Hair stylist Frédéric Fekkai and ex-Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine accused in new testimony, lawmakers reveal
Republican lawmakers have asked the Department of Justice to investigate sexual assault allegations involving two men made by Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant.
In atranscribed closed-door interviewin late May, as part of a congressional investigation into Epstein, Sarah Kellen, one of the late sex offender’s former aides, told the House oversight and reform committee she was“sexually and psychologically abused”by him during her employment – but also alleged she was sexually assaulted by the French celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, and by Philip Levine, the former mayor of Miami Beach, in separate incidents in the early 2000s.
Hundreds of people,including dozens powerful and prominent figures, have been linked to Epstein, and named in files released by the justice department, with no evidence of wrongdoing. James Comer, the Republican who chairs the oversight panel, and four other Republican lawmakers,saidFekkai and Levine are the “first names of alleged criminal conduct” the committee has referred to the department amid the panel’s investigation into Epstein.
Epsteindiedin a Manhattan jail in 2019, while awaiting trial onfederalsex-trafficking charges.
The lawmakers announced on Thursday that they sent aletterto Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, asking the justice department to “use all available tools, including immunity for certain witnesses, to investigate the allegations against, and any other criminal conduct committed by, Philip Levine and Frédéric Fekkai”.
Neither Fekkai nor Levine have been charged with any crime related to Epstein. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
“Kellen provided new information crucial to our investigation that is helping to bring transparency for the American people and accountability for survivors,” said Comer. “During her transcribed interview, the oversight committee received serious allegations of criminal misconduct involving two individuals.
“The oversight committee is not a law enforcement entity, and our role is not to determine guilt or innocence. We are referring these allegations to the Department of Justice, which has the tools to investigate criminal misconduct. We will continue to follow the facts and ensure accountability for survivors.”
In the letter to Blanche, lawmakers said Levine’s name appeared “over 600 times” in the Epstein files released by the justice department earlier this year, “including in direct correspondence” with Epstein and his longtime associate,Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex-trafficking crimes.
The lawmakers also alleged that Fekkai “was a close friend” of Epstein who “played a role in his grooming schemes by routinely providing salon services to women at Mr Epstein’s instruction”.
A representative for Fekkai did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian, but toldCNNthat Fekkai “never ‘took advantage’” of Kellen and that “he did not introduce her to Jeffrey Epstein”.
The representative also told CNN that Fekkai had not done anything wrong, and specified that “Mr Fekkai never assaulted anyone”.
“Mr Fekkai was astonished to read of Ms Kellen’s testimony,” the spokesperson said. “Mr Fekkai never abused anyone. He never participated in any illegal behavior. He knew nothing about Epstein’s repugnant depravity or trafficking. He did nothing wrong.”
Levine also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian, but a spokesperson for Levine told CNN that “nearly a quarter-century ago, our client had a brief intimate encounter with another consenting adult”, and that “any allegation suggesting otherwise is not true”.
