The Steady Drip: Top Law Firm Chairman Resigns After Release of Emails With Jeffrey Epstein (Connecting the Dots: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Brad Karp, The Kappa Beta Phi, Bear Stearns Companies Inc., Jeffrey Epstein, Breakthrough Energy Coalition, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Federal Bureau of Prisons & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Top Law Firm Chairman Resigns After Release of Emails With Jeffrey Epstein (Connecting the Dots: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Brad Karp, The Kappa Beta Phi, Bear Stearns Companies Inc., Jeffrey Epstein, Breakthrough Energy Coalition, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Federal Bureau of Prisons & Soros Funding, All Networking)

‘Recent reporting has created a distraction,’ Brad Karp said.

The Epoch Times

Zachary Stieber

Senior Reporter

2/5/2026|Updated: 2/5/2026

(Left) Brad Karp; (Right) Jeffrey Epstein; in file photographs. Steven Ferdman/Getty Images; New York State Sex Offender Registry

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/top-law-firm-chairman-resigns-after-release-of-emails-with-jeffrey-epstein-5981218

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison said on Feb. 4 that its chairman has resigned, after emails he exchanged with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were made public.

Brad Karp decided to step down, the firm, known as Paul Weiss, said in a statement.

“Leading Paul, Weiss for the past 18 years has been the honor of my professional life,” Karp said. “Recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.”

The Department of Justice in January released millions of pages of emails Epstein sent and received, including some exchanged with Karp.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Karp, who has chaired Paul Weiss since 2008, attended dinners with Epstein and sought his help in getting his son a job with a Woody Allen film production, according to emails that were released by the government.

In one 2015 missive, Karp wrote with his company address to Epstein, thanking him profusely for hosting him.

“Jeffrey, I can’t thank you enough for including me in an evening I’ll never forget,” he said. “It was truly ‘once in a lifetime’ in every way, though I hope to be invited again. You are an extraordinary host – and your home….!!!”

Another exchange happened in early 2019.

Paul Weiss had said earlier in the week that Karp regretted his interactions with Epstein.

Epstein was charged in July 2019 with sex trafficking of minors. He died in prison while awaiting trial on the charges.

Other Developments

Other people who had email interactions with Epstein have stepped down from positions in the wake of the new release.

Peter Mandelson, the UK’s former ambassador to the United States, resigned as a lawmaker after an initial review by the Cabinet Office indicated Mandelson had passed on information that was “likely market-sensitive” to Epstein. British police are investigating Mandelson, who has not responded to requests for comment.

Peter Attia, a longevity expert, resigned as chief science officer from David Protein, the company’s founder said.

“We remain focused on serving our customers,” Peter Rahal, the founder, wrote on X.

CBS News, which recently tapped Attia as a new contributor, has not addressed the emails.

Attia said in an email he posted on social media that he did not witness, enable, or participate in any criminal activity, and that he never flew on Epstein’s plane or visited Epstein’s island.

“That said, I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public, and that is on me,” he wrote. “I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

Brad S. Karp

Karp in 2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_S._Karp

Brad Scott Karp (born July 25, 1959) is an American lawyer. He was the chairman of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP before resigning in 2026 after his correspondence with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

Career

Karp was named chairman of Paul, Weiss in 2008 and served in the role until 2026.[7][8] Prior to his election, he co-chaired the firm's litigation department

Karp has represented a wide range of clients in his career, including many financial services firms. His clients include JPMorgan Chase, Wachovia, Morgan Stanley, Apollo Global Management, Merrill Lynch, Deloitte, MacAndrews & Forbes, ING, Bear Stearns, Ericsson, Hexion, Scottish Power and Eton Park in securities, commercial and regulatory matters.

Connecting the Dots:

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and is the House Minority Leader.

Brad S. Karp was the chairman of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP before resigning in 2026 after his correspondence with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed and Bear Stearns was one of his clients.

Jeffrey Epstein entered the banking and finance sector, working at Bear Stearns in various roles before starting his own firm.
James E. Cayne (Jimmy) was the chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Alphonse Fletcher Jr. was the VP for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Thomas M. Flexner was the vice chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Alan C. Greenberg was the chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Bruce Lisman was the head of global equities for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

E. John Rosenwald Jr. was the vice chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Alan D. Schwartz was the CEO for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

John C. Sites Jr. was the EVP for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Warren Spector was the president & co-COO for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company) and is a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

Michael R. Bloomberg is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Warren B. Rudman was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

David M. Rubenstein was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden and a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

L. John Doerr is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

Reid Hoffman was a fellow at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

(Bill) William H. Gates III is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and a co-chair for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a member of Kappa Beta Phi and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary).

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was a presidential candidate for the 2016 presidential election, a director at the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and married to (Bill) William J. Clinton.

(Bill) William J. Clinton was an adviser for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign and In 1997, awarded Kathleen Hawk Sawyer with the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award, which is the highest governmental award that is offered to professionals in her line of work, is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton, the founder of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Kathleen Hawk Sawyer was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award from William Bill Clinton and On August 19, 2019, Barr re-appointed her as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons as part of a shake-up following the death of Jeffrey Epstein.

Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Correctional_Center,_New_York

The Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York (MCC New York) is a temporarily closed United States federal administrative detention facility in the Civic Center of Lower Manhattan, New York City, located on Park Row behind the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse at Foley Square. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.

Jeffrey Epstein died August 10, 2019 (aged 66) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York City, US, began his professional career as a teacher at the Dalton School. After his dismissal from the school in 1976, he entered the banking and finance sector, working at Bear Stearns in various roles before starting his own firm.

Antony Blinken attended the Dalton School in New York City until 1971, was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank) and the national security adviser to the vice president for the Barack Obama administration.

Henry A. Kissinger was a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank), a friend of a friend of Michael R. Bloomberg and a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg was a friend of Henry A. Kissinger, the New York (NY) mayor, is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Warren B. Rudman was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

David M. Rubenstein was a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank), spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden and a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and is the House Minority Leader.

Jeh Charles Johnson is a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, was a governor for the Roosevelt Institute and the secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Roosevelt Institute.

U.S. Secret Service is a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Kimberly Cheatle is the 27^th director for the U.S. Secret Service and served as Senior Director in Global Security at PepsiCo.

Larry D. Thompson is the EVP of governmental affairs, general counsel & secretary for PepsiCo, Inc. and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Michael H. Jordan was the division chairman & CEO for PepsiCo, Inc. and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Warren B. Rudman was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

David M. Rubenstein is a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the Economic Club of Washington, was a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank), spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden and a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. was the president of the Economic Club of Washington an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Theodore V. Wells Jr. is a co-chair emeritus at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Adrian W. DeWind was a director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Edward J. Mathias is a managing director at the Carlyle Group and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.

Jerome H. Powell (Jay) was a partner at the Carlyle Group and is the Chairman for the Federal Reserve System.

George H.W. Bush was an adviser for the Carlyle Group and a member of the Alfalfa Club.

Michael R. Bloomberg is a member of the Alfalfa Club, the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and a member of Kappa Beta Phi.

John J. Mack is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and a member of the Kappa Beta Phi.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

James E. Cayne (Jimmy) is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Alphonse Fletcher Jr. is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the VP for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Thomas M. Flexner is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the vice chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Alan C. Greenberg is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Bruce Lisman is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the head of global equities for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

E. John Rosenwald Jr. is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the vice chairman for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Alan D. Schwartz is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the CEO for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

John C. Sites Jr. is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the EVP for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Warren Spector is a member of Kappa Beta Phi and was the president & co-COO for the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bailout Company).

Jeffrey Epstein entered the banking and finance sector, working at Bear Stearns in various roles before starting his own firm.

Brad S. Karp resigned in 2026 after his correspondence with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed and Bear Stearns was one of his clients and was the chairman of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and is the House Minority Leader.

Martin London is of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and was an attorney for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Jamie S. Gorelick was a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a deputy attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, is Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner’s attorney and a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Robert S. Mueller III was a director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, is investigating interference with Russia in the 2016 U.S. election, special counsel investigating Russian ties in the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, a special counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, James Quarles III is assisting him in the Russia probe, Jeannie Rhee is assisting him in the Russia collusion probe and Aaron Zebley is assisting him in the Russia probe.

Jerome A. Cohen was a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and is of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Jeh Charles Johnson is a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and was a governor for the Roosevelt Institute.

Jonathan Soros is a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, George Soros’s son and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

George Soros is Jonathan Soros’s father, the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Roosevelt Institute.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the chair for the Roosevelt Institute and an advisory board member for the Wheelchair Foundation.

Mikhail Gorbachev was an advisory board member for the Wheelchair Foundation, the president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a general secretary for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the founder for the Green Cross International.

Ted Turner is an honorary board member for Green Cross International, the founder of CNN and a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is a friend of Michael Douglas.

Jerome A. Cohen was a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and is of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, received his MPP from Georgetown University and is an American politician and attorney who has served as House minority leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. Currently in his seventh term, Jeffries has been the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013 and served three terms as a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Hakeem Jeffries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Jeffries#Personal_life

Personal life
Hakeem and Hasan are the nephews of Leonard Jeffries, a former professor at City College of New York.^[227][232] While in college, Hakeem Jeffries wrote an editorial defending his uncle and Louis Farrakhan when his uncle was invited to speak at Binghamton University.^[232][233] He has said he only has a "vague" recollection of the events. His spokesperson said, "Leader Jeffries has consistently been clear that he does not share the controversial views espoused by his uncle over thirty years ago.

Louis Farrakhan is Hakeem Jeffries’s uncle, the acting head for the Nation of Islam and was awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from the Trumpeter Newsmagazine.

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. is the senior pastor for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) and was a member of the African American Religious Leadership Committee.

African American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Barack Obama was the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Oprah Winfrey was a supporter for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Rhonda Weingarten is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and was the president of the United Federation of Teachers.

Scott Pelley is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a correspondent for 60 Minutes.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

William H. Gates III is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and a co-chair for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

Mark Suzman is the president of global policy for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a director at the ONE Campaign.

Joe Cerrell is a managing director, global policy & advocacy for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a director at the ONE Campaign.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a member of Kappa Beta Phi and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.