Virginia Giuffre’s family has strongly criticized Kathryn Ruemmler, a former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, after Ruemmler expressed doubts about the credibility of Giuffre’s allegations involving Jeffrey Epstein. Ruemmler, now a lawyer at Goldman Sachs, testified in a closed congressional session earlier this month, with her remarks released publicly on Wednesday.
During her testimony, Ruemmler questioned details of Giuffre’s claims, suggesting they lacked specificity and inherent credibility. She noted that typical victims of sex trafficking provide precise information regarding the individuals involved and timing, and challenged Giuffre’s assertions that implicated multiple world leaders and foreign presidents.
Giuffre’s family responded sharply to Ruemmler’s comments. Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother who died by suicide last year, and his wife Amanda Roberts condemned Ruemmler as lacking credibility herself. They accused her of attempting to undermine Giuffre’s knowledge of Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking activities and criticized her for profiting professionally while victims suffered.
“To attempt to cast doubt on Virginia, whose bravery was the reason so many other survivors stepped forward, resulting in more than 50 people from having to step down from their positions of power, is reprehensible,” the Roberts family said. They also called on Goldman Sachs to reconsider Ruemmler’s position at the firm.
Virginia Giuffre’s allegations have prompted significant public attention and controversy since 2015, when she claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to have sex with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince of the United Kingdom. Giuffre alleged in her memoir, published posthumously last year, that these encounters occurred when she was 17. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied the accusations.
Giuffre also accused Epstein of subjecting her to years of physical and sexual abuse after she was recruited by Maxwell in 2000, when she was 16 and working in Florida. Additionally, she claimed Epstein facilitated her encounters with other associates, including Jean-Luc Brunel, who died in prison while awaiting sex trafficking charges.
Ruemmler resigned as chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs last month. A spokesperson for Ruemmler said she had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal conduct by Epstein and emphasized that she would not have ignored any signs of wrongdoing. “If she had seen or heard anything to suggest that Epstein was harming women or girls, she would have taken action to stop it,” the spokesperson stated.
In a related development, the U.S. Senate unanimously voted on Wednesday to oppose any potential presidential pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. The resolution, introduced by Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen, stated that Maxwell "should not be granted a presidential pardon or any form of clemency" for her role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors alongside Jeffrey Epstein.