House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and three Republican lawmakers on Thursday urged the Justice Department (DOJ) to investigate allegations of sexual abuse raised by Sarah Kellen, a former assistant to Jeffrey Epstein. Kellen, in a closed-door interview with the committee on May 21, accused Philip Levine, a former Miami Beach mayor, and Frédéric Fekkai, a celebrity hairstylist, of abusing her while she worked for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The committee’s letter to the DOJ requests an inquiry into the allegations and questions why Kellen was never interviewed by law enforcement before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. Both Levine and Fekkai have denied the allegations through their representatives.
Part 1: Immediate Action & Core Facts
House Republicans, led by Comer, formally asked the DOJ to investigate Kellen’s claims against Levine and Fekkai. The request follows the release of a transcript from Kellen’s testimony, where she detailed abuse allegations spanning over a decade. The committee also questioned why Kellen, a named co-conspirator in Epstein’s 2007 non-prosecution agreement, was not interviewed by law enforcement until 2019.
Part 2: Deeper Dive & Context
Background on Kellen’s Role
Kellen, a longtime Epstein assistant, was one of four women named in Epstein’s 2007 agreement. She has never been charged with crimes, citing her own abuse allegations. The committee described her testimony as the “most substantive” in its ongoing probe into the federal government’s handling of Epstein-related cases.
DOJ and Legal Responses
The DOJ has not yet responded to the committee’s request. Levine and Fekkai’s representatives denied the allegations when contacted by media outlets. The committee’s letter suggests the DOJ consider granting immunity to witnesses to facilitate the investigation.
Committee’s Broader Inquiry
The Oversight Committee’s investigation focuses on the federal government’s response to Epstein’s network. Kellen’s testimony introduced three previously unknown names linked to alleged abuse, according to Comer. The panel has also scrutinized the 2007 non-prosecution agreement, which critics argue shielded Epstein’s associates from accountability.