing connections.

“During my dealings with Mr. Epstein, I didn’t see any evidence of criminal or illegal conduct,” she told lawmakers in her opening remarks. “If I had known he was abusing women and girls, I would have contacted law enforcement immediately.”

She expressed regret over her involvement with Epstein, saying, “If I had known what I know now about him, I wouldn’t have met him at all. It was a mistake, and I regret it.”

Ruemmler’s comments provided detail about how her relationship with Epstein began and why it persisted even after she returned to private practice following her tenure in the Obama administration.

In her testimony, she recounted a July 2014 phone call from Epstein after she rejoined Latham & Watkins, discussing a project linked to a donor associated with Bill Gates. He asked for legal assistance to manage the project.

While the initial project didn’t materialize, Ruemmler noted that Epstein later introduced her to another financial client, with whom she worked until 2020. Despite this, Epstein remained the client’s primary advisor, which resulted in significant transactions between them.

Emails related to Epstein released by the Trump administration indicated that the client was Edmond de Rothschild Bank, where he claimed Ruemmler could assist due to a “DoJ issue” amid a larger U.S. crackdown on Swiss banks.

Ruemmler mentioned that Epstein referred her to other clients and occasionally sought her legal advice, despite the fact that he was not her client.

She suggested that she believed Epstein’s explanation regarding the 2008 Florida sex crimes case, as it seemed aligned with what the prosecutors concluded at the time.

“To be clear, I never supported or condoned his actions related to the guilty plea in 2008,” she clarified, stating that Epstein had claimed he hadn’t knowingly solicited minors and expressed remorse for his actions.

At that time, she felt that the evidence pointed to an understanding that if prosecutors had enough evidence against him, they would have pursued more serious charges.

Ruemmler noted that her correspondence with Epstein ceased in July 2019 after he was indicted on sex trafficking charges, adding that she was “shocked” by the allegations, which contradicted her previous understanding of his conduct.

She acknowledged having received gifts from Epstein but insisted she didn’t request them, didn’t need them, and didn’t consider them significant. Ruemmler added that she declined some gifts and asserted that they never influenced her interactions with him.

Ruemmler concluded with a personal reflection, labeling Epstein as a “masterful liar” who “certainly deceived me.” She expressed anger over the harm he caused to many, stating, “I regret having anything to do with him.”

With a background as a former federal prosecutor and later serving as the White House Counsel under Obama, Ruemmler’s connection to Epstein is currently under scrutiny following the release of detailed documentation of their interactions. Additionally, Epstein was re-arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges and subsequently died while in custody.

Both Goldman Sachs and Edmond de Rothschild Bank declined to comment.