Here is who Epstein’s longtime assistant accused of sexual abuse
By Annie Grayer, Jake Tapper, Nicky Robertson, CNN
(CNN) — Lawmakers investigating the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are turning their attention to three men who Epstein’s longtime assistant accused of sexual abuse in closed-door testimony this week, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
In an interview with the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, former Epstein assistant Sarah Kellen accused the three men of wrongdoing and identified them by name, House Oversight Chair James Comer said.
Sources told CNN that Kellen named Frederic Fekkai, a French celebrity hairstylist; Philip Levine, the former mayor of Miami Beach and cruise industry entrepreneur; and Patrick Demarchelier, a French fashion photographer.
Kellen accused Fekkai and Levine of sexually assaulting her and testified that Demarchelier exposed himself to her, one of the sources familiar with the matter said. Another source said Kellen asserted that Fekkai assaulted her in the early 2000s – before she met Epstein – when the two were alone together in a hotel room while on a trip to Hawaii to meet with modeling agents.
A media representative for Fekkai disputed that Fekkai had done anything wrong.
“Mr. Fekkai was astonished to read of Ms. Kellen’s testimony. Mr. Fekkai never abused anyone. He never participated in any illegal behavior. He knew nothing about Epstein’s repugnant depravity or trafficking. He did nothing wrong,” the representative, Mark Herr, said in a statement.
Herr also specifically denied the allegation of assault: “That is categorically false. Mr. Fekkai never assaulted anyone.”
Kellen told committee investigators that Levine assaulted her in St. Tropez at a home being rented by Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell in the early 2000s, one of the sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
CNN attempted to reach Levine and representatives of Demarchelier, who died in 2022, through phone calls and emails, as well as direct messages on social media. Earlier this year, Levine told WLRN in a statement that he had only met Epstein “a few times” and regretted it.
“As I have stated previously, my only connection to Jeffrey Epstein arose solely through my former friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell. I met Epstein only a few times. I never conducted business with him, never visited his island and never flew on his aircraft. I regret ever meeting him,” he said at the time.
Kellen testified that Demarchelier introduced her to Epstein, who he characterized as a scout for possible Victoria’s Secret models, another source familiar with the matter told CNN.
None of the men have been charged with a crime in connection with Epstein, and Comer said the committee had not previously known of allegations of sexual abuse against them.
A CNN review of the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice showed that Levine and Fekkai had ties to the late convicted sex offender dating back years. The files, however, do not appear to reveal any direct interaction between Demarchelier and Epstein, according to CNN’s review. There is no indication in the publicly available Epstein files reviewed by CNN that any of the three men had been interviewed by federal investigators.
Kellen is a polarizing figure in Epstein’s orbit whose work with the disgraced financier provided her access to significant information on his activities. In 2007, she was labeled by law enforcement as one of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators. But she has described herself as a victim of Epstein’s abuse, and some observers acknowledge her experience is complicated, even if law enforcement did investigate her for possibly aiding Epstein. Comer said she was not interviewed by law enforcement until 2019; her lawyer declined to comment.
“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,” Kellen told lawmakers of Epstein, according to a copy of her opening statement. “It was like living with a permanent virtual reality headset on. I was reminded every day how powerful he was — how influential he was — and that to turn on him or disobey him would mean losing everything: my job, my home, everyone I knew in the world, even my life.”
Comer declined on Thursday to name the individuals and promised his committee would release a transcript of Kellen’s interview as soon as possible.
The accusations that Kellen leveled against the men, Comer said, would provide congressional investigators a new lead to chase down.
“Of all the people that we’ve interviewed thus far, this was by far the most substantive and productive interview that we’ve had,” he told reporters Thursday.
What the Epstein files show about Fekkai
The files reveal that over many years, Epstein spent thousands of dollars at the famed Frederic Fekkai salon for himself and others, according to invoices and credit card statements released by the Justice Department.
But Epstein’s relationship with Fekkai appeared to extend beyond that of a professional hairdresser and a client, according to the DOJ’s Epstein files.
At least four times, Fekkai reportedly asked to use one of Epstein’s apartments, emails from the files show.
In 2010, Fekkai also asked to use Epstein’s room for an appointment with his own masseuse, an email shows. Epstein agreed, but told a person – whose name is redacted in the files – to let Fekkai know that Epstein would be home. That same year, Epstein boasted to a redacted person that he had known Fekkai for 10 years and “helped his company form.”
In 2013, Epstein asked Fekkai for help finding a multi-lingual assistant, and Fekkai responded he would check his rolodex, an email shows. That same year, Fekkai wrote Epstein about a female coming to one of his salons, and a representative of Epstein wrote to invite Fekkai over for cake for Epstein’s birthday.
And Maxwell told acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in an interview last year that Epstein and Fekkai were “friendly, very friendly.”
What the Epstein files show about Levine
Epstein and Levine were in contact through the early 2000s and had plans to talk on the phone, and meet in person, multiple times throughout the years, according to the Justice Department’s files. It is not clear in the files if the meetings actually took place.
In 2003, for example, the files show that Levine had tried to arrange a business meeting for Epstein with the former managing director of the company overseeing Sephora.
In 2010, the year after Epstein was released from jail in Florida after being convicted on state charges related to sex crimes, Levine wrote to Epstein, “I am happy that everything has come to a positive ending for you during these tough times… You are a great guy.”
Levine ran successfully for mayor of Miami Beach in 2013, and unsuccessfully to be governor of the state in 2018. Epstein’s inbox is filled with campaign emails from Levine. In 2013, Epstein responded to a generic campaign email asking how he could donate to the campaign, and someone responded from the “Levine for Mayor” account directing the financier to use their website.
Levine also appeared to have had a relationship with Maxwell, Epstein’s criminal accomplice, emails show.
Levine asked Maxwell in one email to “scout” at a party she was attending in 2001. In 2003, Levine told her that he had a “hot, young thing spending the weekend…call me,” another email shows.
Maxwell told Blanche, then the deputy attorney general, last year that Levine was the one who introduced her to former President Bill Clinton. She referred to herself and Levine as “very good friends.”
Maxwell and Levine seemed to have a relationship where they frequently joked with sexual undertones, emails show. In one email, Maxwell referred to Levine as her boyfriend. In messages from 2001, Maxwell says that she “unceremoniously dumped” Epstein for Levine.
The-CNN-Wire
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