Exclusive: Epstein survivors say his former assistant Lesley Groff lied to Congress about key details

Exclusive: Survivors Say Epstein’s Assistant Lied to Congress

Exclusive report reveals that Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant, provided misleading information during her congressional testimony. According to her statements, Groff claimed she never personally met the young women and girls who worked as massage therapists for Epstein. She further asserted that she remained ignorant of their ages and personal circumstances. Yet a growing number of Epstein survivors are now challenging these claims, saying Groff’s account is fundamentally flawed.

In exclusive interviews with CNN, six survivors shared their experiences with Groff, contradicting key points from her congressional statements. Four women spoke on the record while two requested anonymity. These survivors described direct conversations with Groff about their ages, personal meetings, and even receiving payments from the assistant. Each of these details directly conflicts with what Groff told lawmakers during her June 9 interview with the House Oversight Committee.

What Survivors Are Saying

Groff’s testimony, which was fully transcribed, portrayed her as someone who was deceived by Epstein’s manipulative ways. She described working for him for nearly two decades while remaining largely unaware of his abusive behavior toward girls and women. Despite being named as a potential co-conspirator in the controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement in Florida, Groff has never been charged with any crime. A committee representative told CNN they are reviewing her transcript carefully and welcome additional input from anyone with relevant information.

Political leaders have responded strongly to the survivors’ allegations. Sara Guerrero, communications director for Rep. Robert Garcia, who leads Democrats on the oversight committee, issued a statement emphasizing that

Lesley Groff knew what was happening in Epstein’s inner circle, which is why Chairman Comer should have required her to testify under oath.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam also weighed in, noting that

testimony is directly contradicted by the accounts of multiple survivors.

He added that

If she lied to us, which it appears she may have, she should come clean or else face criminal sanctions.

Challenges in Proving the Claims

For many survivors, Groff’s statements have deepened their sense of frustration. They worry that congressional investigations may not lead to real accountability. Ghislaine Maxwell remains the only person prosecuted in the United States for her role in Epstein’s activities. The Justice Department has stated that evidence has not been strong enough to bring additional charges, despite releasing millions of Epstein-related documents.

Marina Lacerda, an Epstein survivor, captured the sentiment of many when she said:

We have so many people coming in and lying and saying they don’t know, they don’t remember. Can we just have one person at least come in and take accountability and bring in full transparency?

Groff had characterized Epstein as a

master manipulator and deceiver

who kept his abusive side hidden from her. She famously remarked:

For 18 years, I worked for Dr. Jekyll but was never permitted to see the true Mr. Hyde.

Under federal law, knowingly and willfully providing false statements to Congress is a criminal offense. Survivors acknowledged that proving some of their claims is difficult, especially since many interactions happened over twenty years ago. Back then, many victims were teenagers and smartphones were not yet common. One of Groff’s most notable assertions was that she never personally encountered any of the masseuses she arranged for Epstein. She told lawmakers:

To my knowledge I never met any of these masseuses.

All six survivors CNN contacted said they had met Groff in person and were shocked by her denial. Marina Lacerda, who says she first met Epstein in 2002 at age thirteen, reported seeing Groff regularly during her abuse.

She’s lying,

Lacerda stated firmly, adding:

Just me and