Stock Markets February 19, 2026

Epstein estate to pay up to $35 million to settle class action alleging aides enabled trafficking

Settlement would conclude 2024 suit against two co-executors but requires court approval; victims may receive confidential payments

By Jordan Park
Epstein estate to pay up to $35 million to settle class action alleging aides enabled trafficking

Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has agreed to pay as much as $35 million to resolve a class action accusing two of his former advisers of facilitating sex trafficking. The settlement, disclosed in a federal court filing, covers claims against Epstein’s former personal lawyer and former accountant, who serve as co-executors of the estate. The deal would end a 2024 lawsuit if a judge approves it and offers a confidential channel for victims who have not already been compensated.

Key Points

  • Epstein estate agreed to pay up to $35 million to resolve a 2024 class action accusing two advisers of aiding sex trafficking - sectors affected include legal services and estate administration.
  • Settlement would conclude the suit against co-executors Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn if a judge approves the deal - judiciary and plaintiffs’ compensation processes are directly involved.
  • The estate had previously paid $121 million from a restitution fund and an additional $49 million in other settlements; the law firm secured $365 million in earlier settlements with banks named in related litigation - impacts the banking and legal sectors.

Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has reached an agreement to pay up to $35 million to settle a class action that alleged two of his advisers aided and abetted his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls, according to a court filing made public on Thursday.

The law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, representing the plaintiffs in the suit, filed a brief in federal court in Manhattan announcing the proposed settlement. If a judge signs off on the deal, it would bring to a close a lawsuit filed in 2024 that targeted Epstein’s former personal attorney Darren Indyke and his former accountant Richard Kahn, who act as co-executors of Epstein’s estate.

The proposed payment adds to prior disbursements from the estate. Epstein’s estate previously established a restitution fund that paid out $121 million to victims and also settled for an additional $49 million in separate agreements with claimants.

The co-executors did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the arrangement. Their lawyer, Daniel H. Weiner, said in an emailed statement that neither Indyke nor Kahn "made any admission or concession of misconduct." He added that "Because they did nothing wrong, the co-executors were prepared to fight the claims against them through to trial, but agreed to mediate and settle this lawsuit in order to achieve finality as to any potential claims against the Epstein Estate."

Weiner also described the settlement as offering "a confidential avenue for financial relief" to victims who have not previously resolved claims against the estate.

The lawsuit filed in 2024 alleged that Indyke and Kahn assisted Epstein in structuring a complex array of corporations and bank accounts that the complaint said allowed him to conceal his abuses and to pay victims and recruiters, while providing the two advisers with substantial compensation for their roles.

Boies Schiller Flexner has also been involved in other litigation connected to Epstein. The firm previously helped secure $365 million in settlements with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank after accusing those banks of overlooking warning signs related to Epstein when he was a lucrative customer.

Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019; his death was ruled a suicide.


Context and next steps

The settlement will take effect only if a federal judge in Manhattan approves it. If approved, it would resolve the claims in the 2024 class action against Indyke and Kahn and provide additional compensation options to victims who remain uncompensated. Because the settlement is described as providing a confidential route to relief, some details of individual payments may not become public.

Risks

  • The settlement is contingent on judicial approval, so the outcome could change if a judge rejects the agreement - affects legal and financial planning for claimants and the estate.
  • Co-executors deny wrongdoing and were prepared to litigate; their willingness to settle to achieve finality suggests the possibility of continued litigation or appeals if the settlement is not approved - a risk for parties relying on resolution timelines.
  • Because the settlement offers a "confidential avenue for financial relief," specific terms and individual payouts may remain private, limiting public visibility into how and to whom funds are distributed - this creates uncertainty for transparency and public accountability.

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