Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer who called Epstein her ‘older brother’ just resigned, but the gifts she received after his conviction are the real kicker

Goldman Sachs is losing its top legal mind, Kathy Ruemmler, who just announced her resignation following the revelation of extremely close ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by The Associated Press. Ruemmler, who previously served as White House counsel to President Barack Obama, will step down from her role as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel on June 30, 2026.

Ruemmler had been incredibly defiant about staying put since the correspondence came out, repeatedly trying to distance herself from the damaging emails and other communications. As late as December, Goldman CEO David Solomon was publicly backing her, calling Ruemmler an “excellent lawyer” and confirming she had his full faith and backing. That support clearly ran out this week.

The correspondence that surfaced showed a relationship that was way too cozy for comfort, especially given Epstein’s known history. In those emails, Ruemmler described the financier using incredibly affectionate terms, calling him her “older brother” and even “Uncle Jeffrey,” and stating that she adored him. Funnily enough, this is very similar to Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, calling Epstein a “brother I have always wished for.“

This is an awful look for someone in a top compliance role at a major investment bank, and it’s hard to imagine how she justified that level of closeness

It’s hard to reconcile that warm language with her recent public statements, where she called Epstein a “monster.” Goldman Sachs even released a statement before her resignation confirming she “regrets ever knowing him,” which feels like a massive understatement considering the history.

While the personal connection is bad enough, the real kicker here involves the truly expensive gifts she accepted. During her time in private practice after leaving the White House in 2014, Ruemmler was showered with luxury items from Epstein. We’re talking about high-end handbags and even a fur coat. Critically, she received these gifts after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes in 2008 and was officially registered as a sex offender. She even wrote to him in 2018 thanking him, saying, “So lovely and thoughtful! Thank you to Uncle Jeffrey!!!”

Wall Street generally frowns heavily on high-end gift-giving between clients and bankers or lawyers because it immediately creates a conflict of interest. Worse, it can run afoul of anti-bribery laws, which are incredibly serious. Goldman Sachs’ own code of conduct is very strict on this point. It requires employees to get preapproval before accepting high-value gifts from clients.

In her resignation statement, Ruemmler tried to frame the decision as one of duty and integrity. She said, “Since I joined Goldman Sachs six years ago, it has been my privilege to help oversee the firm’s legal, reputational, and regulatory matters; to enhance our strong risk management processes; and to ensure that we live by our core value of integrity in everything we do. My responsibility is to put Goldman Sachs’ interests first.”

CEO Solomon accepted the resignation and released his own short statement, noting, “As one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, Kathy has also been a mentor and friend to many of our people, and she will be missed. I accepted her resignation, and I respect her decision.”