According to news on February 20, 2026, the estate administrator of Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay US$35 million (approximately RMB 242 million) to settle a related victim class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that two of Epstein's former advisers assisted him in sex trafficking young women and girls. Related settlement documents have been filed in Manhattan federal court and are awaiting approval by a judge.
The lawsuit began in 2024. The defendants are Epstein's former personal lawyer Darren Indyk and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are also co-executors of his estate. The plaintiff's attorney pointed out that the two men helped Epstein build a complex network of companies and bank accounts to cover up illegal activities, pay related expenses and profit from them. According to the settlement statement, neither party admitted wrongdoing, and the defendants stated that the settlement was for the final settlement of estate-related claims and was not an admission of the allegations. The settlement will provide a confidential avenue for financial relief for victims who have outstanding claims.
Epstein died in a New York prison in August 2019, and the cause of death was ruled suicide. His estate has previously established a victim compensation fund, which has paid a total of US$121 million (approximately RMB 836 million) and paid an additional US$49 million (approximately RMB 338 million) for other related settlements. Together with the $35 million reached this time, the total amount of money Epstein’s estate will spend on victim compensation has further increased.
Public information shows that Epstein has a long-term relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, and his private island Little St. James Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands has also received widespread attention due to related scandals. The legal team responsible for the case also previously pushed JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank to reach a settlement on related negligence issues, involving an amount of US$365 million (approximately RMB 2.521 billion).
With the filing of this settlement agreement, the years-long ongoing claims of Epstein-related victims have taken another step forward. The case still needs to be formally approved by the judge, and subsequent compensation payments and related processes will be advanced in accordance with the court's ruling. This series of compensation and reconciliation has also allowed more victims to receive financial compensation and continues to push related incidents to a conclusion.
