Epstein estate's $35 million settlement with accusers wins preliminary judge approval

A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval on Tuesday to an agreement for Jeffrey Epstein’s estate ​to pay as much as $35 million to resolve a class ‌action lawsuit that accused two of the disgraced financier’s advisers of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls.

Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing ​Epstein victims, announced the settlement on February 19. On Tuesday, Manhattan-based U.S. ​District Judge Arun Subramanian said the agreement appeared fair. The ⁠judge scheduled a hearing for September 16 to consider granting final approval.

The ​deal would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s ​former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of Epstein’s estate.

Epstein’s estate previously set up a restitution fund that paid out $121 million to victims. ​The estate also paid $49 million in additional settlements to victims.

Lawyers for Indyke ​and Kahn did not immediately respond to requests for comment. One of their lawyers had ‌previously ⁠said neither Indyke nor Kahn “made any admission or concession of misconduct” as part of the settlement.

Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

Millions of documents released this year by the ​Justice Department from its ​investigation into Epstein ⁠have shed light on his social ties to wealthy and powerful people around the world.

In the 2024 lawsuit, lawyers ​at Boies Schiller Flexner said Indyke and Kahn helped Epstein ​create a ⁠complex web of corporations and bank accounts that let him hide his abuses and pay victims and recruiters, while leaving them “richly compensated” for their work.

The ⁠Boies law ​firm previously helped obtain $365 million of settlements ​with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank after accusing them of missing red flags about Epstein, once ​a lucrative client.