Top Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathy Ruemmler will leave the investment bank following renewed scrutiny over her past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report by CNBC.
Her departure comes after the recent release of additional documents by the Department of Justice and a Wall Street Journal report detailing a 2019 phone call Epstein placed to her shortly after his arrest. The episode has intensified reputational pressure on Goldman and adds to a growing list of high-profile figures facing fallout over prior associations with Epstein.
Departure follows fresh document release
Goldman had defended Ruemmler for months after the DOJ initially released emails between her and Epstein, along with other investigative records.
But days after The Wall Street Journal reported that Ruemmler was one of three people Epstein called on July 6, 2019, after being arrested by federal authorities at an airport in New Jersey on child sex trafficking charges, her exit was confirmed, CNBC reported.
The Journal cited handwritten law enforcement notes recounting comments Epstein made inside an FBI vehicle following his arrest. Those notes were among documents released in late January by the DOJ, CNBC confirmed.
At the time of the call, Ruemmler was a white-collar criminal defense lawyer at Latham & Watkins. She has said she never represented Epstein.
Epstein died weeks later in a New York federal jail in what authorities ruled a suicide.
Emails show advice on media strategy
In a separate tranche of emails released by the DOJ in late January, one March 2019 exchange shows Ruemmler offering Epstein suggested language in response to criticism about his 2008 plea deal in Florida.
The email thread, with the subject line “From wapo,” suggests Epstein sought advice in response to an inquiry from The Washington Post.
In the message, Ruemmler proposed a statement asserting that criticism of Epstein reflected a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the facts and how the case was prosecuted by local and federal authorities.
She wrote that Epstein had been subjected to a “lengthy, aggressive, [and] highly unusual federal investigation” for what were “in essence, local offenses of sexual solicitation,” adding that he “accepted responsibility” and served prison time while paying monetary settlements to victims.
The 2008 resolution allowed Epstein to plead guilty in Florida state court to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. He served 13 months in state prison and was permitted to leave jail during the day for work release.
Ruemmler has previously told The Wall Street Journal that she regrets ever knowing Epstein.
Goldman’s defence and leadership role
Ruemmler had been Goldman’s chief legal officer and general counsel, and a key adviser to CEO David Solomon. She previously served as White House counsel under former President Barack Obama.
After a congressional committee released earlier emails between Ruemmler and Epstein in November, Goldman Sachs spokesman Tony Fratto told CNBC: “These emails were private correspondence well before Kathy Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs.”
“Kathy is an exceptional general counsel and we benefit from her judgment every day,” Fratto said at the time.
A spokeswoman for Ruemmler, Jennifer Connelly, told the Journal that the documents are consistent with what Ruemmler has said publicly.
“She knew Epstein when she was a criminal defense attorney and shared a client with him,” Connelly said. “She was friendly with him in that context. She had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal conduct on his part.”
Part of broader Epstein fallout
Ruemmler is the latest senior figure to face consequences linked to prior interactions with Epstein.
Last week, Brad Karp, chairman of law firm Paul Weiss, stepped down from that post following fallout over emails between him and Epstein, though he remains at the firm. A spokesman previously said Karp “never witnessed or participated in any misconduct” and regretted limited social interactions.
In the UK, Morgan Sweeney resigned as chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, taking responsibility for advising the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. Mandelson was later fired over disclosures concerning his connection to Epstein.
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