MIAMI — A House Oversight Committee referral could place former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine under federal scrutiny after a former associate of convicted sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell accused him of sexual assault during sworn congressional testimony.
The House Oversight Committee announced Thursday that it has asked the Department of Justice to review allegations involving Levine and celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai following testimony from Sarah Kellen, a longtime Epstein associate who worked for him and Maxwell for more than a decade.
Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said the allegations warranted review by federal investigators but emphasized that Congress is not making any determination regarding guilt or innocence.
“The Oversight Committee is not a law enforcement entity, and our role is not to determine guilt or innocence,” Comer said in a statement accompanying the referral.
Allegations Raised During Congressional Testimony
According to testimony released by the committee, Kellen alleged that Levine sexually assaulted her during a trip to Saint-Tropez in either 2002 or 2003 while she was working for Epstein and Maxwell.
Kellen testified that the alleged incident occurred at a residence rented by Epstein and Maxwell and later continued on a nearby beach.
She told lawmakers that no witnesses were present and that she did not report the incident at the time.
The allegations surfaced during the committee’s ongoing review of the federal government’s handling of investigations involving Epstein and Maxwell.
Levine Denies Allegations
A spokesperson for Levine denied Kellen’s claims, telling media outlets that any encounter between Levine and Kellen was consensual.
The spokesperson described the allegation as false and disputed the characterization presented during congressional testimony.
Levine has previously acknowledged limited interactions with Epstein but has denied any business relationship with him.
Epstein Documents Draw Renewed Attention
The committee’s referral also highlighted previously released Department of Justice records in which Levine’s name reportedly appeared hundreds of times within Epstein-related files.
The documents included correspondence between Levine and Maxwell, who is currently serving a federal prison sentence following her conviction on sex-trafficking-related charges.
Maxwell previously described Levine as a friend during a Justice Department interview released as part of the broader Epstein document disclosures.
DOJ Has Not Announced Investigation
As of Thursday, the Department of Justice had not publicly announced whether it would open a formal investigation related to the allegations.
A referral from Congress does not automatically result in criminal charges or an active federal probe. Federal investigators independently determine whether allegations warrant further review.
What We Know
- The House Oversight Committee referred allegations involving Philip Levine to the DOJ.
- The allegations stem from testimony provided by Sarah Kellen.
- Levine denies the accusations.
- No criminal charges have been filed.
- The DOJ has not announced a formal investigation.
What’s Next
Federal prosecutors will determine whether the information provided by congressional investigators warrants additional review.
The referral is likely to generate renewed attention toward the Epstein files and ongoing congressional efforts to examine how federal authorities handled the Epstein and Maxwell investigations.
