Epstein files: US House panel to interview alleged conduit Lesley Groff, once called ‘extension’ of financier's brain

The US House Oversight Committee on Tuesday (local time) is set to hold a closed-door interview with a woman who played a prominent role in the life of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whose name appeared more than 160,000 times in the Department of Justice (DOJ) records related to the convicted sex offender.

Lesley Groff worked as Epstein's executive secretary in New York for over 18 years and was once described by the convicted offender as an "extension of my brain", ABC News reported on Tuesday.

Documents have revealed that Groff, while working for Epstein, donned many hats. Among her job requirements were scheduling Epstein's meetings with celebrities, scientists, and politicians. Additionally, she would book his daily massage appointments whenever he was in New York and also arrange travel for women linked to him. She was also one of the four women listed as potential co-conspirators in Epstein's controversial non-prosecution agreement in 2007.

Federal prosecutors have said that "numerous victims [of Epstein] had indicated that she was responsible for scheduling massages during which they were sexually abused."

Groff's to face panel

Lesley Groff will appear before the committee as part of the ongoing inquiry into the federal government's handling of investigations into Epstein and his alleged co-conspirators. The committee has also interviewed former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Epstein's longtime personal assistant Sarah Kellen, and a prison guard who was on duty the night Epstein died in his jail cell.

According to the report, in September last year, an Epstein survivor named Marina Lacerda called out Groff specifically at a press conference and alleged that the latter had called her so many times to go to Epstein's place for a massage that she dropped out of high school before the ninth grade.

Epstein survivor recalls Groff's alleged role in abuse network

Speaking with ABC News, Lacerda, who was one of the key witnesses who led to Epstein's indictment in 2019 for child sex trafficking, said Groff was the conduit to Epstein.

She added, "Anything that had to do with Jeffrey Epstein had to go through Lesley Groff."

Groff's alleged role in Epstein's abuse network

However, Groff, like many others, has consistently denied any knowledge of, or participation in, Epstein's crimes. Groff, now 59, was interviewed by investigators two years later and told prosecutors that arranging massage appointments for Epstein was simply one of many tasks she handled. She said scheduling massages accounted for only roughly one per cent of her responsibilities.

She was hired in 2001 by Epstein and later told the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that she was immediately impressed by the late financier's lifestyle and the company he kept, describing it as "pretty incredible to see all the people Epstein dealt with in politics, television, et cetera."

Further, DOJ records have revealed that Groff received a salary of $60,000 a year, which was doubled to $120,000 within four years.

According to a report in The New York Times in 2005, Epstein bought Groff a new Mercedes and paid for a nanny to ensure that she would keep working for him.

Jeffrey Epstein case

The case against Jeffrey Epstein stemmed from a complaint lodged in 2006 by the parents of a 14-year-old girl, who accused Epstein of allegedly molesting their daughter at his Florida residence. Additionally, many other underage girls also accused the late financier of paying them to perform sexual acts with him. He was arrested in 2019 and died in his cell while awaiting trial.

Reports suggest that several wealthy people have had contact with Epstein, with some accused of wrongdoing. Epstein's associate and one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, used to recruit and manage his stable of victims, according to media reports.