Epstein Estate Agrees To $35 Million Settlement With Victims
The estate of late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay up to $35 million to resolve a long-running class action lawsuit brought by survivors who say they were sexually abused or trafficked by Epstein and whose legal claims remained unresolved years after his death. The settlement, disclosed in federal court filings on Thursday in Manhattan, still requires judicial approval before it becomes final.
The lawsuit, first filed in 2024, alleged that two of Epstein’s former advisers, his personal lawyer Darren Indyke and his longtime accountant Richard Kahn, facilitated and aided his trafficking operations by creating and managing a complex financial structure that helped conceal his abuses and preserve his assets. Both men, who also serve as co-executors of Epstein’s estate, denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to bring finality to the litigation.
Under the proposed terms, the estate will pay up to $35 million if at least 40 class members are eligible to receive compensation. If fewer than 40 qualify, the payout would be about $25 million, according to details in court documents. The agreement does not include any admission of liability by Indyke or Kahn, and neither has been accused of participating directly in Epstein’s sex abuse crimes.
Legal representatives for survivors, including the firm Boies Schiller Flexner, announced the settlement in a brief and previously helped reach $365 million of settlements with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank after accusing them of enabling Epstein’s network. A federal judge must still approve the deal before payments can proceed.
The settlement comes as part of several legal and financial injunctions tied to Epstein’s estate, which has been embroiled in litigation since his death in August 2019 at age 66 while in custody awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. At the time of his death, Epstein’s estate was valued at roughly $600 million, and substantial portions of his wealth have already been used to satisfy legal judgments and compensation funds.
Since 2019, the estate and its executors have pursued multiple avenues to resolve claims by survivors and other entities. Between 2019 and 2021, more than 135 women received $121 million in compensation through a victim fund established by the estate. The estate also reached a $105 million settlement with the U.S. Virgin Islands government over alleged fraud and environmental violations connected to Epstein’s properties there.
In addition to settlements with the estate itself, survivors have secured significant payouts from financial institutions tied to Epstein’s operations. JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $290 million and Deutsche Bank $75 million to resolve separate class action claims alleging their failure to act on red flags about Epstein’s activities as a client.
The 2024 class action lawsuit was notable because it stemmed from accusations against the advisers rather than Epstein directly. Plaintiffs alleged that Indyke and Kahn enabled Epstein’s abuse by helping him structure business entities and financial arrangements that obscured the true nature of his conduct and extended the longevity of his network.
Indyke, a lawyer who served Epstein for decades, has been at the center of ongoing scrutiny into how Epstein sustained his operations over time. Indyke has already overseen significant settlements and restitution payouts from the estate and has been subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee as part of broader investigations into Epstein’s network and the system of professionals who supported it.
