Missouri Pastor Suspended After Epstein Employment Links Surface
A female pastor in Missouri has been suspended from her duties after her professional ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were brought to light. Reverend Stephanie L. Remington was placed on a 90-day administrative leave last Thursday by Bishop Robert Farr of the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Epstein Employment Details Revealed
Remington worked as Epstein's administrative assistant and property manager on his private Caribbean island, Little Saint James, from August 2018 until May 2019. This employment period concluded just months before Epstein's death while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Her name appears in approximately 1,800 Epstein-related documents released by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
"I knew him for the last nine months of his life, well after he served time for the things that he was accused of doing," Remington told UM News. She maintained that her relationship with Epstein was strictly professional, describing him simply as her boss during that period.
Biblical Comparisons and Justifications
In her defense, Remington drew parallels between her association with Epstein and biblical narratives involving Jesus Christ. "Jesus got into a lot of trouble for the company he kept, but he didn't let that trouble pressure him into rejecting the people who, by their standards, did not deserve to be human," she stated.
Remington further elaborated: "Social death is just another kind of murder. He opened his heart and his mind to them, and they opened their tables and alabaster jars to him. Is Jeffrey not among their kind?" While acknowledging Epstein's criminal past, she appeared to advocate for grace and second chances, though she conceded Epstein "didn't deserve" such consideration.
Email Correspondence Details
Released emails from the Epstein files reveal the nature of Remington's professional interactions:
- In February 2019, Epstein directed her regarding property maintenance: "self closing hindges [sic], kitchen doo[r]s. chillax bath toilet and door. all entry doors. thx." To which she replied: "Will do."
- Epstein's accountant Richard Kahn inquired about construction updates: "Is our crew doing this work? Are we doing all sides of tunnel and not just roof?"
- Epstein arranged travel for Remington to visit her ill father, with his pilot Larry Visoski copying her passport card and expressing sympathy: "Sorry to hear about your father."
- Epstein showed consideration when Remington shared her father's cancer diagnosis, coordinating flight plans for her family visit.
Church Investigation and Past Ministry
The Missouri Conference initiated suspension proceedings after learning of Remington's past employment with Epstein last week. Church officials stated they would provide no further comments while their review process continues. Remington claimed she had previously disclosed her Epstein employment to her district superintendent via Zoom and filed a report last year.
In annual paperwork, Remington listed performing extension ministry through the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary during her Epstein employment period and as recently as 2025. However, an initial review found she had not actually worked for the seminary throughout all those years, serving only as a part-time contractor in 2017 and 2018.
Remington previously held positions at the First United Methodist Church in North Kansas City and the Summit United Methodist Church in Lee's Summit. She emphasized her commitment to addressing sexual misconduct, noting she had helped develop church training curriculum on sexual boundaries earlier in her career.
Epstein's Notoriety and Remington's Perspective
Remington suggested Epstein's story gained prominence due to his connections with global elites and political figures. "The world is full of so much hate," she remarked. "There are many powerful men who have done despicable things with their privilege. They come and go in the news."
She added that Epstein was "very proud to have direct lines to all his presidents" and reflected on broader implications: "If association with sinners makes one guilty, then the church is in an awful state. I have heard the confessions of the people in my pews. I know their stories. We're just people. The human kind."
Remington left her position with Epstein in May 2019 to care for her ailing father. Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, charged with trafficking and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. He was found dead in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, with his death officially ruled a suicide.
No criminal allegations have been made against Remington in connection with Epstein's activities. The United Methodist Church's investigation into her conduct and associations continues during her 90-day suspension period.
