Jeffrey Epstein Was A 'Monster' And 'Master Manipulator' Who Hid Abuse From Staff, Says Former Aide

Published 10 June 2026 · politics

Jeffrey Epstein Was A 'Monster' And 'Master Manipulator' Who Hid Abuse From Staff, Says Aide Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 05:56 IST Lesley

Jeffrey Epstein Was A 'Monster' And 'Master Manipulator' Who Hid Abuse From Staff, Says Aide Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 05:56 IST Lesley Groff said she only came to understand the extent of Epstein's crimes after his arrest and insisted she was unaware of any abuse while employed by him. Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (Image: AP/File) Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime executive assistant told members of the House Oversight Committee that she had no knowledge of the late financier’s sexual abuse crimes, describing him as a “monster" and a “master manipulator" who carefully concealed his secret life from those around him. Lesley Groff, who worked for Epstein from 2001 until 2019, testified as part of Congress’s ongoing investigation into the convicted sex offender’s network and activities. In opening remarks, Lesley Groff said she only came to understand the extent of Epstein’s crimes after his arrest and insisted she was unaware of any abuse while employed by him.

“I want to say without any doubt that I have come to believe the man who employed me from February of 2001 through July of 2019 was a monster," Lesley Groff told lawmakers, adding, “For 18 years, I worked for Dr. Jekyll but was never permitted to see the true Mr. Hyde." Lesley Groff said Epstein deliberately separated his public and private lives, preventing employees from learning about his criminal conduct. “Mr. Epstein was, in hindsight, a master manipulator and deceiver who separated his legitimate life from his secret life as an abuser, and made sure that, as his secretary, those two worlds did not collide," she said. The testimony places one of Epstein’s closest former aides under congressional scrutiny. Lesley Groff managed much of Epstein’s schedule, arranged travel, coordinated meetings and booked appointments, making her one of the most significant witnesses to appear before lawmakers during the investigation.

Addressing questions about the massage appointments she routinely scheduled for Epstein, Lesley Groff said she believed the women she contacted were professional massage therapists and that she had no reason to suspect criminal activity. She testified that none of the women ever told her they were minors or victims of abuse and maintained that she never witnessed conduct that would have alerted her to Epstein’s crimes. Lesley Groff also told lawmakers that she was never abused by Epstein and said both Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell discouraged her from becoming involved with their personal or professional circles. Since Epstein’s arrest and subsequent death in 2019, Lesley Groff said she has faced significant personal consequences, including harassment, death threats and social isolation. She also addressed Epstein’s victims directly during her testimony, saying, “My heart breaks for these women. I believe them. Words cannot express how badly I feel that I was employed by Mr. Epstein during the time he abused these women.