New Mexico’s top prosecutor filed a federal complaint to block Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime lawyer and accountant from receiving millions, alleging they helped hide trafficking tied to the Zorro Ranch.
Story Highlights
- The New Mexico Attorney General filed a federal complaint against Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn.
- The filing alleges Epstein’s companies and accounts were used to finance and conceal abuse at the Zorro Ranch.
- The State seeks to stop estate payouts said to exceed $100 million while the case proceeds.
- The defendants deny knowing about trafficking; the suit invokes anti-trafficking and racketeering laws.
State filing targets alleged facilitators and estate payouts
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a civil complaint in federal court accusing Darren K. Indyke and Richard Kahn of facilitating and concealing Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking enterprise. The complaint cites activity linked to Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. The State asks the court to halt payments to the two men from Epstein’s estate, which has more than $100 million, while seeking damages for survivors under federal trafficking and New Mexico racketeering laws. The court will set the schedule for responses and hearings.
The complaint says Indyke, Epstein’s longtime personal lawyer, and Kahn, his accountant, used their roles, access to Epstein’s accounts, and Epstein-controlled companies to finance and mask abuse. The filing outlines a legal theory under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the New Mexico Racketeering Act. The Attorney General’s office described a plan to protect assets and channel potential recoveries to harmed individuals if liability is proven in court, and asked for an order restraining estate distributions during the case.
Defense response and status of allegations
Attorneys for Indyke and Kahn reject the allegations as categorically false and say neither man knowingly assisted Epstein’s crimes while providing legal and accounting services. Prior testimony and statements from the men assert they had no knowledge of trafficking and would have cut ties had they known. News reports note no woman has accused either man of committing abuse, witnessing abuse, or reporting abuse to them. The lawsuit is a civil action, and the allegations must be proven in court.
According to the Associated Press, the complaint places alleged concealment in specific context at the Santa Fe-area ranch and highlights the men’s roles as co-executors of Epstein’s estate. The State’s request to block estate payments underscores the link it draws between alleged facilitation and financial benefit. Reporters also noted the Attorney General’s office did not interview the defendants before filing, according to defense counsel, setting up a fight over knowledge and intent that the court process will test.
Why asset restraint and statutes matter for survivors
The State’s strategy reflects a broader post-Epstein trend: focus on institutions and professionals whose work allegedly enabled abuse. That approach has produced large settlements across banks, advisers, and the estate, even as few cases reach trial on the merits. New Mexico’s filing seeks to preserve assets now and pursue relief later under well-known anti-trafficking tools. If granted, a restraint could keep tens of millions from moving before a judge decides claims about facilitation, concealment, and proceeds of unlawful conduct.
For readers concerned about accountability, the key battle will center on whether records show the men knew how Epstein used companies, accounts, or property tied to Zorro Ranch. The State signals it will use discovery to trace payments and corporate transfers. The defense says routine legal and accounting work is not trafficking. The court will weigh documents, testimony, and financial trails against the statutes the Attorney General invoked to decide liability and any recovery for survivors.
Sources:
youtube.com, nmdoj.gov, politico.com, santafenewmexican.com
