Goldman Sachs general counsel to resign over Epstein ties

ISTANBUL

Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathy Ruemmler announced Thursday that she will resign from the Wall Street firm this summer after documents released by the US Justice Department revealed the extent of her past links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Since I joined Goldman Sachs six years ago, it has been my privilege to help oversee the firm’s legal, reputational and regulatory matters; to enhance our strong risk management processes; and to ensure that we live by our core value of integrity in everything we do,” Ruemmler said in a statement.

“My responsibility is to put Goldman Sachs’ interests first,” she said. “Earlier today, I regretfully informed (Goldman CEO) David Solomon of my intention to step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026.”

Solomon said in a statement that throughout her tenure, “Kathy has been an extraordinary general counsel, and we are grateful for her contributions and sound advice on a wide range of consequential legal matters for 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,” he added.

Solomon said that he accepted her resignation and respects her decision.

According to reports, Ruemmler asked Epstein for career coaching while targeting a high-level position under then-COO Sheryl Sandberg at Facebook. Epstein assisted by drafting emails to Sandberg, offering negotiation tips and suggesting salary figures.

The efforts did not succeed. Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs in 2020 and became chief legal officer and general counsel in 2021.

She also helped Epstein craft responses to media questions about his crimes, according to the Department of Justice documents and court records.

In emails during 2018-2019, she drafted one for The Washington Post stating he had “accepted responsibility, served time and paid significant monetary settlements to the victims.”