Kathryn Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs’ chief legal officer, resigned Thursday amid mounting scrutiny over her past email correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a development that underscores the widening fallout from the release of court documents detailing Epstein’s associates.
Ruemmler’s departure, announced to the Financial Times, comes after the Justice Department released a trove of filings related to a lawsuit against Epstein’s estate. The documents revealed years of friendly email exchanges between Ruemmler and Epstein, even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution. Ruemmler stated she left as the media attention surrounding her prior work as a defense attorney had become a “distraction.”
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon acknowledged Ruemmler’s resignation in a statement, praising her “extraordinary” contributions to the firm. “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,” Solomon said. Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs in 2020 as Global Head of Regulatory Affairs and was promoted to Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel in 2021, according to her Wikipedia page.
The released emails show a level of familiarity that has drawn criticism, including instances where Ruemmler wished Epstein a happy birthday and received replies containing sexually suggestive language. In a 2015 exchange, Epstein responded to Ruemmler’s birthday greeting with a message referencing masturbation, according to CNN. Ruemmler reportedly responded, questioning whether men were the “inferior gender.” Other messages detailed plans for a potential trip to Epstein’s private island and gifts he had given her.
Ruemmler previously served as White House Counsel under President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014, and before that as principal deputy White House counsel. Her legal career also includes time as a federal prosecutor, where she delivered the government’s closing argument in the 2006 trial of former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, both of whom were convicted. She also worked as Associate Counsel to President Clinton.
A spokesperson for Ruemmler told The Wall Street Journal that the released documents are consistent with her previous statements: that she knew Epstein in a professional capacity as a criminal defense attorney and regrets having known him. The Journal also reported that Epstein contacted Ruemmler shortly after his 2019 arrest.
Ruemmler’s departure is the latest in a series of resignations and stepped-down positions linked to the Epstein files. Brad Karp, chairman of the law firm Paul Weiss, recently stepped back from his position after his own extensive email correspondence with Epstein came to light. In the United Kingdom, Morgan McSweeney, chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, resigned after recommending Peter Mandelson – who also appears in the Epstein files – for a diplomatic post. Mandelson was subsequently removed from his position as the U.K. Envoy to the U.S. In September.
Goldman Sachs had previously defended Ruemmler after the initial release of the emails, stating she had disclosed her past dealings with Epstein when she was hired. The firm has not commented on whether it was aware of the full extent of the correspondence at the time of her hiring.
