Goldman Sachs Counsel Says She Would Have Reported Epstein Over Abuse Allegations

Kathryn Ruemmler, senior counsel at Goldman Sachs, told a closed door congressional hearing on Wednesday that she would have alerted law enforcement had she known Jeffrey Epstein was abusing women or girls during the time she knew him.

Background on Her Testimony

Ruemmler stepped down as Goldman’s chief legal officer and general counsel at the end of June after Justice Department records revealed she had maintained extensive contact with Epstein and had accepted gifts from him. She now appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is investigating Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

In her opening statement, Ruemmler said she saw no signs of ongoing wrongdoing by Epstein during their dealings and maintained she would have gone to authorities immediately had she known otherwise.

Her Relationship With Epstein

Ruemmler explained she was introduced to Epstein through a financial institution client he advised, and said that knowing what she knows now, she never would have agreed to meet him. She described accepting some gifts from him but said they held little personal significance and did not influence how she interacted with him. She also called Epstein a skilled manipulator who often overstated his closeness to her when speaking with others.

She said all contact with Epstein stopped in July 2019, following his indictment on sex trafficking charges involving minors.

Congressional Scrutiny Continues

Some Democratic lawmakers on the panel, including Representative Robert Garcia, expressed doubt about the completeness of her answers, noting her testimony was not given under oath. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi have separately raised concerns about her continued role at Goldman.