Newly released court documents from the US Department of Justice have shed fresh light on the estate plans of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, revealing that his last known girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, was poised to inherit a substantial portion of his wealth and property, including $50 million, a 33-carat diamond ring and multiple high-value real estate assets, AOL reported.
Who is Karyna Shuliak?
A native of Belarus, Shuliak came to the US in 2009. She reportedly entered a relationship with Epstein that lasted around eight to ten years.
During this period, she became one of his closest companions, earning a reputation among some associates as someone who kept a close eye on Epstein’s affairs. Her connection to him only entered the public spotlight after his death in 2019.
According to the documents, Epstein executed a will on August 8, 2019, just two days before his death in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. In that will, he outlined an ambitious plan to distribute his estimated $288 million estate among at least 44 beneficiaries, with Shuliak receiving some of the most valuable assets.
What did Epstein want to leave for Shuliak?
Among what Epstein intended for Shuliak were $50 million in cash and a dazzling 33-carat diamond ring set with baguette-cut diamonds mounted in platinum. In handwritten margins of the will, Epstein described the ring as being given “in contemplation of marriage.”
Additionally, Epstein planned to leave several of his luxury properties to her: Little Saint James, infamously dubbed “Pedo Island”, in the US Virgin Islands; his New York City Upper East Side townhouse; the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico; and real estate holdings in Paris and Palm Beach, according to AOL.com
Did Shuliak inherit them?
None of these intended gifts were ultimately distributed to Shuliak. After Epstein’s death, his estate was redirected into a trust used to compensate his victims and pay legal fees, taxes and expenses, leaving only about $127 million of the original assets tied up in probate, far less than what Epstein had outlined in his will, according to ABC7 New York.