Federal judge tentatively approves $35M settlement between Jeffrey Epstein estate and accusers

U.S. judge grants preliminary approval to up to $35 million Jeffrey Epstein estate settlement in Manhattan class action

A U.S. judge has granted preliminary approval to a settlement that would see Jeffrey Epstein’s estate pay as much as $35 million (€30 million) to resolve a class action accusing two of the disgraced financier’s longtime advisers of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan said the agreement appears fair and set a Sept. 16 hearing to consider whether to grant final approval. The case is proceeding in federal court in New York.

The proposed deal, announced Feb. 19 by Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, would end a 2024 lawsuit targeting Epstein’s former personal lawyer, Darren Indyke, and his former accountant, Richard Kahn. Both men serve as co-executors of Epstein’s estate.

Attorneys for Indyke and Kahn have previously said the settlement includes no admission or concession of misconduct by either adviser.

Preliminary approval is a common step in class action litigation, allowing the court to evaluate whether a proposed resolution is fair, reasonable and adequate on its face. If the agreement wins final approval after the September hearing, it would conclude the consolidated claims against Indyke and Kahn over their alleged roles in enabling Epstein’s abuse.

The class action alleges that the two advisers, through their professional authority and proximity to Epstein’s personal and financial affairs, helped facilitate his sex trafficking network. Plaintiffs say that aid and abetment exposed them to harm and made the estate liable for damages. Indyke and Kahn have denied wrongdoing.

The size of the proposed payout underscores the scope of the claims tied to Epstein’s conduct and the alleged complicity of those in his inner circle. Terms of the settlement were not detailed in court, but the preliminary approval indicates the judge found the framework adequate to warrant notifying potential class members and moving the case toward a final fairness review.

Under class action procedure, potential beneficiaries would typically receive notice and an opportunity to comment on or object to the settlement before the court’s final decision. The Sept. 16 hearing will determine whether the agreement should be approved, how funds would be administered, and whether any objections alter the outcome.

Epstein’s estate has faced a range of civil claims since his death, and the latest agreement, if finalized, would narrow ongoing litigation by resolving the accusations against its co-executors. The preliminary ruling does not resolve any other claims related to Epstein or entities associated with him.

The case continues to draw intense public scrutiny because of the accusations’ severity and the prominence of figures who worked for or alongside Epstein. The settlement’s forward progress marks a consequential step for victims seeking recompense through the courts and for the estate’s effort to close a chapter in a sprawling legal fallout.

Final approval is not guaranteed. The court will weigh the settlement’s fairness to the class and consider any objections at the September hearing before issuing a ruling.

By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.