Latest / The Vault: The Epstein Files / Darren Indyke And His Epstein Related Congressional Transcript (Part 1) (10/7/26)

Transcript

Darren Indyke And His Epstein Related Congressional Transcript (Part 1) (10/7/26) · The Vault: The Epstein Files

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Epstein Chronicles. Ever since the Darren Indyke appearance before Congress,
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: I've been looking for a PDF version of the transcript.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: And considering it was only a videotaped deposition, there wasn't
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: one provided by Congress. So I've had to try and
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: put together a transcript and I think I finally found
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: one that's legible enough for us to navigate. So that's
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: what we're going to do. We're going to dive into
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: this transcript from the Darren Indyk deposition in front of Congress.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: And unfortunately, not all the names are notated here for
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  Speaker 1: people that are asking questions. So when I say question,
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: that's whoever is doing the questioning, asking the question. And
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: when I say answer, that's Indyk answering that question. And
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  Speaker 1: if a lawyer objects, I'll make sure I note that
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: as well. All right. So with that said, we're going
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: to skip through all of the introductions and we're going
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  Speaker 1: to get right to the opening statement by Darren Endyke.
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: I'd like to thank the committee for working with the
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: Epstein estate over the past six months. As a co-executor
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: of the estate, I've done my very best to cooperate
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: with the committee and to respond to the committee's requests
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: for documents, photographs, and other information relating to Jeffrey Epstein.
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: As you know, the estate produced voluminous material in response
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  Speaker 1: to the committee's subpoena and communicated regularly with both the
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: committee's major and minority staffs on the timing, scope, and
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: content of the estate's response. My appearance here today, as
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: with my co-executor's testimony before the committee last week, represents
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: our continuing cooperation with the committee's efforts to investigate matters
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: regarding Mr. Epstein. In addition, since we were appointed in
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: 2019 by the United States Virgin Islands Probate Court as
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  Speaker 1: co-executors of Mr. Epstein's estate, we have fully cooperated with
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: the U.S. Department of Justice investigation of Epstein-related matters. I'd
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  Speaker 1: like to also note the extensive efforts that my co-executor
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: and I have made to address the wrongs committed by Mr.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: Epstein during his lifetime. At our direction, the estate initiated, developed,
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  Speaker 1: and funded the Epstein Victims Compensation Program, the first of
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: its kind established by an estate which provided a private, voluntary,
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: and non-confrontational means to compensate women who suffered sexual abuse
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: by Mr. Epstein. Independently administered by preeminent members of the committee,
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  Speaker 1: These programs are commissioned by Mr. Figures in the field
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  Speaker 1: of victims' compensation. The EVP awarded more than $ 121 million
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  Speaker 1: to 136 women, all of which the estate funded pursuant
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: to our express direction that 1. There was to be
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: no cap on monies awarded, either individually or in the aggregate,
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  Speaker 1: and 2. Even women whose claims were time-barred or who
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: had previously signed releases could participate. The estate also directly
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: settled claims by additional 59 women for a total of
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: more than $ 48 million, including the recently proposed settlement in
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  Speaker 1: a putative class action lawsuit filed in 2024 on behalf
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: of all women abused by Mr. Epstein, a settlement that
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  Speaker 1: the court preliminarily approved earlier this month. My co-executor and
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  Speaker 1: I have authorized payment by the Epstein estate of more
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: than $ 200 million to women who assert they were abused
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  Speaker 1: or trafficked by Mr. Epstein. Let me be clear. I
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  Speaker 1: had no knowledge whatsoever of Jeffrey Epstein's wrongdoings. My complete
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: lack of involvement in that misconduct is a matter of record.
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  Speaker 1: Not a single woman has ever accused me of committing
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  Speaker 1: sexual abuse or witnessing sexual abuse, nor claimed at any
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  Speaker 1: time that she or anyone else reported to me any
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: allegation of Mr. Epstein's abuse. I didn't socialize with Epstein,
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  Speaker 1: and I reject as categorically false any suggestion that that
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  Speaker 1: I know of Mr. Epstein's abuse. I have no knowledge
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: whatsoever of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse or trafficking of women,
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  Speaker 1: or that I was aware of his actions while providing
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  Speaker 1: legal services to him. Far from being Mr. Epstein's lieutenant
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  Speaker 1: or chief of staff, as I have been incorrectly described
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: by plaintiff's lawyers and uninformed journalists, I was one of
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  Speaker 1: many attorneys who Mr. Epstein regularly consulted, including such noted
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  Speaker 1: luminaries as Kenneth Starr, for entirely legitimate purposes. The primary
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: role was to provide corporate, transactional, and general legal services
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: to Mr. Epstein and his companies, and yes, I did so.
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  Speaker 1: The press and plaintiff's counsel have mischaracterized cash withdrawals I
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: made from Epstein's banks from 2013 to 2017. Entirely ignored
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  Speaker 1: in that reporting is the fact that the bank involved
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  Speaker 1: knew full well that these accounts belonged to Mr. Epstein.
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  Speaker 1: Neither I nor he made any effort to disguise his
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  Speaker 1: name or identity. nor did one of the bank's employees.
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  Speaker 1: The bank itself imposed a $ 7, 500 limit on daily cash withdrawals.
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  Speaker 1: I was not attempting to structure such withdrawals to avoid
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  Speaker 1: federal reporting requirements. Quite to the contrary, I simply sought
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: to comply with the bank's internal requirements and limits. With
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  Speaker 1: the bank's full knowledge, it is undisputed that during this time, Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Epstein had difficulty assessing credit cards for major banks. Instead,
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  Speaker 1: he and his staff required cash to pay for a
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  Speaker 1: wide range of credit cards. The bank had no money
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  Speaker 1: to invest in them, and the bank's variety of expenses,
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  Speaker 1: including maintenance, repairs, the daily household needs for his residential
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  Speaker 1: properties in New York, Florida, Mexico, Paris, and the USVI,
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  Speaker 1: as well as meals, gifts, gratuities, and fuel for his
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  Speaker 1: private aircraft. For a person of Mr. Epstein's financial position,
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  Speaker 1: with five multi-million dollar residences staffed by dozens of employees...
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  Speaker 1: and with an extensive travel itinerary, it did not strike
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  Speaker 1: me as unusual that Mr. Epstein's business, household, and personal
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  Speaker 1: needs required large amounts of cash on a regular basis.
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  Speaker 1: I never believed that the cash I withdrew from Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Epstein and his staff was used by Mr. Epstein or
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: his staff for improper purposes. There may have also been
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: allegations of my supposed involvement in facilitating forced or sham
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  Speaker 1: marriages between women in Mr. Epstein's business. Those allegations too
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  Speaker 1: are 100% untrue. I didn't arrange, assist, or facilitate any
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  Speaker 1: marriage between acquaintances of Mr. Epstein, nor was I aware
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: in advance that such marriages took place. Same-sex marriage has
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  Speaker 1: been legal in New York since 2011 with the passage
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: of the Marriage Equality Act. I did not consider it
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  Speaker 1: appropriate to interrogate anyone as to the reason for their
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  Speaker 1: decision to marry or the bona fides of their relationships.
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  Speaker 1: I don't mean in any way to condone or excuse Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Epstein's reprehensible conduct, quite the opposite. I condemn it wholeheartedly.
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  Speaker 1: Had I known that he was abusing or trafficking women,
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  Speaker 1: I would have quit working for him at once and
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  Speaker 1: severed all ties to him. The truth is that I
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  Speaker 1: didn't know what Mr. Epstein did after hours, what he
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: did behind closed doors, and what he did in places
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  Speaker 1: where I was not present. I first met Epstein in
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: 1996 when he was a young man in his early 20s.
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  Speaker 1: I was the young man in my early 20s. When
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  Speaker 1: he was a highly successful businessman after he pled guilty
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  Speaker 1: in 2008 to procuring a young person under the age
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  Speaker 1: of prostitution, Mr. Epstein appeared to me to be devastated
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  Speaker 1: and extremely contrite. He was adamant that he had no
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: idea that anyone involved was underage and personally assured me
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: that he would never again let himself be in that position.
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  Speaker 1: I believed him. and I made the mistake of believing
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  Speaker 1: that Mr. Epstein would not again commit a crime. I
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: deeply regret doing so. Most importantly, I feel horrible for
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: the women who Mr. Epstein abused. While my professional association
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: with Jeffrey Epstein has subjected my family to death threats
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: and malicious personal attacks, I don't expect the members of
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: the committee or the public to feel sympathy for me.
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: But I'm left trying to explain that many people who
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: knew Jeffrey Epstein have noted after his death. He led...
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: Two entirely separate lives, his professional one and the other one,
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  Speaker 1: a private, personal one, that caused many others to suffer.
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  Speaker 1: That I did not know what my clients did in
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  Speaker 1: his private life may be difficult for some to believe,
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  Speaker 1: but it's true. Thank you. Question. Starting with the majority,
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  Speaker 1: may all individuals, members, and staff who have since joined
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: us since the beginning please announce themselves for the record.
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  Speaker 1: James Comer, Chairman, Kentucky. Andy Biggs, Arizona. William Timmons, Stephen Cutt,
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: Chairman of the Thies Taiwan Department District. Thank you. The
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  Speaker 1: time reads 1022 and the majority's time will begin now. Mr. Indyk,
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  Speaker 1: let's begin by discussing your education experience. Where did you
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  Speaker 1: attend undergraduate school? Answer Colgate University. Question and what degree
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: did you graduate with? Answer a degree in education and economics.
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: Question what year did you graduate and where did you
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: attend law school? Answer, Cornell Law School. Question, and when
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: did you graduate law school? Answer, 1991. Question, when were
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  Speaker 1: you admitted to practice law? Answer, 1992. Question, in what
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  Speaker 1: states were you admitted? New York initially, and where have
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: you been since admitted? Answer, to 2019, I was admitted
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: to practice law in the state of Florida. Question, is
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: your license currently in good standing? I believe my licenses
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  Speaker 1: in both New York and Florida are in good standing.
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  Speaker 1: Can you briefly go through your professional career up until now? Answer, sure.
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  Speaker 1: When I graduated Cornell Law School, I worked as first
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: a clerk and then as an associate for the law
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: firm of Golden Wachtel. I did that until I think
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: it was 1994. In 1995, I joined the law firm
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  Speaker 1: Greenberg-Troyig in New York City. I worked there until sometime
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  Speaker 1: in 1996, towards the beginning of 1996. at which point
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  Speaker 1: I was asked by someone who was a former partner
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: at Golden Wachtel to go work for him and with
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: him to represent Jeffrey Epstein and his company. And since then,
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  Speaker 1: I've been working to represent primarily Jeffrey Epstein, both as
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: an employee and then subsequently in my capacity as a
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  Speaker 1: law firm, my own law firm. Question. Prior to your
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: employment with Mr. Epstein, what area of law did you practice? Answer.
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  Speaker 1: Corporate securities and trademark law. Question, when did you first
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  Speaker 1: meet Jeffrey Epstein? Answer, sometime in 1996. Towards the beginning
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  Speaker 1: of 1996. Question, and Mr. Indyk, I understand that you're
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: hard of hearing, so we're going to try and speak up,
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  Speaker 1: but if you could also speak up as well for
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: everyone in the room. So let's begin again. When did
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: you first meet Jeffrey Epstein? Answer, it was, I believe,
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  Speaker 1: towards the beginning of 1996. Question, where did you meet him? Answer,
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  Speaker 1: at his office in New York City. Question, and why
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  Speaker 1: did you meet him at that time? Answer, prior to
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  Speaker 1: my meeting, Mr. Epstein, the partner that I work for
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  Speaker 1: at Golden Wachtel, had asked me to come work with
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: him to represent Mr. Epstein, and as part of me
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: doing that, he wanted me to meet Mr. Epstein in
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  Speaker 1: his office, so I did. Question, and for the record,
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  Speaker 1: I missed this, who else was present during the meeting? Answer,
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  Speaker 1: I don't recall. It was many years ago. That partner
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  Speaker 1: may have been there, so it would have been him,
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  Speaker 1: And Mr. Epstein, I think. I don't recall anybody else. Question.
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  Speaker 1: And what did you discuss with Mr. Epstein at the time? Answer.
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  Speaker 1: I can't recall specifically, but basically he asked me questions
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: about my background. You know, my corporate and securities background.
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  Speaker 1: About the work that I did at Golden Wachtel and
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  Speaker 1: the work I did at Greenberg Trorig. Told me that
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  Speaker 1: I'd be doing similar work for him. Question. Prior to
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  Speaker 1: meeting Epstein, what did you know about him? Answer. Very little.
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  Speaker 1: When I worked at Golden Wachtel, I understood that he
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: was a client of Golden Wachtel, and I understood that
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: the partner that I worked for at Golden Wachtel had
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: done some work with him along with one of the
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: named partners, Bob Gold. But that's the extent of what
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: I knew about him. Question, and what you testified to
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: was all related to his business. Did he have any
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: reputation outside of his business as it related to young
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: women or girls at the time? Answer, not that I
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  Speaker 1: know of. All right, folks, we're going to wrap up
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: right here. And in the next episode, we're going to
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  Speaker 1: pick up with a Darren Indyke transcript from his congressional appearance.
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: All the information that goes with this episode can be
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: found in the description box.