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Sarah Kellen, personal assistant to Jeffrey Epstein for approximately 15 years, accused former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine of sexually assaulting her in a historic testimony before the House Oversight Committee of the United States, held last Thursday.
According to the report from Miami Herald, this is the first time a victim has testified about Epstein directly before the U.S. Congress.
Kellen, 46 years old, also named celebrity stylist Frédéric Fekkai and fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier —who passed away in 2022— as other men who abused her within Epstein's circle, according to four sources present in the room during her testimony.
Levine, 64 years old, did not respond to repeated requests for comments from the Miami Herald either on Thursday night or Friday morning.
The session was held behind closed doors, and Kellen did not take an oath, although lying to Congress is illegal and she could be prosecuted if her statements are found to be false.
The Republican committee chairman, Representative James Comer from Kentucky, described Kellen as "very credible, smart, and brave," noting that she had never been interviewed by law enforcement or the prosecution before Epstein's arrest in 2019.
"Of all the people we have interviewed so far, this was by far the most substantial and productive interview we have had," Comer declared. "It was very brave of her to speak out."
Comer added that this fact once again demonstrated that "the government failed the victims."
In her initial statement before the committee, Kellen described the extent of Epstein's power with words that painted a picture of the environment in which she was ensnared: "Jeffrey made sure I knew that challenging him would cost me my life. He knew everyone in the highest echelons of society, and they all catered to him."
Kellen recounted having traveled with Epstein to Cuba, where he met with Fidel Castro, and having accompanied former President Bill Clinton to Asia and Africa. He was also present at Princess Beatrice's birthday celebration at Windsor Castle and at the residence of Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai.
"Jeffrey was able to deceive and manipulate the brightest minds in the world. We, the victims, had no chance," he stated.
Levine served as mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017 and ran as a Democrat for governor of Florida in 2018, investing 29 million dollars of his own money, although he finished third with 20% of the votes.
The former mayor had systematically denied any significant relationship with Epstein. In 2019, he told the Herald that they had met "a couple of times" at a social event in New York and that he "never had a friendship or a business relationship" with him.
However, documents from the Department of Justice released earlier this year revealed emails that contradict that account, as documented by Miami Herald.
In July 2010, Levine wrote to Epstein calling him "a great guy" and signing off with "Your friend, Philip," just as the financier's probation period was about to end.
The files also revealed exchanges with sexual innuendos between Levine and Ghislaine Maxwell since 2001. Last year, Maxwell testified before the Department of Justice that Levine was her "very good friend" and that she had met Clinton "thanks to Philip Levine."
At the beginning of this year, Levine stated to the Herald: "My only connection to Jeffrey Epstein arose solely through my old friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell. I met Epstein only on a few occasions. I never did business with him, never visited his island, nor flew on his plane. I regret having met him."
The full transcript of Kellen's testimony is expected this week, possibly on Tuesday.
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