Rev. Stephanie L. Remington, a pastor in Missouri, was placed on temporary suspension last week after the Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church discovered she had worked for and managed Jeffrey Epstein's private island nearly a year before the disgraced financier's arrest.
Bishop Robert Farr of the Missouri Conference suspended Remington on Thursday, pending a review by the episcopal office. According to United Methodist News, Remington worked as Epstein's administrative assistant and temporary property manager of his private island, Little Saint James, from August 2018 to May 2019. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 for sex trafficking crimes and died in his cell in August 2019.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative religious leaders have emphasized the importance of transparency and honesty in clergy credentials. Some have questioned how Remington's employment with Epstein went undisclosed for years and whether the church's review process should have caught this earlier.
The Missouri Conference noted that Remington claimed in annual paperwork to have performed extension ministry through the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary during the time she worked for Epstein. However, the review found she was only appointed as a part-time contractor in 2017 and 2018, not for all the years she claimed.
Church leaders stated: 'Clergy are called to uphold the highest standards of spiritual and moral leadership. Concerns of this nature are taken seriously and require careful review.' The conference emphasized that Remington's reported ties to Epstein were not disclosed in any official paperwork submitted to the conference.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive clergy and advocates have emphasized the importance of accountability for anyone associated with Epstein, regardless of their role. Survivors' rights groups have long maintained that any connection to Epstein's operations deserves scrutiny, arguing that the enabling environment surrounding Epstein involved multiple individuals.
Remington told United Methodist News that she never witnessed any abuse on the island and was unaware of illegal activity. 'I never saw anything,' she said. '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.' She noted she knew Epstein was a registered sex offender who had served 18 months for a prior conviction when she accepted the job.
The Missouri Conference acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations, stating: 'We recognize the deep harm connected to Mr. Epstein's crimes and remain in prayer for survivors who deserve healing and justice.'
What the Numbers Show
Remington's name appears in approximately 1,800 documents in the Epstein files on the Department of Justice website, according to United Methodist News. Many of these documents contain emails discussing her day-to-day work operations.
The suspension is temporary, lasting 90 days. At this time, Remington has not been accused of any crime.
Before working for Epstein, Remington served as a pastor or associate pastor at several churches across Missouri from 2001 to approximately 2018, including the First United Methodist Church in North Kansas City and Summit United Methodist Church in Lee's Summit.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 on charges of soliciting prostitution, serving 13 months in county jail with work release. He was arrested again in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges.
The Bottom Line
The Missouri Conference's investigation into Rev. Stephanie Remington remains ongoing. Church leaders are examining both her association with Epstein and the accuracy of her reported employment with Wesley Theological Seminary.
The 90-day suspension allows time for a full review of the circumstances. Remington maintains she witnessed no illegal activity during her employment with Epstein, though she acknowledged knowing his status as a registered sex offender when she took the job.
The case highlights questions about clergy disclosure requirements and the verification processes religious institutions use when reviewing ministerial credentials. The Missouri Conference has stated it had no prior knowledge of Remington's association with Epstein.