Jeffrey Epstein's Secret Trust Names Girlfriend, Brother, and Ghislaine Maxwell as Heirs

Late financier left $100M to his girlfriend, $50M to his lawyer, and $10M each to his brother and Maxwell

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Newly released federal records show that just two days before his death in 2019, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein quietly signed paperwork for a trust that set aside the bulk of his remaining $600 million fortune for his then-girlfriend, dentist Karyna Shuliak, as well as two longtime associates, lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn. Epstein's brother, Mark Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted of conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse teenage girls, were also named as $10 million beneficiaries.

Why it matters

The revelation of Epstein's secret trust raises questions about how his vast wealth was distributed, especially given that none of the more than 200 women and girls believed to have been abused by Epstein were named as beneficiaries. The trust's existence also highlights the complex web of relationships and financial dealings surrounding the disgraced financier.

The details

According to the 32-page document, called the 1953 Trust after Epstein's birth year, Shuliak was designated to receive $100 million, including a $50 million annuity and rights to much of Epstein's property. Indyke and Kahn, the co-executors of Epstein's estate, were listed as receiving $50 million and $25 million, respectively. Epstein's brother, Mark, and Ghislaine Maxwell were each slated to receive $10 million. Harvard mathematician Martin Nowak was also listed for $5 million, though some of the 40 or so names in the trust are redacted in the public file.

  • Epstein signed the trust paperwork just two days before his death in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
  • The 32-page trust document surfaced in about 3 million pages of Justice Department files made public on February 4, 2026.

The players

Karyna Shuliak

Epstein's Belarus-born girlfriend, whom he said he had considered marrying, and who was designated to receive $100 million from the trust.

Darren Indyke

Epstein's lawyer and one of the co-executors of his estate, who was slated to receive $50 million from the trust.

Richard Kahn

Epstein's in-house accountant and the other co-executor of his estate, who was designated to receive $25 million from the trust.

Mark Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein's brother, who was named as a $10 million beneficiary of the trust.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Epstein's associate who was later convicted of conspiring with him to sexually abuse teenage girls, and who was designated to receive $10 million from the trust.

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What they’re saying

“This is the first I'm hearing of it.”

— Mark Epstein (Business Insider)

What’s next

The executors of Epstein's estate have stated that no beneficiary named in the trust will receive money "unless and until" all creditor claims, including compensation for victims, are fully resolved.

The takeaway

The revelation of Epstein's secret trust, which directed the bulk of his remaining fortune to his girlfriend, associates, and brother rather than to his victims, underscores the complex and controversial nature of his financial dealings and the ongoing efforts to resolve claims against his estate.