New Mexico sues Epstein lawyer and accountant, accusing them of hiding his sex crimes

Prosecutors in the US state of New Mexico have filed a civil lawsuit against two longtime aides of Jeffrey Epstein, accusing the men of profiting from the late financier's sex trafficking ring.

Lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn are the sole executors of Epstein's estate, controlling all his wealth and possessions. They have denied any role in his crimes.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez says they played a key role in concealing abuse at Epstein's remote Zorro Ranch near the city of Santa Fe, and that they continue to earn money while victims seek accountability.

The lawsuit is separate to the state's ongoing criminal probe into Epstein, which was re-launched in February.

An attorney representing both Indyke and Kahn told the BBC that they "emphatically reject" the claims in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico on Wednesday under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and New Mexico Racketeering Act.

During a news conference, Torrez argued that the two men are blocking efforts by Epstein's victims to seek compensation from his fortune, estimated at roughly $635m (£474m) at the time of his death.

"Those resources rightfully belong in the hands of survivors - there should be no distribution of Mr Epstein's remaining assets to people like Mr Indyke and Mr Kahn for participation in what I think is one of the most horrific criminal enterprises in modern America," he said.

Both men worked with Epstein for decades, and have previously testified to Congress that they were unaware of the crimes he committed alongside accomplice Ghislane Maxwell.

Their attorney Daniel Weiner said in a statement to the BBC that, "they are confident that they will prevail on the claims asserted against them".

"Both Mr Indyke and Mr Kahn reject as categorically false the allegations that they knowingly facilitated or assisted Mr Epstein in his sexual abuse or trafficking of women, or that they were aware of Mr Epstein's actions while they provided legal or accounting services to him," Weiner said.

He added that the New Mexico prosecutor never asked to speak to either man "before filing this baseless lawsuit", and that they both have "cooperated with any and all investigations when asked to do so".

The two aides were named as co-executors in August 2019 by Epstein, just two days before he killed himself in jail while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.

He revised his will to transfer all his wealth into a trust named after the year of his birth, which the lawyer and accountant would administer.

In their role as executors, Indyke and Kahn agreed to fund compensation packages for survivors that included conditions that prevented survivors who accepted funds from taking further legal action against them personally. Other claims are still outstanding.

As beneficiaries of the trust, the men could also be paid tens of millions of dollars each from whatever remains when the claims are settled.

In his remarks, Torrez alleged that Epstein's crimes were "made possible by handlers, by lawyers, by accountants, by others who have yet to face real consequence".

"Jeffrey Epstein did not operate alone, and his death does not end the pursuit of accountability for the people who helped make his crimes possible," he said.

"Those who allegedly enabled this exploitation should not be allowed to profit from it while survivors continue to live with its consequences," he added.