A former Obama White House lawyer who also served as Goldman Sachs’s top attorney told Congress she was “used” by Jeffrey Epstein — but documents show she kept meeting with him and exchanging gifts for years after he was convicted of soliciting a minor.
Story Snapshot
- Kathryn Ruemmler testified before the House Oversight Committee on July 15, 2026, saying Epstein “used” her to boost his image and that she never saw evidence of his crimes.
- Justice Department documents show she met with Epstein and exchanged emails and gifts numerous times after his 2008 conviction — directly undercutting her claim of a limited relationship.
- Court documents allege she advised Epstein on his plea deal, helped craft public statements, and discussed settlements with his victims.
- Lawmakers from both parties rejected her account, and she resigned from Goldman Sachs amid the growing scrutiny over her Epstein ties.
Ruemmler Tells Congress Epstein Manipulated Her
Kathryn Ruemmler appeared before the House Oversight Committee on July 15, 2026, and delivered a prepared statement. She said Epstein “used me and other respectable people to legitimize his standing” and admitted he “often exaggerated his relationship with me to others.” She also said she never saw any sign of ongoing criminal conduct and would have reported him to law enforcement if she had. She called herself angry that he hurt so many people and said she regrets ever dealing with him.
Her spokesperson had earlier explained the connection by saying Ruemmler was a practicing criminal defense attorney at the time and simply shared a client with Epstein. She has not been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein. But her blanket denials have done little to quiet the questions swirling around her long relationship with one of the most notorious criminals in recent American history.
Documents Tell a Different Story
The Justice Department released records showing Ruemmler met with Epstein numerous times and exchanged emails and gifts with him for years after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. That is a hard fact to square with the story of a limited, professional-only relationship. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Epstein in 2019, he reportedly said “Oh this is bad” and reached out to Ruemmler alongside his own attorneys — suggesting he saw her as a key ally in a crisis.
Court documents filed in the Epstein estate case go even further. They allege Ruemmler advised Epstein on efforts to uphold his controversial 2008 plea deal, helped craft public statements, and took part in discussions about settlements with his victims. Separate documents show Epstein coached Ruemmler on how to respond to press questions about his crimes while she was seeking a senior role at Facebook between 2018 and 2019. Emails released in the Epstein files also show she referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey” — hardly the language of a distant professional contact.
Bipartisan Rejection and a High-Profile Resignation
Members of the House Oversight Committee from both parties were not buying her story. Lawmakers dismissed her claim that the relationship was limited. Democratic members argued she should have been questioned under oath rather than allowed to give a prepared statement. They pointed to Justice Department documents they said showed a far more extensive relationship than she had publicly admitted. No one on the committee offered a satisfying answer to the basic question of why she kept up the friendship with a convicted sex offender for so many years after his guilty plea.
'We asked questions that any American would ask, that has any curiosity about Epstein. It was hard to believe a lot of what she said.' House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer talks with @jaketapper about the closed-door testimony from Epstein associate Kathryn Ruemmler. pic.twitter.com/v1sqstTBZA
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) July 15, 2026
The professional fallout has been severe. Ruemmler resigned as Goldman Sachs’s top lawyer after an wave of media coverage spotlighted her warm email exchanges with Epstein. Her name appears thousands of times in records released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, keeping her at the center of the investigation. She is one of several prominent figures — including Bill Gates and financier Leon Black — whom the House committee has called to account for their ties to Epstein. The committee’s work is far from over, and the gap between her sworn account and the documentary record remains wide open.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, ajc.com, oversight.house.gov, wsj.com, cnbc.com, forbes.com, kcci.com, bloomberg.com
