House Oversight Committee Republicans have referred former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine to the U.S. Department of Justice for criminal prosecution after closed-door testimony from a former Jeffrey Epstein assistant named him among alleged abusers. It marks the sharpest escalation so far in Congress’s review of the Epstein files and the web of connections that runs through South Florida. Levine, who served as Miami Beach mayor from 2013 to 2017, now faces renewed scrutiny as investigators and prosecutors weigh their options.
House Panel Targets Levine And Fekkai
The referral names Levine alongside celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, according to The Independent. Committee members say the move follows a closed-door deposition that surfaced details investigators had not previously reviewed. Panel leaders told reporters the referral is based on new information the committee obtained in its latest round of testimony.
What Kellen Told Lawmakers
In a May 21 closed-door deposition, longtime Epstein assistant Sarah Kellen told lawmakers she had been “sexually and psychologically abused” and provided three names of alleged abusers, per ABC News. Chairman James Comer called Kellen’s interview the most substantive the committee has held so far and said her account included “new names” investigators had not examined before. Kellen has denied wrongdoing in court filings while describing herself in her opening statement as a victim of repeated abuse.
Levine’s Long Shadow In The Epstein Files
Levine’s name appears repeatedly in the Justice Department’s Epstein file release, more than 600 references in total, local reporting indicates, and the documents include emails tying him to Epstein and to Ghislaine Maxwell, Miami New Times reported. A July 24, 2025 interview transcript from the Justice Department records Maxwell referring to Levine as a “very good friend,” and the newly released files include campaign and social emails that critics say undercut Levine’s past denials. Those records helped prompt the committee’s fresh look at men named in Kellen’s testimony.
What The DOJ Referral Really Means
The committee’s referral was formalized in a letter urging Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to use “all available tools,” including immunity for witnesses, according to The Independent. A congressional referral, however, is not an indictment. It asks the Justice Department to investigate and consider charges, while prosecutors retain sole discretion over whether to bring any criminal counts, per a Congressional Research Service explainer. So far, the Justice Department has not announced any charges tied to the referral.
Levine’s Silence And Miami Beach Fallout
Levine did not respond to calls and texts from reporters, Miami New Times reported, though he told that outlet in December 2025 that his relationship with Epstein was “that of a friend to my wife and I, nothing more and nothing less.” The referral is likely to keep the spotlight trained on Miami Beach, from past campaign donors to public records, as federal investigators assess whether the allegations meet prosecutorial standards. For now, the case sits with the Justice Department, which will decide whether to open or expand any criminal probe.
