Prosecutors in New Mexico have filed a civil lawsuit against two longtime aides of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, accusing them of profiting from his sex trafficking operation and helping conceal abuse at his remote ranch.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, targets lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn, who serve as co-executors of Epstein’s estate and control his remaining wealth and possessions.
Torrez alleged that the two men played a key role in concealing abuse at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe and continue to benefit financially while survivors seek accountability.
The civil action was brought under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the New Mexico Racketeering Act. It is separate from the state’s criminal investigation into Epstein, which was reopened in February.
Speaking at a news conference, Torrez accused the two men of obstructing survivors’ efforts to obtain compensation from Epstein’s fortune, estimated at about US$635 million at the time of his death.
“Those resources rightfully belong in the hands of survivors,” he said, adding that Epstein’s remaining assets should not be distributed to people allegedly involved in what he described as one of the most horrific criminal enterprises in modern American history.
Both Indyke and Kahn worked with Epstein for decades and previously testified to Congress that they were unaware of his crimes, which involved the sexual abuse and trafficking of women and girls alongside accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
Their lawyer, Daniel Weiner, told the BBC that both men “emphatically reject” the allegations and are confident they will prevail in court.
Weiner said the claims that his clients knowingly facilitated or assisted Epstein’s sexual abuse or trafficking, or knew about his actions while providing legal and accounting services, were categorically false.
He also accused the New Mexico prosecutor of filing the lawsuit without first asking either man to speak about the allegations, adding that both had cooperated with investigations whenever requested.
Indyke and Kahn were appointed co-executors of Epstein’s estate in August 2019, two days before the financier died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.
Epstein had amended his will to transfer his wealth into a trust named after his birth year, placing the two men in charge of administering the assets.
As executors, they agreed to fund compensation packages for survivors. However, the arrangements included conditions preventing those who accepted payments from pursuing further legal action against Indyke and Kahn personally. Other claims remain unresolved.
The men are also beneficiaries of the trust and could each receive tens of millions of dollars from the remaining assets once claims have been settled.
Torrez argued that Epstein’s crimes were enabled by a wider network of people who had yet to face consequences, including lawyers, accountants and other associates.
“Jeffrey Epstein did not operate alone, and his death does not end the pursuit of accountability for the people who helped make his crimes possible,” he said.
He added that those accused of enabling the exploitation should not be allowed to profit from it while survivors continue to deal with its consequences.
