On February 19, 2026, the estate representatives of deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein agreed to a class action settlement that could pay up to $35 million to women who were trafficked and abused by Epstein between 1995 and 2019. The lawsuit would compensate the victims, but it would also permanently shield two of Epstein’s key advisors, now acting as his estate representatives. Let’s break down what happened.
The Settlement Will Pay Millions, but Will Shield Defendants, Too
The settlement agreement would resolve a 2024 civil class action lawsuit brought against estate representatives Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn by Epstein victims Danielle Bensky and Jane Doe 3, as well as others in the class who are similarly situated. If it’s approved, it will pay out as much as $35 million if there are 40 or more eligible claimants, or $25 million if there are fewer than 40 qualified class members.
The settlement will also permanently shield Indyke and Kahn from civil liability for claims that they facilitated the financing of Epstein’s international underage sex trafficking network. The proposed agreement very broadly says that the plaintiffs will have, “fully, finally, and forever waived, released, relinquished, discharged, and dismissed with prejudice each and every one of the Eligible Plaintiffs’ Claims and shall forever be barred and enjoined from asserting … any and all of the Released Plaintiffs’ Claims against any and all of the Released Defendant Parties.”
The Settlement Agreement Is One of Many That Have Been Brought Against Epstein or His Estate
Before his 2019 arrest, Epstein had settled numerous civil claims brought against him by his human trafficking victims. In doing so, he prevented their testimony from coming to light in the courtroom. Since Epstein died in jail while awaiting trial, over a dozen new lawsuits have sought damages from his estate, and about $121-125 million has been paid out to victims of Epstein’s crimes from a special fund set up by his banks.
Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn Worked for Epstein for Decades and Made Millions
Both men were employed by Jeffrey Epstein for decades and now serve as co-executors of his estate. Darren Indyke served as Epstein’s longtime in-house lawyer, and Richard Kahn served as his accountant. While they held themselves out as mere outside advisers to Epstein, they were actually part of his innermost circle and key facilitators of sex trafficking, according to the lawsuit.
Both were accused in the underlying class action of facilitating and concealing Epstein’s sex trafficking operations for their own financial gain. (According to a report by a forensic accountant, Epstein paid Indyke $10.7 million between 2003 and 2013. Between 2001 and 2019, Epstein and Epstein-owned entities paid more than $16 million to Indyke and over $10 million to Kahn, according to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Virgin Islands, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.)
The 2024 class action lawsuit, which was filed by elite litigation firm Boies Schiller Flexner, accused both men of being personally essential to the Epstein Enterprise’s success. The lawsuit claimed that the men had structured Epstein’s bank accounts and cash withdrawals to give him and his associates access to large amounts of cash.
It detailed how Indyke and Kahn created a complex financial infrastructure that used dozens of bank accounts at various banking institutions, claiming that many of those accounts were held in the name of corporate entities with no legitimate business purpose. In an attempt to protect Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, they also helped Epstein evade banks running diligence reports on him.
In fact, shortly after Epstein’s death in 2019, one of the nation’s largest banks, JPMorgan Chase, filed a report with the Trump administration. The report detailed financial documents called suspicious activity reports (SARs) related to Epstein’s financial activities, with over 4,700 instances that totaled over $1 billion.
Both Men Have Denied Misconduct
Both Indyke and Kahn have denied misconduct. Their attorney, Daniel H. Weiner said that they did nothing wrong and were prepared to fight the claims against them and go to trial. However, they agreed to mediate and settle the lawsuit in order to achieve finality regarding any potential claims against Epstein’s estate.
It’s also worth pointing out that another member of Epstein’s inner circle, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving time in prison after she was convicted of five felonies involving the sexual abuse of young girls. Maxwell, Indyke and Kahn all knew each other and worked together to manage Epstein’s personal and financial affairs. Unlike Maxwell, Indyke and Kahn have never been questioned in connection with any criminal investigation, according to a letter written by five senators.
What’s Next for the Settlement?
The settlement still needs to be approved by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who notably also presided over the criminal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs last summer. If the deal is approved, it would bring an end to the lawsuit.
Related Resources
- Released Jeffrey Epstein Financial Documents Show Wall Street Connections, Little Else (FindLaw's Courtside)
- Can Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking Victims Recover Damages from the FBI for Negligent Policing? (FindLaw's Courtside)
- U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s Case (FindLaw's Federal Courts)
