Kathy Ruemmler, the chief legal officer and general counsel of Goldman Sachs, has announced she will step down at the end of June after emails revealed the extent of her past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Ruemmler said she would “step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026”, reported The Guardian. The resignation follows the release of additional documents detailing communications between the two.
Emails and gifts detailed
The emails show Ruemmler referred to Epstein as “Uncle Jeffrey” and expressed affection toward him in correspondence.
In a 2018 message, she wrote: “So lovely and thoughtful! Thank you to Uncle Jeffrey!!!”
At the time, Epstein had already pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution and was a registered sex offender.
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During her years in private practice after leaving the White House in 2014, Ruemmler received luxury gifts from Epstein, including high-end handbags and a fur coat, according to The Guardian.
{{/usCountry}}During her years in private practice after leaving the White House in 2014, Ruemmler received luxury gifts from Epstein, including high-end handbags and a fur coat, according to The Guardian.
{{/usCountry}}Goldman Sachs’ code of conduct requires pre-approval for gifts from clients, partly to comply with anti-bribery laws.
Legal advice and later statements
Documents also indicate Ruemmler had frequent communications with Epstein between 2014 and 2019, including advising him on how to respond to a media inquiry in 2019 about alleged preferential legal treatment.
“I was a defense attorney when I dealt with Jeffrey Epstein,” Ruemmler said in a statement to Reuters on Feb 3.
After Epstein’s 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, law enforcement notes cited by show he attempted to contact Ruemmler by phone the day he was taken into custody. A separate FBI note quoted Epstein as saying: “Is this about sex trafficking. Is this about underage,” and “Oh this is bad, this is pretty bad”.
Goldman’s response
Goldman Sachs had publicly backed Ruemmler in recent months, even after the Department of Justice released earlier emails. However, following the latest disclosures, she confirmed her departure.
In a statement cited by The Guardian, Goldman CEO David Solomon said: “As one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, Kathy has also been a mentor and friend to many of our people, and she will be missed. I accepted her resignation, and I respect her decision”.