Question
Who is Richard Kahn and what was his role in Epstein’s finances?
Answer
Richard Kahn is a certified public accountant who served as a longtime financial associate and tax adviser to Jeffrey Epstein. He is best known publicly as one of the two co-executors of Epstein’s estate — a role established in the will Epstein signed just two days before his death in August 2019.
Role in Financial Management
Kahn worked with Epstein on tax planning, accounting, and financial record management across Epstein’s various entities and properties, including the 1953 Trust structure and Epstein’s Virgin Islands holdings. The complexity of Epstein’s offshore finances — including his USVI corporations, which claimed significant tax benefits — required sophisticated accounting management that Kahn helped provide.
Estate Executor Role
As co-executor alongside lawyer Darren Indyke, Kahn was responsible for administering Epstein’s estate after his death. This included managing the estate’s approximately $577 million in assets, overseeing the Victims Compensation Program, managing the sale of properties including Little Saint James and the Manhattan townhouse, and responding to litigation from the U.S. Virgin Islands and multiple civil plaintiffs.
Legal Exposure
Kahn and Indyke were named as defendants in litigation by the USVI and by individual plaintiffs. The USVI lawsuit alleged that Epstein’s estate managers — including Kahn — had helped structure and maintain the financial arrangements that facilitated and concealed the trafficking operation through USVI tax benefit programs.
Sources
- Epstein estate probate filings, U.S. Virgin Islands
- USVI Attorney General lawsuit against Epstein estate and executors
- Court documents from civil litigation related to the estate