Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant gave the House Oversight Committee three new names of alleged abusers in the convicted sex offender’s network — a revelation that committee chairman James Comer described as a promising lead in his panel’s investigation into Epstein’s misdeeds.
The assistant, Sarah Kellen, provided the names in a closed-door interview on Thursday, Comer said. He declined to name the individuals, but said they were not previously known and promised to release a transcript of Kellen’s interview as soon as possible.
“The new names, that’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Comer said, adding, “I’m more optimistic today than I have been a long time.”
Kellen is a polarizing figure in Epstein’s orbit whose work with the disgraced late financier gave her access to significant information on his activities. In 2007, she was labeled by law enforcement as one of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators, and many believe she helped him recruit and abuse girls. But she has described herself as a victim of Epstein’s abuse, and some observers acknowledge her experience is complicated, even if law enforcement did investigate her for possibly aiding Epstein.
Throughout hours of closed-door testimony on Thursday, Kellen said she was not Epstein’s co-conspirator and had no idea she was going to be named in Epstein’s non-prosecution agreement from the early 2000s. On the contrary, Kellen testified she “worked for and was sexually and psychologically abused by Jeffrey Epstein,” according to a copy of her opening remarks shared with CNN.
