Epstein’s longtime assistant grilled by U.S. lawmakers over Amex journey booked for ladies or ladies

U.S. lawmakers not too long ago grilled Jeffrey Epstein‘s longtime assistant Lesley Groff about Epstein’s use of American Express to e-book journey for a number of girls or ladies, in line with a transcript of her hours-long testimony launched this week by the House Oversight Committee. 

CBS News was the primary to report in February that the late convicted intercourse offender used Amex’s top-tier Centurion journey service and an Amex Black Card to rearrange tons of of journey itineraries for ladies or ladies, predominantly from Eastern Europe. Groff, who labored for Epstein for almost 20 years, was a central point-person in arranging the bookings with Amex, paperwork launched by the Justice Department earlier this 12 months indicated. 

CBS News can not confirm the variety of girls or ladies who acquired journey bookings or their ages, because of the redaction of names within the information launched by the Department of Justice.

In her sworn testimony to the House Oversight Committee on June 9, Groff mentioned she didn’t consider she ever organized journey for women underneath the age of 18, in line with the transcript launched Tuesday. She mentioned her understanding was the bookings had been being organized for “traveling assistants” employed by Epstein.

Groff denied being conscious of any occasion through which the aim of the journey was for Epstein or anybody in Epstein’s community to have interaction in sexual exercise with the ladies concerned.

She was pressed by the House Oversight Committee about whether or not “decoy flights” had been organized for the aim of acquiring visas for ladies or ladies concerned. As CBS News reported final month, Amex had a devoted relationship supervisor, Natalia Molotkova, assigned to Epstein’s account, and emails within the information launched by the Justice Department seem to indicate she was arranging such flights, at Groff’s request, to acquire visas for the ladies or ladies. 

In one 2016 e-mail change, Groff wrote to Molotkova: “Natasha, we need to find a flight that departs Rome and goes to London on the 29th for [redacted]. This flight should depart around the same time. The flight we are holding for [redacted] Rome to Miami, 10:35 a.m. No return flights for this flight. This is a decoy flight. She will not really take it, but she needs to show an itinerary for this flight.”

When requested whether or not the aim of the flight was to acquire a visa, Groff’s legal professional Michael Bachner advised the committee, “with all due respect, there is no indication that it was to obtain a visa.”

“This woman wanted to take a flight to visit Mr. Epstein. She did not want to tell her parents that she was going to take this flight. She wanted to keep a flight that was taking her to London and have a different flight, though, take her really to see Mr. Epstein,” Groff advised lawmakers. “I don’t know why she didn’t want to tell her parents, but this was not for a visa.” 

In a December 2012 e-mail change, Groff wrote to Molotkova: “[redacted] has an interview with the consulate at 1030… she needs proof of hotel stay and air for this meeting.” 

Molotkova requested Groff instantly whether or not the lady wanted a flight and lodging reservation just for visa functions. 

“It is against AMEX policy, to be honest,” she wrote to Groff, “but here is the option, we can hold it till tonight.”

Groff directed Molotkova to cancel the totally refundable journey itinerary that was being held and signed off to Molotkova with, “you’ve been great,” a day after the alleged consulate appointment passed off, the information launched by Justice seem to indicate. 

In an change with House Oversight Committee Senior Counsel Brittany Brignac, through which she was requested what the aim of that specific reserving was, Groff replied: “I don’t know. I think that this was an assistant of Mr. Epstein’s that wanted to get her visa.”

“The only thing I facilitated was getting her a ticket and a hotel room reservation,” Groff advised the lawmakers. “It looks to me like she needed to get her visa, and she was requesting it, and that’s it. I was asked to get the ticket. I was dealing with Amex Centurian. That’s it.”

When challenged on whether or not this was an instance of a decoy flight, Groff replied, “no.” 

American Express declined to remark Friday on Groff’s testimony and whether or not the corporate had carried out sufficient due diligence on Epstein’s account. 

In February, an American Express spokesperson advised CBS News the corporate, “strongly condemns abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. We take our legal and regulatory responsibilities seriously, including reporting suspicious activity.” 

“We terminated his account following federal charges against him, and we continuously update our processes and controls. We regret having him as a customer,” the spokesperson mentioned.