Report says Terakeet worked to soften Ruemmler Epstein ties online

In short: A report says Terakeet tried to make online searches about Kathryn Ruemmler focus less on her ties to Jeffrey Epstein, but newly released government records brought those ties back into public view.

What happened

Kathryn (Kathy) Ruemmler is a high-profile lawyer who served as White House counsel under President Barack Obama and later became Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer. She has announced she will resign from Goldman Sachs effective June 30, 2026, after new attention to her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The New York Times reports that Terakeet, a reputation management firm, worked to downplay Ruemmler’s connection to Epstein online. Reputation management often means trying to influence what shows up first on Google when people search a person’s name (like stocking the top shelf with positive stories so older, negative stories are harder to find).

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice has been releasing batches of “Epstein files” under pressure from Congress. The documents described in recent reporting include emails and law-enforcement notes that suggest Ruemmler’s relationship with Epstein was friendly and long-running, not just a typical lawyer and client relationship. The reporting also describes gifts and affectionate language in messages, and says Epstein contacted her around the time of his 2019 arrest.

Why it matters

This story shows how hard it can be to control public information once official records become public and are widely reported. It also highlights how search results can be shaped by paid efforts, which matters because many people rely on a quick Google search to form an opinion about someone.

Source: NYTimes