Kathryn Ruemmler, a former White House counsel to President Barack Obama and former top lawyer at Goldman Sachs, told congressional investigators that Jeffrey Epstein used his relationships with prominent people to improve his public standing.
Ruemmler appeared Wednesday for a closed-door, transcribed interview with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The committee requested her testimony as part of a wider investigation into Epstein’s influence, the federal handling of his crimes and whether powerful connections helped protect him from greater scrutiny.
In prepared remarks, Ruemmler acknowledged that associating with Epstein had been a mistake but maintained that she never witnessed criminal conduct during the period in which they interacted.
She said she would have immediately contacted law enforcement had she seen or heard evidence that Epstein was continuing to abuse women or girls. She described him as a highly effective liar who used respected figures to legitimize himself and exaggerated his relationships with them.
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Her testimony does not end questions about the extent and nature of that relationship.
Justice Department documents showed that Ruemmler exchanged numerous emails with Epstein between 2014 and 2019, years after his 2008 conviction in Florida on charges that included procuring a minor for prostitution. The communications included informal language, social arrangements and advice about responding to press inquiries concerning his criminal history. Records also showed that she accepted gifts including wine and a handbag and sometimes referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey.”
Ruemmler said she first met Epstein in 2014 after he contacted her about possible legal work involving a proposed charitable fund associated with Bill Gates. That project did not proceed, but Epstein later referred a financial institution to her legal practice. She said that professional connection became the foundation of their continued contact.
Although Epstein was not formally her client, Ruemmler acknowledged that he occasionally requested her advice. She said the casual and sometimes affectionate tone of their messages has been misinterpreted or presented without the full context of their business relationship.
She also said Epstein had claimed that he did not know that one of the people involved in his earlier criminal case was underage and had expressed remorse for paying women for sex. Ruemmler told lawmakers that she relied partly on the resolution accepted by federal and state authorities at the time.
That explanation may receive further scrutiny because Epstein’s 2008 conviction and sex-offender status were already public. The central question is not whether Ruemmler knew every detail of his later alleged conduct, but why an experienced former federal prosecutor and White House lawyer continued dealing with him after learning of his criminal history.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer said before the interview that investigators were particularly concerned by communications that appeared to assist Epstein in responding to criticism and rehabilitating his reputation. The committee is examining how Epstein maintained access to influential figures in politics, finance and philanthropy after his conviction.
Ruemmler said Epstein’s referrals were professionally valuable but denied that his gifts affected her legal judgment or treatment of him. She said she did not request the gifts, declined some of them and did not consider those she accepted particularly significant.
She ended their communications after Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges, according to her statement. Epstein died in federal custody the following month while awaiting trial; his death was ruled a suicide.
The controversy has also affected Ruemmler’s position at Goldman Sachs.
She announced in February that she would step down as the bank’s chief legal officer and general counsel, effective June 30, after the publication of additional Epstein-related records. Goldman named Michael Bosworth acting general counsel, but Ruemmler agreed to remain temporarily as senior counsel and an adviser while the bank searches for a permanent replacement.
That decision prompted criticism from Democratic lawmakers Elizabeth Warren and Raja Krishnamoorthi, who questioned what Ruemmler had disclosed to Goldman before joining the company and why the bank continued employing her in an advisory position. Goldman has declined to comment publicly on the latest testimony.
The existence of emails, gifts or professional contacts does not by itself establish participation in Epstein’s crimes. Ruemmler has not been accused in the available reporting of involvement in his sex-trafficking operation, and she strongly denies having knowledge of continuing abuse.
Her testimony instead raises broader questions about how Epstein used professional referrals, philanthropy, social access and generosity to remain connected to respected institutions after becoming a convicted sex offender.
Why It Matters
The House investigation is examining how wealth and proximity to powerful people may have allowed Epstein to preserve influence despite his criminal record.
For Congress, the issue extends beyond identifying who communicated with him. Lawmakers are attempting to determine whether influential associates overlooked warning signs, helped improve his reputation or possessed information that could clarify how his network operated.
The controversy also raises corporate-governance questions for Goldman Sachs about executive vetting, disclosure and whether reputational concerns were adequately addressed.
What Comes Next
The House committee is expected to review Ruemmler’s answers alongside her emails, Justice Department records and testimony from other Epstein associates. A public transcript could provide more detail about the questions lawmakers asked and whether her account was challenged by specific documents.
Additional witnesses are also expected to appear as the committee continues investigating Epstein’s financial relationships, government contacts and methods of obtaining legitimacy through influential people.
