The House Oversight Committee said Thursday it was asking the Justice Department to investigate sexual misconduct allegations made by Jeffrey Epstein’s former assistant, Sarah Kellen, against two of his associates.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Kellen was interviewed behind closed doors on May 21 by the committee as part of its investigation into Epstein.“During the transcribed interview, the Committee received testimony about alleged instances of criminal misconduct committed by Philip Levine, the former Mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017, and Frédéric Fekkai, a French celebrity hairstylist,” Chair James Comer wrote in the letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.Kellen also accused a third man with ties to Epstein, late fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier, of pulling down his pants in front of her.In a statement, Comer, R-Ky., said the committee “is not a law enforcement entity, and our role is not to determine guilt or innocence.We are referring these allegations to the Department of Justice, which has the tools to investigate criminal misconduct.
We will continue to follow the facts and ensure accountability for survivors.”The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Kellen worked for Epstein for over a decade and was at one point identified as one of his co-conspirators.In the May 21 interview, a transcript of which was released Thursday, Kellen said Fekkai was the person who introduced her to Epstein, the convicted sex offender financier who died in 2019 by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
She said the alleged sexual abuse by Fekkai happened before she met Epstein, and the alleged incident with Levine happened one or two years after she started working for Epstein.She said both of the alleged incidents occurred when she was in her 20s.A spokesperson for Levine said in a statement, “Nearly a quarter cent...