The estate of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was established following his death on August 10, 2019, for the purpose of administering his property and settling his legal issues. Epstein's last will and testament was filed on August 15, 2019, in the Superior Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Epstein's will named his lawyer, Darren Indyke, and his accountant, Richard Kahn, as joint executors of his estate, which is organized under a trust called the 1953 Trust. Epstein's estate was worth over $577million at the time of his death, but it has since decreased in value to around $120million. The estate has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and legal inquiries, including two Congressional subpoenas by the House Oversight Committee.
Epstein signed a will on August 8, 2019, two days before his death, while he was in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.[5] Attorneys Mariel Colón Miró and Gulnora Tari were present as witnesses.[6][7] The will was filed in the U.S. Virgin Islands on August 15, five days after he died by suicide on August 10.[8] The will created a pour-over trust called the 1953 Trust, which news outlets speculate is named after Epstein's birth-year.[7] The will lists his domicile as the Virgin Islands.[7] According to The New York Times, there are 40 names included in the Trust.[9]
Management
Epstein's will appointed Darren Indyke, Epstein's attorney, and Richard Kahn, Epstein's accountant, as the executors of his estate.[10] Prior to his appointment as executor, Indyke had worked for Epstein in various capacities since at least 1995, while Kahn had worked as Epstein's accountant since 2005.[11][12] In 2019, both men were listed by the FBI as co-conspirators of Epstein, but neither Indyke nor Kahn were charged with any crimes and have denied all wrongdoing.[13][14] Venture capitalist Boris Nikolic, a former science advisor to Bill Gates, was named as a backup executor in the will.[15] Nikolic has said that he did not consent to being named as an executor.[16] Under Indyke and Kahn, the value of the estate has depreciated by up to 80 percent since Epstein's death.[9] Ongoing costs decreasing the estate's value have included taxes, property upkeep, and legal costs.[17]
Epstein's estate has been involved in numerous lawsuits, including paying a $105 million settlement to the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which sued Epstein's estate over potential fraud and environmental violations.[17][18] 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of Epstein's private islands, Great Saint James and Little Saint James, will also be paid to the Virgin Islands government as part of the settlement.[9] The estate has paid out $121 million restitution to over 135 women from 2019 to 2021,[17][19] $49 million in individual settlements, and is in the process of settling a $35 million class-action lawsuit against Indyke and Kahn.[14] Epstein's assets will not pass into the 1953 Trust until all of the victims' claims are resolved.[7] The estate could face tax claims if authorities such as the Internal Revenue Service challenge his domicile.[7]
August 2025 Congressional subpoena
Epstein's estate was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee on August 25, 2025, for thousands of documents relating to Epstein's activities dating from 1990 to 2019, including Epstein's "birthday book", a collection of letters sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday.[20][21][22] The estate cooperated with the investigation and the Oversight Committee released the documents it received on September 8.[23] The subpoena proceedings were marked by political tension between Republican Oversight Committee chairman James Comer and Democratic members of the committee.[24]
January 2026 Congressional subpoena
Indyke and Kahn, along with Epstein's former financial manager Les Wexner, were subpoenaed as individuals to testify before the Oversight Committee on January 23, 2026.[25] Following the announcement of the subpoena, attorney for the estate Daniel Wiener said that Indyke and Kahn "fully intend to continue their cooperation with the Committee, including its efforts to investigate potential government wrongdoing regarding Mr. Epstein, and look forward to setting the record straight as to their lack of involvement in Mr. Epstein's misconduct."[26] Kahn is scheduled to testify on March 11, while Indyke will testify on March 19.[27] The second subpoena process has seen more bipartisanship than the first.[28]
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