Epstein files: Sarah Kellen, personal assistant of convicted sex offender, claims she was abused for years: Details

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's longtime personal assistant, Sarah Kellen, on Thursday (local time) told the US House Oversight Committee that she was "sexually and psychologically abused" by the late financier for over a decade. ABC News reported Kellen's claims, according to a copy of her prepared opening statement, in which she stated, "He groomed me, sexually and psychologically abused me, controlled me, manipulated me, dominated me, and gaslit me, until I could no longer tell which thoughts were mine and which were his." Also Read | Epstein prison guard Tova Noel to testify before House Committee today The closed-door session was part of the House Oversight Committee's ongoing inquiry into how federal authorities have handled investigations involving the late sex offender. Epstein's long-time assistant appears for questioning Kellen, 47, was previously the subject of criminal investigations but was never charged, due in part to her own allegations of ongoing sexual abuse by the disgraced financier, according to court documents and records released earlier this year by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Before Kellen's appearance, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters that it was "going to be the toughest one" yet. Comer said, "Well, this is a witness who was a personal assistant to Mr. Epstein. She was also a victim of Mr. Epstein. So, we're bringing her in," and added, "We have a lot of questions about everything from the day-to-day activities to what she saw and what she knows, and hopefully it will help us as we proceed with the investigation." What did Epstein's longtime assistant reveal? In her planned statement, Kellen noted that she was recruited for the job as the convicted offender's assistant by a co-worker at a hotel in Hawaii, where she had moved after getting married at 17. She claimed that following a divorce and excommunication from her church, she was left alone and eventually became "a perfect target" for Epstein. Kellen said, "I was 21 years old, far from where I grew up, stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere, with no college degree, no family, no friends, no money, and nowhere to live." Also Read | Trump and Epstein videos projected on Washington hotel building According to her statement, her job with Epstein began with a training period where she initially accompanied him on his private jet to his homes across the country, the Virgin Islands, Florida, and New York, where she says she was "surrounded by unimaginable luxury." She further stated that after doing months of unpaid labor, "he instructed me to draw him a bath on his island, then ordered me to undress and get in with him, and he said, 'The job is yours. Now you just have to keep it,'" she said in the statement. "He then pulled me onto his bed and made clear what 'keeping the job' required. Only after I submitted to his sexual abuse did the paychecks begin," she added. Kellen told the panel that Epstein's abuse occurred on a "weekly basis" and that the late sex offender was violent at times, including an incident in Palm Beach where she says he violently choked and raped her. Kellen’s appearance comes as the committee intensifies its investigation, which was officially launched in February of last year. Other notable witnesses expected in the coming months include Epstein’s longtime executive assistant Leslie Groff, former US Attorney General Pam Bondi, former Goldman Sachs chief counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, and billionaires Bill Gates and Leon Black. The committee’s chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), has said a report on its findings is expected before the end of the year. Following the convicted sex offender's death in August 2019, prosecutors in New York investigated possible collaborators engaged in discussions with Kellen and her attorneys that spanned over a year. Documents released by the DOJ earlier this year included prosecutors' internal assessments of a potential case against Kellen and emails from her attorneys trying to dissuade the government from filing charges. DOJ records indicate that the government did not challenge Kellen’s claim that she was also a victim of abuse by Epstein and noted that her account aligned with statements from other former Epstein employees who also reported alleged sexual exploitation. Also Read | Vance says Epstein and Trump hated each other — and the emails prove it Kellen’s testimony highlights how vast Epstein’s network was, and how authorities handled the case, which is still under close investigation, including both abuse allegations and possible criminal responsibility.