Brad S. Karp

Brad Karp, on Leon Black's behalf, formally requested in March 2016 that Paul Weiss act as a $2M escrow agent to make monthly payments to an individual pursuant to a contract — contemporaneous with the Black-Epstein $158M fee arrangement

Mar 3 2016 7:06pm, Karp emailed Paul Weiss partners Bruce Birenboim and Lorin Reisner: 'I've been asked by Leon if we can have a $2m escrow fund established at the firm, from which payments would be made monthly pursuant to a contract with an individual. Leon would pay any and all costs and indemnify the firm against any claims. Is this something we do?' Birenboim replied 7:12pm: 'Our policy is not to act as escrow agent, except in standard personal real estate transactions.' Karp forwarded rejection to Epstein; Epstein: 'I will pursue alternate.' Karp: 'Of course. But I'll escalate any way.' Wyden Senate Finance Committee later reported Leon Black paid Jeffrey Epstein ~$158M. This email shows Karp personally requested Paul Weiss launder the payment arrangement through firm escrow, was rebuffed, said he'd 'escalate' inside PW anyway.

Brad Karp is a major Democratic donor, contributing $338K+ in 2021-2025 alone (FEC partial cap), overwhelmingly to ActBlue, DNC, DSCC, Harris Victory Fund, Dan Goldman, John Fetterman, Val Demings, Kirsten Gillibrand, related vehicles

FEC query Apr 14 2026 of contributor 'Brad Karp' employer 'Paul Weiss' (100-record cap, 92 PW/attorney records). Top committees: ActBlue $94,780; DNC $58,400; Harris Victory Fund $45,000; DSCC $25,000; Suozzi for Congress $10,100; Dem Grassroots Victory Fund $10,000; Pete Aguilar for Congress $6,600; Gillibrand for Senate $6,600; Friends of Dave McCormick $6,600; Harris for President $6,600; Dan Goldman for NY $4,500; Fetterman for PA $3,300; John Avlon $3,300; Alsobrooks for Senate $3,300; Bennet for Colorado $2,900. Listed address: 101 Central Park W, New York NY 10023. Karp is publicly one of the Democratic Party's largest law-firm fundraisers.

Paul Weiss Chairman Brad Karp had direct, sustained personal correspondence and regular in-person meetings with Jeffrey Epstein from at least 2014 through March 2019

DOJ-released Epstein archive contains 30+ direct emails between [email protected] and Epstein's [email protected], plus scores of scheduling emails from Epstein assistants Lesley Groff and Bebe Avdiu confirming in-person appointments at 9 East 71st Street (Epstein's Manhattan townhouse). Meetings include: May 18 2017 dinner w/Kathy Ruemmler; Jul 21 2015 dinner w/Karp and his son + Woody Allen/Soon-Yi; Jan 31 2018 dinner w/UN GA President Lajcak and Michael Wolff; June 8 2018 10am at house; Aug 9 2018 11am; Oct 11, 18 2018; Nov 2 2018 ('you and i are friends with a disagreement'); Mar 3 2019 Epstein wrote 'will need tough civil attny' and Karp replied 'I've got some ideas' (4 months before arrest).

Epstein introduced Brad Karp to Dr. Richard Merkin (Heritage Provider Network CEO) on Jan 5 2014 via the 'dick -brad, brad -dick, heritage group. calif.' terse introduction, integrating Karp into the same Epstein-captive pattern as Leon Black

Jeffrey Epstein emailed simultaneously to 'Richard Merkin; Brad S Karp' on Jan 5 2014 with body 'dick -brad, brad -dick, heritage group. calif.' — Epstein's signature abbreviated introduction format. Merkin is a confirmed Epstein captive (Jul-Aug 2018 will/trust template emails). Karp's firm Paul Weiss had represented Leon Black/Apollo for decades; this document shows Karp was socialized into Merkin's world via Epstein. Co-occurrence across EFTA02712645/EFTA02713507/EFTA02345668/EFTA02487601/EFTA02488023/EFTA02379917 (Epstein's scratch-pad lists 'merkin... karp?' alongside 'BRAD LEON > ALAN. MAPP, gates, ghislaine, ian osbourne, andreeson horowitz, steve sinofsky, putin') indicates Karp and Merkin occupied Epstein's mental lattice of HNW bridges.

Jeffrey Epstein explicitly used Brad Karp and Paul Weiss as his referral network, steering the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Karp and Paul Weiss partner Greg Ezring for a foundation-restructuring / donor-advised-fund project in 2014

Jul 9 2014 Epstein to Connie Collingsworth (GC, BMGF) and Larry Cohen: 'tom mcgraw at JPM. Ray Russo, 16 person at Paul Weiss. greg ezring, securities law. I suggest you call Brad Karp, and tell him you are calling at my suggestion, Brad is the managing partner.' Prior Jul 8 2014 email: 'tax expert at JPM new york, securities expertise at Paul weiss... considering using Cathy Ruemmler to be the point legal person on this coast.' Parallel email EFTA02583516 to Gates team: 'I think it would be helpful if at sometime in the very near future if Bill would call Brad Karp, senior managing partner of Paul Weiss, and tell him how glad he is that Russo and Ezring are working on the complications of this future Daf project.' Establishes Epstein as placement agent for Paul Weiss mandates at the largest private foundation in the world.

Brad Karp signed the March 2025 $40M Trump executive-order settlement for Paul Weiss, establishing Karp as a reputational-crisis manager who repeatedly chooses accommodation over litigation under public pressure

Mar 14 2025: Trump EO 14237 'Addressing Risks From Paul Weiss' suspended security clearances, restricted federal building access, directed agencies to review contracts. Karp met with Trump and agreed to $40M pro bono legal services over Trump's term to support 'the Administration's initiatives' including 'assisting our Nation's veterans, fairness in the Justice System, the President's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.' Trump rescinded with EO 14244. Widely criticized as 'humiliating' by legal community; template for 8 subsequent big-law firm settlements. Same behavioral pattern: Karp's Mar 2019 'I've got some ideas' reply to Epstein's 'will need tough civil attny' shows Karp is a crisis-management repeat player for powerful clients facing scandal.

Brad Karp resigned as Paul Weiss Chairman Feb 4 2026 after DOJ released Karp-Epstein emails; firm's public defense ('adverse' to Epstein, only represented Leon Black on fee disputes) is contradicted by evidence of PW partners personally advising Epstein on tax, estate, securities

Paul Weiss Feb 2026 statement: 'Paul Weiss was retained by Leon Black, then the CEO of the firm's longtime client Apollo, to negotiate a series of fee disputes with Jeffrey Epstein that spanned several years. The firm was adverse to Epstein, and at no point did Paul Weiss or Brad Karp ever represent him.' Materially misleading because: (a) Alan Halperin gave Epstein attorney-client privileged tax/estate advice incl decanting (EFTA02671779) and bank-statement exhibits marked 'PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL/ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION' (EFTA02356516); (b) Richard Bronstein gave Epstein PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL tax advice on Leon Black Phaidon LLC (EFTA02478189); (c) Epstein accounting office paid PW invoices directly (EFTA02711770); (d) Karp took calls from Epstein via Selinda Munzell (EFTA02477081); (e) Karp acted on Epstein's behalf (Gates Foundation, Merkin introductions). Bloomberg Law confirmed Karp advised Epstein on fighting 2008 plea deal reopening. Scott Barshay succeeded Karp Feb 4 2026.

Brad Karp was a recurring in-person participant at Jeffrey Epstein's 9 E 71st St residence from at least Jan 2014 through Mar 2019, with roughly monthly cadence; Karp brought his son David and wife Meredith to Epstein dinners incl Jul 21 2015 dinner with Soon-Yi Previn (Woody Allen's wife)

Lesley Groff and Bebe Avdiu (assistants) confirmation emails document 20+ in-person appointments between Karp and Epstein at 9 E 71st. Notable: Jul 20 2015 'Brad Karp.vcf' contact-exchange; Jul 21 2015 dinner 'Brad Karp and his son' with Soon-Yi; Dec 7 2017 4:00pm; Jan 31 2018 6pm dinner w/UN GA President Lajcak and Michael Wolff; Jun 8 2018 10am; Aug 9 2018 11am; Oct 18 2018; Nov 2 2018 mid-dispute; May 21 2018 Woody screening event list including 'Brad Karp David Karp Meredith Karp' alongside Jes Staley (JPMorgan exec later sued by USVI). Pattern indicates social-plus-professional relationship extending through Epstein's family circle, not a purely adverse legal engagement.