A Reuters review of DOJ documents shows Goldman Sachs' general counsel Kathryn Ruemmler accepted gifts from Jeffrey Epstein and advised him on how to respond to media inquiries. The emails, exchanged from 2014 to 2019, reference items such as a Hermes watch band, handbag, boots and wine and include suggested statements for public figures. Goldman says it vetted Ruemmler and that Epstein often offered unsolicited gifts; Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and died the next month, a death ruled a suicide.
DOJ Records: Goldman Sachs' General Counsel Accepted Gifts From Jeffrey Epstein and Advised Him on Media Responses
Goldman Sachs logo appears in this illustration taken December 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
A Reuters review of millions of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows that Kathryn Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs' general counsel and a former White House counsel, accepted gifts from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and offered him advice on how to respond to media questions about his legal troubles.
What the Documents Show
The released emails, exchanged between 2014 and 2019, depict regular communications between Ruemmler and Epstein. In internal messages she sometimes referred to him as "Uncle Jeffrey." The records include references to gifts Epstein offered or provided — cited items include a Hermes watch band, a handbag, boots and wine — and note that a third party (redacted in the files) facilitated some exchanges.
Media Advice And Suggested Statements
Among the emails, Reuters reports, Ruemmler provided counsel to Epstein on how to respond to media queries. In 2019 she advised on a reply concerning whether Epstein had received special legal treatment because of powerful connections. Earlier, in 2016, Epstein asked Ruemmler what then‑businessman Donald Trump should say if asked about him; Ruemmler suggested a brief statement limiting remarks to professional acquaintance.
Ruemmler Statement: "I was a defense attorney when I dealt with Jeffrey Epstein. I got to know him as a lawyer and that was the foundation of my relationship with him. I had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal conduct on his part, and I did not know him as the monster he has been revealed to be. These decade‑old private emails you are selectively referencing and pruriently reporting on have nothing to do with my work at Goldman Sachs."
Goldman's Response And Context
Goldman Sachs said Epstein frequently offered unsolicited favors and gifts to many business contacts. CEO David Solomon has previously called Ruemmler "an excellent general counsel," and the bank says it was aware of her background as a white‑collar defense lawyer and satisfied after conducting its own diligence.
Broader Significance
The DOJ document release sheds additional light on Epstein's network of contacts across politics, finance and academia, detailing interactions that occurred both before and after his 2008 guilty plea for procuring a person under 18 for prostitution. Epstein was arrested on federal sex‑trafficking charges in July 2019 and died in his Manhattan jail cell the following month; New York City's medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. Portions of the email exchanges were earlier reported by Bloomberg and the Financial Times.
Reporting: The account is based on Reuters' review of DOJ documents and reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil and Saeed Azhar, with additional reporting from Jonathan Stempel and edits by Lananh Nguyen and Lisa Shumaker.
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