2026-02-01 23:13:00
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Just three months before he was arrested on federal child sex trafficking charges in 2019, Jeffrey Epstein had a mission: get Brad Karp, chair of the law firm Paul Weiss, into America’s most exclusive golf club, with the help of former White House strategist Steve Bannon.
“Need to work magic to get brad Karp admitted to augusta golf club”, he texted Bannon in April that year.
“The head of Paul Weiss Brad Karp?” Bannon replied, to which Epstein responded “Yes” before making a crude joke about Karp. The Augusta National Golf Club’s small, elite membership has included business titans such as Warren Buffett.
There is no suggestion that Karp knew Bannon or had even expressed a desire to get into the golf club, and it is not clear whether he did.
But it is one of many examples in a tranche of documents released by the Department of Justice that illustrate the relationship between the child sex offender and Karp, who chairs one of Wall Street’s most powerful law firms and drew controversy last year by agreeing a deal with the Trump administration.
The relationship is one illustration of how Epstein tried to use favours and invitations to curry favour in powerful circles as he built a wide-ranging network of wealthy and powerful people.
“Paul Weiss was retained by Leon Black, then the CEO of the firm’s longtime client Apollo, to negotiate a series of fee disputes with Jeffrey Epstein that spanned several years,” a Paul Weiss spokesperson said. “The firm was adverse to Epstein and at no point did Paul Weiss or Brad Karp ever represent him.”
In February 2019, the documents show Karp corresponding with Epstein about two high-profile figures ensnared in a Florida prostitution crackdown, billionaire Robert Kraft and former Citigroup president John Havens.
Epstein emailed Karp on February 22 to say “if your buddy Kraft, needs local palm rep . let me know”, to which Karp replied: “I’m sure he will need the best there is.”
About 30 minutes later Karp emailed Epstein to say Havens “just called and needs immediate help . . . Who’s the best lawyer you can think of to help.” Epstein replied: “they re talking right now” to which Karp said: “thanks so much”, according to the DoJ data release.
Kraft and Havens both pleaded not guilty and charges against them were dropped.
Paul Weiss has for years represented Apollo Global Management, the private equity group that had links to Epstein, and has acted for its co-founder Leon Black, who stepped down as Apollo’s chief executive in 2021 after a scandal about his links to the deceased child sex offender.
Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and was arrested again more than a decade later on federal charges. He died in jail in August 2019.
Emails released by the DoJ show Karp arranging with Epstein’s assistant for his son and daughter to join the law firm chair at a small Woody Allen film screening in New York in 2014, though it is not clear whether both children ultimately attended.
The following year, in July 2015, Epstein’s emails mention a dinner with the film director and Karp.
The day after the scheduled dinner, Karp emailed Epstein to say: “I can’t thank you enough for including me in an evening I’ll never forget. It was truly “once in a lifetime” in every way, though I hope to be invited again. You are an extraordinary host — and your home . . .!!!”
When Epstein responded that “there are many many nights of unique talents. you will be invited often”, Karp said: “You’re amazing . . . and thank you!”
The files also detail arrangements for Karp’s son to attend Woody Allen screenings in 2016 and 2018.
The documents show Epstein in October 2018 seeking Karp’s help in an apparent dispute with Black over fees. “can you please ha=e the discussion re my fees. I m leaving it to you to resolve. Thx,” Epstein emailed Karp.
“I brought it up today and made no progress,” Karp replied. “Let me try again, in a different way.” The following day, Epstein asked again and Karp said: “He [Black] just waved me off.”
They show planned meetings involving Epstein, Karp and Kathy Ruemmler, now general counsel at Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel under Barack Obama, though it is not clear whether all the meetings took place.
The documents released on Friday show that Epstein on multiple occasions paid for Ruemmler to have spa appointments and for gifts such as a Hermès bag.
“Am totally tricked out by Uncle Jeffrey today! Jeffrey boots, handbag, and w=tch!” Ruemmler wrote to Epstein in 2019.
Ruemmler left the White House in 2014 and joined Goldman in 2020.
She was also marked as attending a 2014 “editing lesson” from Allen and was scheduled to be at a lunch with Epstein, Bannon and Allen in 2019.
Goldman spokesman Tony Fratto said: “As is common in professional services businesses, Epstein routinely gave unsolicited gifts and services to his many business acquaintances.”
Ruemmler has said previously that she regrets “ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein”.