House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant gave congressional investigators three new names tied to Epstein’s alleged abuse network, calling it a key lead in the probe.
Comer said Sarah Kellen, Epstein’s longtime assistant, gave House investigators three previously undisclosed names during a closed-door interview Thursday, with a transcript to be released soon.
“The new names, that’s what we’ve been waiting for. I’m more optimistic today than I have been a long time,” Comer said.
Kellen, a longtime aide to Epstein, remains a controversial figure due to allegations that she helped recruit and abuse girls, although she has described herself as a victim of Epstein and some observers say her role was complex despite past law enforcement scrutiny.
During closed-door testimony Thursday, Kellen denied being Epstein’s co-conspirator and said she had been sexually and psychologically abused by him, according to CNN.
Comer said the Justice Department’s failure to interview Kellen until 2019 showed investigators had mishandled the Epstein case.
“More evidence emerges every time we bring somebody in that the government failed the victims. That’s the obvious,” Comer stated, and noted that after listening to Kellen’s testimony, he believes she was a victim of Epstein’s crimes, not a potential co-conspirator.
US Dem. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said lawmakers may seek to subpoena Kellen for another interview, arguing she left several questions unanswered during Thursday’s voluntary testimony.
A source familiar with Kellen’s testimony told CNN she discussed her own alleged abuse by Epstein but declined to address abuse involving others, while also saying she never witnessed inappropriate behavior by US President Donald Trump and believed he and Epstein had once been close.
