New Mexico seeks to halt estate payments to Epstein’s lawyer and accountant

What This is

• New Mexico filed a federal civil lawsuit against Epstein’s longtime lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn, accusing them of helping facilitate and conceal Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation at Zorro Ranch and elsewhere.
• Indyke and Kahn are co-executors of Epstein’s estate and administrators of the trust holding its assets.
• New Mexico seeks to block Indyke and Kahn from receiving large payments from Epstein’s estate while the civil case moves forward.
• The complaint says Indyke and Kahn are eligible for bequests of $50 million and $25 million, respectively, subject to the availability of funds.
• The state also wants damages to help compensate survivors of Epstein’s trafficking.
• The case uses laws aimed at trafficking and organized wrongdoing, including the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and New Mexico’s racketeering law.
• Separately, Torrez sued the U.S. Department of Justice in August to seek unredacted Epstein investigation records, saying the department was blocking access.

Why This Matters

• The case raises questions about how far states can go in holding powerful advisers responsible when authorities allege they helped a trafficking scheme run for years.
• It also tests whether courts will freeze estate payouts early, before a verdict, to protect money that could later go to victims.
• The fight over access to investigation records highlights how secrecy can slow public accountability and delay answers for survivors.
• Any recovery could provide additional compensation for survivors after Epstein’s death.