Epstein's Ex-secretary Describes Him as a Master Manipulator

WHO:

ABC News - Lesley Groff testified that she was one of four women listed as potential co-conspirators in Epstein's controversial non-prosecution agreement in 2007.

ABC News - Groff's lawyer stated that she "never knowingly booked travel for anyone under the age of 18" and that she is "incredibly shocked and deeply upset about the alleged wrongdoings of Mr. Epstein."

Newsweek - Lesley Groff, Epstein's personal assistant, arranged calls between Jeffrey Epstein and President Trump.

ABC News - Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime executive secretary, testified before the House Oversight Committee.

CNN - Lesley Groff, Epstein's former executive assistant, was a notable member of Epstein's inner circle.

WHAT:

ABC News - Groff testified that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence and believed they were with massage therapists, but could not recall scheduling massages for anyone other than Epstein and former Goldman Sachs chief counsel Kathy Ruemmler at a spa.

ABC News - Groff stated that she received three payments of $100,000 and one for $110,000 from Epstein companies between 2016 and 2018, according to banking records included in the DOJ's Epstein files.

ABC News - Lesley Groff testified that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence and believed they were with massage therapists, stating that the masseuses were both male and female.

ABC News - Groff described her relationship with Epstein as strictly business and stated that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell insisted she should not associate with their friends or colleagues.

ABC News - Groff testified that she never witnessed or knew of any sexual abuse and believed that Epstein or Bella Klein would pay massage therapists with "petty cash."

ABC News - Groff stated that she did not know she was tied to the 2008 non-prosecution agreement as a listed co-conspirator, which she described as a "scarlet letter" she wears to this day.

ABC News - Groff said Epstein told her he was blackmailed after his 2006 arrest and again after the 2008 plea deal.

ABC News - Groff's lawyer informed the government that Groff would invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination if called to appear before a grand jury after Epstein's arrest in July 2019.

ABC News - Groff testified that she felt betrayed and disgusted once the indictment against Epstein came out.

ABC News - Groff's lawyer stated that she "never knowingly booked travel for anyone under the age of 18."

CNN - Groff stated that she did not need her job with Epstein and has been shunned by friends since his arrest.

CNN - Groff's denial of knowledge about Epstein's wrongdoing was met with skepticism from survivors, including Sharlene Rochard, who expressed that survivors deserve answers, not claims of ignorance.

ABC News - House Oversight Chairman James Comer stated that Groff has "information that is very valuable to our investigation."

ABC News - Groff, now 59, eventually interviewed with investigators two years after Epstein's arrest, telling prosecutors that "making massage appointments was just another appointment she had to make" for Epstein.

ABC News - Groff stated that she would occasionally send cash via couriers for payments to massage therapists.

ABC News - Lesley Groff testified that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence and believed they were with massage therapists.

ABC News - Groff stated that she never met a single massage therapist in person and believed payments were made in cash by Epstein or Bella Klein.

ABC News - Groff described her relationship with Epstein as strictly business and stated that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell insisted she should not associate with their friends or colleagues.

ABC News - Groff was initially paid a salary of $60,000 a year, which was doubled to $120,000 four years later, and Epstein bought her a new Mercedes and paid for a nanny to ensure she would keep working for him.

ABC News - Groff received three payments of $100,000 and one for $110,000 from Epstein companies between 2016 and 2018, according to banking records included in the DOJ's Epstein files.

ABC News - Lesley Groff testified that she was once described by Epstein as an "extension of my brain."

ABC News - Groff stated that she scheduled most of the massages for Epstein's New York residence.

ABC News - Groff testified that she would occasionally send cash via couriers for payments to massage therapists.

ABC News - Groff described the 2008 non-prosecution agreement as a "scarlet letter" she wears to this day.

ABC News - Groff was initially paid a salary of $60,000 a year, which was doubled to $120,000 four years later.

ABC News - Banking records indicate Groff received three payments of $100,000 and one for $110,000 from Epstein companies between 2016 and 2018.

ABC News - Groff told the FBI she was struck by Epstein's lifestyle and the company he kept, describing it as "pretty incredible to see all the people Epstein dealt with in politics, television, et cetera."

ABC News - Groff's lawyer stated that she "never knowingly booked travel for anyone under the age of 18."

CNN - Groff stated that she did not need her job with Epstein and has been shunned by friends since his arrest.

CNN - Groff's denial of knowledge about Epstein's wrongdoing was met with skepticism from survivors, including Sharlene Rochard.

ABC News - Groff testified that she felt betrayed and disgusted once the indictment against Epstein came out.

ABC News - Groff described Epstein as a "master manipulator" and claimed she was unaware of his crimes.

ABC News - Groff worked for Epstein for over 18 years and was involved in scheduling meetings and travel for him.

ABC News - Groff was listed as a potential co-conspirator in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement.

ABC News - Groff testified that she never had a romantic or sexual relationship with Epstein.

ABC News - Groff stated that scheduling massages was "around 1%" of her job.

CNN - Groff's lawyers announced in late 2021 that she would not be charged by law enforcement.

WHERE:

ABC News - Groff worked for Epstein in New York.

CNN - Groff testified before the House Oversight Committee.

WHEN:

ABC News - Groff began working for Epstein in 2001.

ABC News - Groff resigned in 2019 when Epstein was arrested again.

ABC News - Groff was included in a list of potential co-conspirators after Epstein's arrest in July 2019.

WHY:

ABC News - Groff claimed she stayed with Epstein after his first arrest in Florida in 2006 because she believed him when he said that "someone was trying to blackmail him."

ABC News - Groff stated that she stayed with Epstein after his first arrest in Florida in 2006 because she believed him when he said that "someone was trying to blackmail him."

ABC News - Groff claimed she believed she was being blackmailed by Epstein when he was arrested in 2006.

ABC News - Groff stated that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell insisted she should not associate with their friends or colleagues.

HOW:

ABC News - Groff testified that she would occasionally send cash via couriers for payments to massage therapists.

ABC News - Groff testified that she never witnessed or knew of any sexual abuse.

ABC News - Groff testified that scheduling massages was "around 1%" of her job and described it as just another appointment she had to make for Epstein.

ABC News - Groff scheduled massages for Epstein based on names provided by him and believed they were with massage therapists.

ABC News - Groff testified that she never met a single massage therapist in person and believed payments were made in cash.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:55 UTC)

Lesley Groff testified that she was one of four women listed as potential co-conspirators in Epstein's controversial non-prosecution agreement from 2007, and her lawyer emphasized that she "never knowingly booked travel for anyone under the age of 18." During her testimony, Groff revealed that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence, believing they were with legitimate massage therapists, and she received multiple payments totaling $410,000 from Epstein's companies between 2016 and 2018. She also mentioned that she stayed with Epstein after his first arrest in Florida in 2006 because she believed his claim that someone was trying to blackmail him, and would occasionally send cash via couriers for payments to massage therapists.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 12:06 UTC)

Lesley Groff testified that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence, believing they were with massage therapists of both genders, and described her relationship with him as strictly business. Groff, who stated she never witnessed any sexual abuse and felt betrayed by the indictment against Epstein, also revealed that she was unaware of her connection to the 2008 non-prosecution agreement, which she referred to as a "scarlet letter." House Oversight Chairman James Comer noted that Groff possesses valuable information for their investigation, while survivors like Sharlene Rochard expressed skepticism about her claims of ignorance regarding Epstein's wrongdoing.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 01:43 UTC)

Lesley Groff, who served as Jeffrey Epstein's personal assistant, testified that she arranged calls between Epstein and Trump, while also scheduling most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence, believing they were with massage therapists. Groff mentioned that she occasionally sent cash via couriers for payments to these therapists and stated she remained with Epstein after his first arrest in Florida in 2006 because she believed he was being blackmailed. Importantly, Groff testified that she never witnessed or was aware of any sexual abuse.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 23:23 UTC)

Lesley Groff testified that she scheduled most of Epstein's massages at his New York residence, believing they were with massage therapists, although she never met any of them in person. She described her relationship with Epstein as strictly business and revealed that he and Ghislaine Maxwell insisted she avoid associating with their friends or colleagues. Groff's lawyer indicated she would invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege if called to appear before a grand jury following Epstein's arrest in July 2019, and banking records show she received significant payments from Epstein's companies between 2016 and 2018.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 21:30 UTC)

Lesley Groff testified that she was once described by Epstein as an "extension of my brain" and that she scheduled most of the massages at his New York residence, occasionally sending cash via couriers for payments to massage therapists. Groff, who initially earned a salary of $60,000 a year that later doubled, described the 2008 non-prosecution agreement as a "scarlet letter" she still carries today, while also stating that she did not need her job with Epstein and has faced social isolation since his arrest. Her denial of knowledge regarding Epstein's wrongdoing has been met with skepticism from survivors, and Groff expressed feelings of betrayal and disgust following the indictment against him.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 21:06 UTC)

Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime executive secretary, testified before the House Oversight Committee, describing him as a "master manipulator" while claiming she was unaware of his crimes during her 18 years of working for him in New York. Groff, who was listed as a potential co-conspirator in Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement, stated that scheduling massages was only a small part of her job and insisted she never had a romantic or sexual relationship with him. Her lawyers previously announced that she would not face charges, and Groff expressed concerns about being blackmailed by Epstein when he was arrested in 2006.