Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer is finally headed for the exit over her Jeffrey Epstein ties — and she surprised the bank by making the decision to leave herself, The Post has learned.
The Wall Street giant said late Thursday that Kathy Ruemmler — who in the latest Epstein files dump was revealed to have an email rapport with the convicted pedophile right up to the days before his suicide, even signing her notes with “xoxo” — is leaving the bank.
In an odd twist, however, Ruemmler won’t be leaving until June 30.
What’s more, it was her decision — and she blindsided Goldman with the news, according to sources.
“I made the determination that the media attention on me, relating to my prior work as a defense attorney, was becoming a distraction,” Ruemmler said in a statement.
Sources said Ruemmler called up Solomon to break the news after an email surfaced that showed Ruemmler signed emails to Jeffrey Epstein with “xoxo” and wished him a happy birthday — prompting a crude joke from the disgraced financier about naming his penis.
“After that, Kathy just said that’s it, she was sick of it all after the media misrepresented that Kathy was discussing Epstein’s penis,” the source said.
That’s after CEO Solomon had continued to stand by Ruemmler — and reportedly to the vexation of several senior executives and alumni of the bank, according to reports.
“Throughout her tenure, Kathy has been an extraordinary general counsel, and we are grateful for her contributions and sound advice on a wide range of consequential legal matters for the firm,” Solomon said in a statement.
The top litigator also received lavish gifts from the convicted pedophile, including a $9,400 Hermes handbag and a spa trip at the Four Seasons in Washington, DC, records released by the Justice Department in January revealed.
Jennifer Connelly, a spokesperson for Ruemmler, told The Post: “Ms. Ruemmler has done nothing wrong and has nothing to hide. Nothing in the record suggests otherwise.”
“She will enjoy a wealthy retirement, though probably fewer cocktail parties and golf outings,” said one Wall Street insider. “She has many secrets to keep.”
Meanwhile, Solomon has until this week stood by Ruemmler out of loyalty, according to sources.
Based on interviews conducted by On The Money, Solomon’s support of Ruemmler speaks to the circumstances of his early, rocky reign as CEO and how he was able to hold on by assembling a core group of loyalists, Ruemmler among them.
Solomon hired Ruemmler in 2020 as Goldman’s chief legal officer, and the following year appointed her general counsel, one of the top jobs at the bank.
She was his hire, not someone who was part of the permanent Goldman bureaucracy.
Among the latter, many were skeptical of Solomon when he took over in 2018 and soon began to rebel, leaking damaging stories that began to undermine his ability to manage the place.
He survived the contretemps first by making it clear his detractors needed to go, and they did in droves; then he solidified his own team of loyalists.
Ruemmler was one of those, sources say.
Connelly said Epstein never retained Ruemmler as his lawyer.
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