Lesley Groff appeared as part of the committee's inquiry into Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein'slongtime executive secretary Lesley Groff told the House Oversight Committee Tuesday that the convicted sex offender was a "master manipulator" and that she was unaware of his crimes, according to multiple sources familiar with her closed-door testimony.
Groff appeared as part of the committee's ongoing inquiry into the federal government's handling of investigations into Epstein and his alleged co-conspirators, which to date has included interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Epstein's longtimepersonal assistantSarah Kellen, and a prison guard who was on duty the night Epstein died in his jail cell.
Groff, who worked for Epstein in New York for more than 18 years, was once described by her boss as an "extension of my brain."
Among her job requirements were scheduling Epstein's frequent meetings with celebrities, scientists and politicians, booking Epstein's daily massage appointments when he was in New York, and arranging travel for women linked to Epstein. She was one of four women listed as potential co-conspirators in Epstein's controversialnon-prosecution agreementin 2007.
According to federal prosecutors, "numerous victims [of Epstein] had indicated that she was responsible for scheduling massages during which they were sexually abused."
Groff told lawmakers Tuesday that she never had a romantic or sexual relationship with Epstein and said the message appointments she scheduled for Epstein with young women and girls were with massage therapists, source said. Groff could not recall scheduling massages for anyone other than Epstein and former Goldman Sachs chief counsel Kathy Ruemmler at a spa, and said the masseuses were both male and female, sources said. She testified that she would receive the names of the massage therapists from Epstein, and that he instructed her to schedule the massages.
Sources said Groff told lawmakers that she scheduled most of the massages for Epstein's New York residence. Groff testified that she never witnessed or knew of any sexual abuse.
Groff testified that she never met a single massage therapist in person and believes that Epstein -- or Bella Klein, a one-time Epstein associate -- would pay them with "petty cash," sources said. Groff told lawmakers that she would occasionally send cash via couriers, said sources.
Groff testified that when Epstein was arrested in 2006, he told Groff that he was blackmailed, sources said. She told lawmakers that she did not know she was tied to the 2008 non-prosecution agreement as a listed co-conspirator, which she described that as a "scarlet letter" she wears to this day, according to sources.
Groff said Epstein told her again after the 2008 plea deal that he was blackmailed. Groff said she resigned in 2019 when Epstein was arrested again, sources said.
She described to lawmakers that her relationship with Epstein was strictly business, sources said. Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell told Groff that she should not associate with their friends or colleagues, and insisted their business was none of her business, sources added.
She told lawmakers that Epstein had a lot of people in his circle, and she did not find it odd that he had a "large" massage list for individuals across the world, sources said.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer said on his way in Tuesday morning that he believed Groff has "information that is very valuable to our investigation."
"Hopefully, we'll learn more today," Comer said.
