The discredited American financier and lobbyist Jeffrey Edward Epstein, who had a large estate valued at $600 million, signed a document two days before he died in 2019, announcing his beneficiaries.
The files released by the US Justice Department also included a copy of a 32-page document that gives away the details of his Trust. The document revealed that he had given away much of his once vast estate to his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, at the time, according to the New York Times.
Along with Shuliak, another 40 people were also mentioned as potential beneficiaries of his estate. However, it is unclear just how much they will receive from his million-dollar estate, which has shrunk over the past few years after paying taxes, restitutions to victims, and hefty lawyers' fees.
The document, called the 1953 Trust, was formed the year Epstein was born.
As per the document, Shuliak is to get a total of $100 million, which includes a $50 million annuity to be set up for her benefit. She is also to get much of his property.
The other main beneficiaries listed in the document are Darren Indyk and Richard Kahn. Indyke was Epstein's longtime personal lawyer, while Kahn was his in-house accountant. The trust provided Indyke to get $50 million and for Kahn to get $25 million of his estate, respectively.
Who is Karyna Shuliak?
A native of Belarus, Shuliak, 36, is said to have known Epstein from 2012. Reportedly, Epstein paid for her to go to dental school. She is believed to be residing in New York City.
Also, Shuliak's lawyer is the last person Epstein had called from jail. Epstein was convicted of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
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Meanwhile, Daniel Weiner, a lawyer for the estate, said neither Indyke nor Kahn, nor any of the beneficiaries, “will receive any money from that estate unless and until all creditors and claims on the estate have first been satisfied in full, including claims for compensation made by women who suffered abuse at Epstein’s hands.”
Though Epstein's estate was valued at $600 million earlier, a recent court filing has estimated that it is only worth $120 million.
The US Justice Department has redacted most of the 40 names listed as beneficiaries. However, some of the other intended beneficiaries unredacted included his brother Mark Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 on federal charges that she conspired with Epstein to sexually abuse teenage girls.
The document said each of them should receive $10 million. He also intended to leave $5 million to Martin Nowak, a Harvard University math professor. Nowak had been his friend for years.