Lesley Groff

Lesley Groff served as Jeffrey Epstein's executive assistant and office manager at his New York headquarters for nearly two decades, managing his schedule, travel arrangements, and daily operations. The archive documents 229,774 emails involving Groff between 1990 and 2019, making her one of the most prolific correspondents in Epstein's network. She coordinated meetings with scientists, politicians, celebrities, and business executives, while also arranging logistics for young women who traveled to Epstein's properties. Groff was named as a potential co-conspirator in Epstein's 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida, which specifically granted her immunity from prosecution in that district. Despite allegations in civil lawsuits that she facilitated Epstein's abuse by scheduling appointments and coordinating travel for underage girls, federal prosecutors in New York declined to bring criminal charges against her in 2021.

Background#

Public reporting identifies Groff as one of Epstein's longest-serving employees, working as his executive assistant from at least the 1990s through his arrest in 2019. Her attorney, Michael Bachner, has characterized her role as that of a professional staff member working alongside in-house attorneys, accountants, and other office personnel, with responsibilities including "making appointments for Mr. Epstein as directed by him, taking his messages, and setting up high-level meetings with CEOs, business executives, scientists, politicians and celebrities."

Groff's name appeared prominently in Epstein's 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement, which stated: "the United States also agrees that it will not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein, including but not limited to Sarah Kellen, Adriana Ross, Lesley Groff, or Nadia Marcinkova". This agreement, negotiated with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, effectively shielded Groff from federal prosecution in that jurisdiction for offenses investigated through 2007.

In Ghislaine Maxwell's 2021 criminal trial, multiple witnesses referenced Groff. A witness testifying as "Kate" stated that Groff was one of Epstein's office assistants who booked her flights to his residences in New York, Palm Beach, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Epstein's longtime pilots Larry Visoski and David Rodgers both identified Groff as a secretary who scheduled flights during the 1990s and 2000s. Despite her appearance in the 2007 agreement naming her as a co-conspirator, prosecutors informed Groff's attorney in December 2021 that she would not face criminal charges.

Correspondence with Epstein#

The archive contains extensive correspondence between Groff and Epstein spanning nearly three decades. The emails reveal her role as the central administrative coordinator for Epstein's schedule, properties, and personal affairs.

Groff arranged meetings with high-profile individuals across science, politics, and business. She coordinated Epstein's schedules with figures including physicist Lisa Randall (June 2010), former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (March 2013), film director Woody Allen (referred to as "Woody" in multiple exchanges including October 2023 and January 2026), and numerous scientists and academics. A March 2013 email shows her coordinating Richardson's visit: "Gov. Richardson is now taking a 6pm flight out on Tues. March 19th...he is asking if you could meet with him earlier in the day", to which Epstein responded "yes, lunch 130".

She managed complex international travel arrangements. Groff coordinated flights and accommodations through American Express Centurion Travel services, handling bookings for Epstein's associates and guests. In November 2017, she arranged elaborate Thanksgiving travel for Karyna Shuliak and her parents, including flights between New York and Palm Beach, hotel accommodations at The Breakers, and subsequent travel to San Francisco (November 2017). The correspondence shows detailed coordination: parents would stay at The Breakers November 24-27, then move to "JE's house" until November 29.

Medical appointments consumed substantial administrative attention. Groff scheduled doctor visits, coordinated insurance matters, and arranged medical treatments for Epstein. She exchanged multiple emails with medical offices scheduling appointments (May 2017, October 2017), confirming times, handling co-pays, and managing follow-up care.

The emails document her coordination of young women referenced by pseudonyms. Multiple threads from 2014 discuss arrangements for an individual identified as "Jane Doe 3" (likely referring to a specific person whose identity has been redacted in litigation). Groff coordinated travel, educational testing, and logistical matters. In April 2014, she wrote to Epstein about arranging a dyslexia evaluation: "One of the doctors Eva gave us could give a partial exam to Jane Doe 3 this Sat. April 12th", to which Epstein replied "ok do it". She researched flights for this same individual traveling from Warsaw to St. Thomas via New York (March 2014), and coordinated ticket changes (June 2014, August 2014).

Household management fell within her purview. She coordinated with staff members Jojo Fontanilla and others regarding property maintenance, ordering supplies, and managing domestic arrangements. A March 2010 email forwarded by Epstein shows Groff notifying him that "Lynn and Jojo will take off this Thurs and Fri off (unless you need them for something)".

Her communications reveal close coordination with Epstein's financial and legal team, particularly Richard Kahn and Darren Indyke. She handled administrative matters for Epstein's business operations and managed purchasing decisions, including bulk Apple Watch orders coordinated with Rich Kahn in November 2018 for multiple international recipients (November 2018).

Connections#

Groff's correspondence network extended across Epstein's professional and personal spheres. Her most frequent email contact was Jeffrey Epstein himself (6,947 shared emails), followed by household staff Paul Morris (662 emails) and Jojo Fontanilla (649 emails).

She coordinated extensively with Karyna Shuliak (352 shared emails), arranging her travel, accommodations, and schedules. Communications with Bella Klein (131 emails) involved educational and travel coordination. She worked closely with pilots Larry Visoski (64 emails) on flight scheduling and household staff including Sarah Kellen (27 emails).

Business and financial matters connected her to Epstein's accountant Richard Kahn (142 emails) and attorney Darren Indyke. She coordinated meetings with scientists and academics, maintaining regular contact with representatives of Harvard, Columbia, and other institutions.

Document References#

The 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement between Epstein and federal prosecutors explicitly named Groff among four individuals granted immunity from prosecution, stating that "the United States also agrees that it will not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein, including but not limited to Sarah Kellen, Adriana Ross, Lesley Groff, or Nadia Marcinkova". This agreement, signed by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta in September 2007, bound only the Southern District of Florida and did not preclude prosecution by other federal districts.

In July 2020, the Virgin Islands Department of Justice issued a subpoena duces tecum to Ghislaine Maxwell, seeking documents related to communications between Maxwell and Groff, as part of the territory's investigation into Epstein's criminal enterprise. The subpoena requested all documents reflecting communications between the two women in connection with Epstein's operations.

Multiple civil complaints against Epstein's estate referenced Groff by name. A December 2019 complaint filed by "Anastasia Doe" alleged that "Lesley Groff, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most trusted employees, would typically call Plaintiff to schedule a time for her to visit Jeffrey Epstein at the mansion" beginning in 2003 when the plaintiff was 14 years old. The complaint detailed a pattern in which Groff allegedly scheduled appointments for underage girls to visit Epstein's Manhattan townhouse.

Court records from the Ghislaine Maxwell criminal proceedings documented Groff's role. The Second Circuit's opinion in United States v. Maxwell noted that the 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement named Groff as a potential co-conspirator but emphasized that the agreement bound only the Florida district and did not prevent her prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Trial testimony from witnesses, including one who testified under the pseudonym "Kate," identified Groff as booking flights to Epstein's properties.

In February 2026, the Department of Justice released documents showing Groff was among individuals the FBI once identified as co-conspirators in Epstein's criminal enterprise. Her attorney responded that Groff "has never seen this document and was unaware of it" and that "after Lesley voluntarily spoke with prosecutors, and answered each and every question asked of her, she was told that she was not being prosecuted."

Visits to Epstein Properties#

The archive does not contain emails explicitly documenting Groff's personal visits to Epstein's properties as a guest. Her role was operational rather than social—she coordinated others' visits and managed property logistics remotely from the New York office. References to properties in her emails concern scheduling appointments at the Manhattan townhouse, arranging travel for others to Palm Beach, and coordinating household staff across multiple locations.

• Manhattan townhouse (9 East 71st Street): Groff worked from this location and coordinated Epstein's daily schedule there, arranging meetings and appointments throughout the period documented in the archive.

• Palm Beach residence: She arranged travel for others to this property and coordinated with staff there, but no emails document her own visits as a guest.

• Little St. James island: References appear only in the context of arranging others' travel; no visits by Groff are documented.

• New Mexico ranch: No visits documented in available correspondence.

• Paris apartment: No visits documented in available correspondence.

Criminal Activity#

The archive documents Groff's role in coordinating travel and scheduling for individuals who were, according to civil complaints and witness testimony, underage victims of Epstein's abuse. Her conduct falls within the scope of several federal statutes:

The coordination of travel arrangements for minors to visit Epstein at his properties, as documented in emails arranging flights and accommodations for individuals identified in civil litigation as underage at the time, constitutes conduct addressed by 18 U.S.C. § 2423 (transportation of minors for illegal sexual activity) and 18 U.S.C. § 1591 (sex trafficking of minors). A December 2019 civil complaint alleged that Groff "would typically call Plaintiff to schedule a time for her to visit Jeffrey Epstein at the mansion" beginning when the plaintiff was 14 years old, and that these scheduled visits resulted in sexual abuse. Emails from 2014 show Groff arranging international travel for an individual referenced in redacted court filings (March 2014, June 2014), coordinating flights between Warsaw, New York, and St. Thomas for someone Epstein directed her to assist.

Her participation in scheduling and facilitating these encounters constitutes conduct within the scope of 18 U.S.C. § 2 (aiding and abetting) in connection with the underlying sex trafficking and transportation offenses. The 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement itself characterized her as a "potential co-conspirator" of Epstein, and conduct supporting a conspiracy charge is addressed by 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy to commit offense against the United States).

For a complete discussion of potentially applicable criminal statutes, see Criminal Statutes.