An email referencing Jeffrey Epstein’s anatomy is what led to Kathy Ruemmler’s departure from her high-profile position as a lawyer at Goldman Sachs, according to sources familiar with her situation.
Ruemmler had dealings with Epstein through one of his legal representatives and is mentioned frequently in Epstein’s records. However, a particular exchange—the one-liner from Epstein and her seemingly bland reply—became unbearable, even though friends claim her response was meant to downplay Epstein’s crude remark.
“That email was the tipping point,” noted someone who had been in contact with Ruemmler prior to her resignation.
Despite the existence of a possible innocent explanation, the situation became too complex to clarify to friends or colleagues. Ruemmler, feeling exhausted, simply wanted it all to be over.
The email in question traces back to 2015 when Ruemmler, a former prosecutor, was a leading lawyer at Latham & Watkins after serving as a legal advisor during the Obama administration.
Unlike many others in Epstein’s notorious circle, Ruemmler became involved due to her professional work with another client, the Swiss bank Edmond de Rothschild Group.
It was understood that Epstein, who had pleaded guilty in 2008 for soliciting minors, was supposed to facilitate Ruemmler’s legal engagements.
What began as a professional relationship somewhat transformed into a friendship over time.
In their exchanges, they discussed trips to his notorious Caribbean island—though Ruemmler’s representatives assert she never actually went—and offered public relations advice. At one point, she even referred to Epstein as “Uncle Jeffrey” after he was ousted from his position.
When Epstein was arrested again in 2019, Ruemmler was among the first to reach out to him, just before he was found dead in his jail cell, a tragedy her lawyer claimed she was not involved in as a client.
This situation could have been quite humiliating for both Ruemmler and Goldman Sachs. Nevertheless, Goldman initially stood by her, believing that despite appearances, her professional dealings with Epstein were on behalf of her clients.
Throughout this, Ruemmler continued her role at Goldman without major public issues.
Internally, however, she was distressed. Goldman’s corporate environment is known to be one of the toughest on Wall Street, and rumors were circulating about her potential removal, even though the company officially denied these claims.
Privately, she was often having to explain her interactions with Epstein to friends and acquaintances.
Even as a trained criminal lawyer, she felt misled into thinking that Epstein had improved his ways. Her only reference was the previous charge against him, which she believed was on shaky legal grounds.
Later, she received what seemed like a benign birthday email from him, which surprised her, as there didn’t appear to be any offense taken.
The exchange began innocently enough with Ruemmler wishing him a happy birthday, hoping he spends it with “his one and only true love.”
In reply, Epstein remarked, “Men usually name their penises because it’s inappropriate to make love to a stranger.”
Ruemmler countered, “I find it hard to believe that there are still open questions about whether men are the inferior sex.”
The fact that she was discussing a convicted sex offender’s anatomy, even lightly, was just too much for Ruemmler, according to someone close to her.
“What happened is quite unfortunate. Ultimately, she did nothing wrong, yet here she was—entangled with this man. That one email unsettled her deeply,” shared a source familiar with her situation.
