Top Goldman Sachs lawyer resigns after Epstein disclosures

Goldman Sachs chief legal ⁠officer Kathy Ruemmler has resigned, CEO David Solomon said on Thursday, after recent documents by the US Justice Department showed she accepted gifts from late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and advised him on how to address media inquiries regarding his crimes.

The departure of Ruemmler, who was among the top executive officers of the Wall Street firm, is the most high-profile banking exit after the release of the latest Epstein documents by the US Justice Department last month.

The revelations have ‌engulfed a number of big banks including UBS, which recent documents showed opened accounts for Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2014 just months after JPMorgan Chase decided to end its relationship with the financier.

“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,” Solomon said in a statement. “I accepted her resignation, and I respect her decision.”

Ruemmler told Solomon on Thursday that she would resign, according to a source familiar with the matter. Her resignation will be effective June 30, the source said, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the topic.

Ruemmler told the ⁠Financial Times: “I made the determination that the media attention on me, relating to my prior work as a defence attorney, was becoming a distraction”.