Former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine has been referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for further investigation following testimony provided to the House Oversight Committee by Sarah Kellen, a longtime former assistant to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The referral was announced after Kellen participated in a closed-door interview as part of an ongoing congressional inquiry into the federal government’s handling of investigations related to Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. During her testimony, Kellen alleged that Levine sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s. She also made allegations against celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and several Republican lawmakers subsequently requested that the Department of Justice review the allegations and determine whether further criminal investigation is warranted. According to lawmakers, these are among the first allegations of potential criminal conduct formally referred to the DOJ as part of the committee’s broader Epstein-related inquiry.

Levine, who served as mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017 and later ran for governor of Florida, has denied any wrongdoing. A spokesperson for the former mayor stated that any intimate encounter referenced by Kellen was consensual and rejected allegations suggesting otherwise. Levine has also previously stated that his connection to Epstein stemmed primarily through his former friendship with Maxwell and that he met Epstein only a limited number of times.

The renewed scrutiny follows the release of Epstein-related documents earlier this year that reportedly contained numerous references to Levine. Investigative reporting has highlighted correspondence and interactions involving Levine, Epstein, and Maxwell dating back to the early 2000s, though the existence of such communications does not itself establish criminal wrongdoing.

Kellen, who worked for Epstein for more than a decade, has increasingly described herself as a victim of Epstein’s abuse. During her testimony, she stated that she was subjected to years of psychological manipulation and exploitation while working within Epstein’s organization. Her appearance before Congress marks a significant development in the ongoing effort to examine the broader network of individuals associated with Epstein and the government’s historical handling of the case.

At this stage, neither Levine nor Fekkai has been charged with a crime related to Kellen’s allegations. The Department of Justice has not publicly announced whether it will open a formal investigation based on the congressional referral. As with all allegations of criminal misconduct, the claims remain unproven unless substantiated through an official investigation and legal process.

The developments represent the latest chapter in the continuing fallout from the Epstein case, which continues to generate new scrutiny of individuals who had personal, social, or professional ties to the financier and convicted sex offender prior to his death in 2019.