Quick Read
- New Justice Department documents reveal fresh details about Kathy Ruemmler’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- Emails show Epstein provided Ruemmler with thousands of dollars in gifts, including a $10,000 Hermès bag, and she sometimes referred to him as ‘Uncle Jeffrey’.
- Ruemmler advised Epstein on media coverage of his criminal activities and discussed her career moves, including potential leadership roles at law firms, with him.
- Epstein named Ruemmler as the executor of his will until January 2019, months before his death.
- Ruemmler has stated she regrets knowing Epstein and has sympathy for his victims, maintaining her interactions were professional.
WASHINGTON (Azat TV) – The extent of Kathy Ruemmler’s professional and personal connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been further illuminated by a recent release of millions of pages of documents from the Justice Department. These newly public records, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed last November, reveal intimate details of their relationship, including career discussions, financial gifts, and Ruemmler’s direct advice to Epstein on managing media coverage related to his criminal activities, raising new questions about the nature of their interactions.
New Documents Detail Extensive Engagement
Among the revelations from the Justice Department’s latest material, released on January 30, are emails that paint a more vivid picture of the relationship between Ruemmler, currently the Chief Legal Officer at Goldman Sachs, and Epstein. One email from May 25, 2017, shows Ruemmler discussing a settlement in a defamation lawsuit involving Epstein’s accuser Virginia Giuffre and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Ruemmler emailed Epstein, stating, “I think that is a good outcome.” In the same exchange, while en route from Shreveport, Louisiana, she described the city as a “dump beyond your imagination,” adding, “I am not happy with my life right now.”
The documents further reveal that Epstein provided Ruemmler with thousands of dollars in gifts. In 2016, he purchased a nearly $10,000 Hermès bag for her. Emails from Ruemmler to Epstein and his assistants sometimes referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey,” with one 2019 message exclaiming, “Am totally tricked out by Uncle Jeffrey today! Jeffrey boots, handbag, and watch!” Goldman Sachs spokesperson Tony Fratto commented on these revelations, stating that it is “well known that Epstein often offered unsolicited favors and gifts to his many business contacts.”
Additionally, the records indicate that Epstein named Ruemmler as the executor of his will until January 2019, just months before his death while awaiting trial on federal child sex trafficking charges. This detail underscores the depth of trust and reliance Epstein placed in Ruemmler, who served as White House Counsel under former President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014.
Professional Counsel and Career Discussions
Ruemmler has consistently maintained that her interactions with Epstein were strictly professional, stemming from her role as a defense attorney. She told the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets that she did not represent Epstein or advocate on his behalf, but that he referred clients to her and “informally reached out to me for advice from time to time.” This stance is echoed in her statement to The Times, where she reiterated, “I was a defense attorney when I dealt with Jeffrey Epstein. I got to know him as a lawyer and that was the foundation of my relationship with him.”
However, the newly released documents suggest a more intertwined relationship, particularly concerning her career trajectory. Reports indicate that Epstein offered Ruemmler extensive guidance in preparing for an influential role at Facebook (now Meta) shortly before his arrest. In return, Ruemmler reportedly provided Epstein with advice on how to manage media coverage related to his criminal activities, as noted by GuruFocus and TipRanks.
Furthermore, the Justice Department’s material reveals that Epstein actively discussed potential leadership positions for Ruemmler within prominent law firms. In 2018, Epstein corresponded with Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp about whether the top job at Latham & Watkins, where Ruemmler was then global co-chair of the white-collar defense and investigations practice, would be a suitable move for her. Karp advised Epstein that while such a move would be “perceived very positively by the marketplace,” it would come at a “huge personal/professional cost to Kathy.” Epstein also facilitated discussions around other potential Big Law career opportunities for Ruemmler, including a possible role at Hogan Lovells in 2015, relaying intelligence on her negotiations to Karp.
Goldman Sachs’ Stance and Broader Context
Ruemmler’s extensive connections to Jeffrey Epstein were reportedly disclosed to Goldman Sachs as a potential liability ahead of her hiring in 2020, according to The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate. Despite these disclosures, the sheer volume and intimate nature of the newly revealed communications continue to draw public scrutiny to her role at one of the world’s leading investment banks.
In response to the ongoing revelations, Ruemmler has reiterated her regret over the association. “As I have said, I regret ever knowing him, and I have enormous sympathy for the victims of Epstein’s crimes,” she told the Wall Street Journal in January. This statement reflects a common sentiment among high-profile individuals whose past connections to Epstein have been brought to light through various investigations and document releases.
The continued unsealing of Epstein-related files, driven by legislative action, consistently brings new dimensions to understanding the disgraced financier’s network. These documents reveal how deeply Epstein was embedded within various professional and social circles, leveraging these connections for both his personal and legal interests, and often blurring the lines between professional counsel and personal influence.
The latest disclosures regarding Kathy Ruemmler’s interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, particularly the personal exchanges and discussions about career advancement, significantly broaden the public understanding of the depth and multifaceted nature of their relationship, moving beyond merely professional legal advice to encompass a more complex dynamic of mutual influence and personal favors.