House Oversight Committee Asks DOJ to Investigate Two Epstein Associates
A formal congressional referral to the Justice Department signals that the Epstein case continues to generate institutional pressure on federal law enforcement, though a referral carries no...
The House Oversight Committee sent a formal request to the Department of Justice on Thursday, June 5, 2026, asking federal prosecutors to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against two men with ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to NBC News reporting citing the committee's own statement. The committee did not publicly name the two individuals in its initial release, citing the nature of the allegations.
The allegations were made by Sarah Kellen, identified in committee materials as a former assistant to Epstein. Kellen herself was previously identified as a potential co-conspirator in a 2007 federal non-prosecution agreement involving Epstein, a public court record first reported extensively during the Southern District of Florida proceedings. Whether Kellen has received any form of immunity in connection with her current cooperation is not confirmed in publicly available documents.
A congressional referral to the DOJ does not compel the department to open an investigation or convene a grand jury. The decision to act on such a referral rests solely with the Attorney General, currently Pam Bondi, who was confirmed by the Senate on February 22, 2025, per the Senate confirmation record. The DOJ had not issued a public response to the referral as of the publication of this article.
The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer (R-KY) in the 119th Congress per House.gov leadership records, has maintained an active investigative posture on the Epstein matter across multiple sessions. The committee's jurisdiction under House Rules permits it to investigate matters of federal concern and to refer findings to law enforcement, but subpoena power and prosecutorial authority remain separate institutional functions.
What remains unknown as of June 4, 2026: the full identities of the two individuals named in the referral, whether Kellen provided sworn testimony or a written declaration to the committee, and whether any grand jury proceedings related to this referral have been initiated. The committee's full referral letter, if transmitted as a formal document, would be obtainable through a Freedom of Information Act request to the DOJ or through direct committee disclosure.