Jeffrey Epstein’s death by suicide in 2019 did not bring justice to a close. Instead, it opened a complex chapter in estate litigation, fiduciary responsibility, and financial accountability—one where victims sought compensation not only from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, but also from the banks that enabled him. This case gives us a rare, real-world example of how civil liability, trust and estate law, and estate structure interact when the deceased leaves behind a trail of victims hoping for some type of justice.

Epstein’s Estate: A $600M Web of Trusts, Islands & Questions

Two days before his death, Epstein executed a pour-over will that transferred his assets into a private trust known as “The 1953 Trust,” named after the ex financier’s birth date and established in the U.S. Virgin Islands to obscure legal transparency. Valued at roughly $578–$630 million,
Epstein’s estate included properties like his Manhattan mansion, Palm Beach home, and the infamous Little St. James—his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. His executors, longtime associates lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn, immediately began managing the estate. But because the trust structure lacked transparency, victims and regulators feared a cover-up—so they sued.

Civil Justice: Victims Sue the Estate & Executors

More than 150 survivors filed civil lawsuits against Epstein’s estate, with some naming the coexecutors personally. These cases invoked federal statutes like the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), as well as common law torts. It doesn’t stop at just victims—the U.S. Virgin Islands government also filed a civil enforcement suit in 2020, alleging human trafficking, fraud, forced marriages, and financial concealment. In 2022, the estate settled for $105 million, with the sale of the island helping fund the deal.

The Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund (EVCF)

In 2020, Jeffrey Epstein’s estate launched the Epstein Victims Compensation Fund, a voluntary, non-adversarial program designed to compensate survivors outside of court. Overseen by independent administrator Jordana Feldman, the fund distributed more than $121 million to over 150 survivors before closing in 2021. The fund, fully financed by the estate, was criticized for mandating that victims waive the right to sue the estate in order to participate. While it helped streamline hundreds of claims while preserving survivor dignity, many saw the fund’s waiver requirement as an attempt to continue blockading transparency

Banks Under Fire: JPMorgan Chase & Deutsche Bank

Civil suits against third parties expanded beyond the estate to JPMorgan Chase, Epstein’s primary bank for 15 years, and Deutsche Bank, which took him on after JPMorgan dropped him in 2013. JPMorgan settled two major cases: a $290 million class-action payout to victims, and a $75 million settlement with the U.S. Virgin Islands, including $30M for nonprofits and $10M for mental health services. Deutsche Bank paid nearly $75 million in May 2023 to resolve sex trafficking-related claims and
was separately fined $150 million by New York regulators in 2020 for failing to flag suspicious transactions. These lawsuits raised new legal questions about bank liability in civil cases and financial institution’s role in enabling abuse.

The Estate Still Has Money—But Not for Long

Despite large payouts, Epstein’s estate was still valued at $145 million in early 2025, thanks in part to a $112 million federal tax refund. But those funds are dwindling as settlements continue, and new claims emerge. Indyke and Kahn remain under civil scrutiny and could face further litigation depending on how the remaining estate assets are distributed.

A New Front: Lawyers Push Congress to Subpoena Estate-Controlled Files

In July 2025, attorney Bradley Edwards, representing more than 200 Epstein survivors, called on Congress to subpoena a crucial estate-controlled artifact: the so-called “birthday book,” a 2003 leather-bound compilation featuring personal notes and sketches—including an alleged letter from Donald Trump to Epstein. Edwards claims the Epstein estate holds the only copy and joined Representative Ro Khanna and others in urging formal subpoenas, citing the book’s value for transparency and insight into the estate’s records and network.

Justice After Death: What Epstein’s Case Means for Other Victims

Have a Detailed Estate Plan

For many survivors of abuse, a perpetrator’s death can feel like the end of the road for legal accountability. But the Epstein estate case shows that civil justice doesn’t die with the abuser. Victims may still have powerful tools to seek restitution from a deceased person’s estate, even posthumously.

Epstein’s survivors successfully sued:

• His estate
• His co-executors
• The financial institutions that enabled him

Even though Epstein was never convicted for many crimes during his lifetime, civil courts provided an alternative path to accountability.
In other cases, survivors may pursue:

• Probate court claims (e.g. creditor claims or wrongful death lawsuits)
• Civil lawsuits against third parties (like employers or landlords)
• Victim compensation funds, when available

This case is a reminder: a perpetrator’s death doesn’t eliminate legal responsibility. With proper legal representation, survivors may still secure meaningful justice.

Coming Soon on the Fun with Death & Taxes Podcast

This article is just the beginning. In our upcoming episode, we’ll dive deeper into:

• The mechanics of the Epstein Victims Compensation Fund
• Why Epstein’s estate faced so many lawsuits after his death
• The role of financial institutions in estate-related liability
• Political and legal efforts to force estate transparency

Stay tuned—new episode dropping soon!