US lawmakers have formally requested new criminal investigations into associates of the late sex offender and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. A scathing report released by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee on Tuesday blames a combination of prosecutors, financial institutions, and powerful social connections for allowing Epstein’s pattern of abuse to continue for years with impunity.
The committee is urging the Justice Department to re-interview key witnesses and pursue allegations against two prominent men linked to the disgraced financier: former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine and French celebrity hairstylist Frederic Fekkai. Both men have denied the allegations of sexual assault, which were referred to federal prosecutors by the committee in June following claims made by Epstein's longtime assistant, Sarah Kellen. Additionally, the report advocates for further questioning of another longtime assistant, Lesley Groff, regarding her potential knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities. Investigators rejected testimony from Groff, in which she claimed she never suspected Epstein of abusing women and girls, as not credible.
These recommendations serve as the culmination of a 15-month congressional investigation that included testimony from figures within Epstein's social and financial inner circle, alongside a comprehensive review of government and banking documentation. Committee chairman James Comer stated that Epstein operated with impunity because he was shielded and enabled by powerful connections and a justice system that repeatedly failed his victims. The report asserts that had federal investigators and prosecutors pursued original allegations against Epstein more aggressively, his crimes after 2005 could have been prevented. Instead, prosecutors in Florida entered a controversial 2007 agreement that allowed him to avoid federal charges in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser state offences. Epstein subsequently received an 18-month jail sentence but served only 13 months, during which he was granted extensive work-release privileges that enabled him to continue abusing women.
The investigation also criticized financial institutions, specifically American Express, for allegedly overlooking suspicious transactions and warning signs of human trafficking. Lawmakers are calling on the Treasury Department to evaluate whether banks adequately reported suspicious activity related to money laundering and trafficking. Furthermore, the committee criticized the Department of Justice for its handling of survivors' private information during the release of Epstein-related files.
While Republican investigators stated they found no evidence linking US President Donald Trump to the crimes, they accused Democrats of politicizing the inquiry. Robert Garcia, the committee's top Democrat, dismissed the report as incomplete due to a lack of public hearings and accused the Justice Department of withholding over 2.5 million pages of documents. Following the midterm elections, Democrats have pledged to continue their own investigation into the Epstein network when they assume new powers in January. Epstein was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
