For years, she was nearly invisible. Not in a hidden way, but in the peaceful, everyday sense—working, living, and existing just beyond the headlines. Belarusian dentist Karyna Shuliak, who immigrated to the US in 2009, wasn’t one of the well-known figures connected to social scandals or power circles. Unexpectedly, however, her name now holds a prominent position in one of the most closely examined legal estates in contemporary American history.
Through official documents recently disclosed by the U.S. Department of Justice, it was revealed that Shuliak was not just Jeffrey Epstein’s penultimate girlfriend but also the single largest beneficiary of his 1953 Trust—a fund apparently designed to payout over $330 million. By comparison, Ghislaine Maxwell was expected to collect a fairly modest $10 million.
The documentation, elaborately written and severely redacted in portions, reveals one stunningly detailed entry: Epstein had handed Shuliak a 32.73-carat diamond ring “in contemplation of marriage.” The word seems carefully chosen, as though it were taken directly from a prenuptial agreement written by estate attorneys and filled with emotional ambiguity.
Epstein, who died in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell under circumstances still challenged, left behind assets originally valued at $630 million. The trust claims that in addition to the money, Shuliak was set to acquire some of his most notorious assets, including as his Manhattan townhouse, Paris apartment, Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, and his private islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Karyna Shuliak |
| Nationality | Belarusian |
| Profession | Dentist |
| Moved to U.S. | 2009 |
| Relationship | Longtime partner of Jeffrey Epstein (approx. 8–10 years) |
| Named In | The 1953 Trust and January 2019 Trust documents |
| Reported Bequest | $100 million, properties, and additional assets |
| Notable Detail | Listed as recipient of a 32.73-carat diamond ring “in contemplation of marriage” |
| Source Reference | Business Insider reporting on Department of Justice trust documents (2026) |
For someone who never seemed ready to emerge into the spotlight, Shuliak’s presence in these materials is surprisingly prominent.
In contrast, Celina Dubin, the daughter of Epstein’s ex-girlfriend Eva Andersson Dubin, was listed as the main inheritor in prior trust filings from January 2019. That trust, too, has been supplanted by the 1953 version, which greatly enhanced the magnitude and specificity of bequests. The transformation in allocation was not subtle. Shuliak’s portion alone went from $50 million to a split $100 million package—half paid upfront and half via annuity.
Throughout these texts, Shuliak is referenced with a kind of veiled familiarity. Her name sits amid gifts of 48 loose diamonds, private property titles, and an instruction to create yet another trust for her future operational expenditures. Each line suggests a relationship that expanded much beyond the ordinary, however little specifics regarding the nature of that relationship have ever been disclosed publicly.
In recent months, especially with the emergence of these trust documents, Shuliak has returned to public discussion, not through interviews or criticism but by receipts—literally. Among the DOJ’s provided files is an invoice dated July 2018 showing that she ordered ten luxury bathrobes worth over £2,000 from a small manufacturer in Norfolk, England, shipping them directly to Epstein’s New York estate.
That’s what makes this story feel both wide and granular.
Her last known phone talk with Epstein, made immediately before his death, lasted roughly twenty minutes. It wasn’t recorded. Its contents are unknown. And yet, that final chat has become a moment people return to when attempting to appreciate the magnitude and weight of her effect.
Reading that fact, I felt a little unease—the type you have when something extremely personal becomes a public footnote.
To be clear, nothing in these materials accuses Shuliak of misconduct. Her inclusion in the trust does not prove complicity, merely closeness. Despite being embroiled in litigation and settlements, the Epstein estate has already compensated victims with more than $125 million. More will certainly follow before any trust beneficiary—including Shuliak—sees a dime.
Even still, the amount of her planned inheritance says loudly. It shows a level of trust, or dependence, or possibly legacy-crafting, that Epstein reserved for no one else.
Through clever estate planning, he positioned her to inherit more than any of his lawyers, associates, or longtime staff. The fact that these assets remain blocked under legal scrutiny hasn’t weakened the symbolic impact of her presence.
There’s also a human tension here—between what was planned and what might actually occur. As of late 2025, the Epstein estate had reportedly fallen to roughly $127 million after taxes, settlements, and administrative expenditures. What left is significantly smaller than originally promised. Whether Shuliak will receive even a portion of what was outlined is still questionable.
Silence can be both a burden and a shelter in the face of public scrutiny.
Shuliak has not attempted to steer the story, in contrast to many others who have been dragged into Epstein’s orbit. She’s given no interviews, issued no comments, and engaged no PR to soften the edges. Whether this is a purposeful plan or a result of temperament is anyone’s guess.
Through this stillness, she remains a puzzle—named in court files but mostly unknown in personality. Not unexpectedly, this has made her the target of online conjecture, some of it ludicrous. However, the most of the cacophony misses the mark.
What these documents reveal isn’t just about riches or legality—it’s about how a person may become part of a story that goes far beyond them.
They emphasize the extent of an estate that continues to expand long after its originator’s death, and they offer a view into how final decisions, quickly scribbled in margins or lawyered into trust terms, nonetheless bear significant ramifications for those left behind.
In the next months, emphasis may move toward whether the trust provisions are fulfilled, renegotiated, or altogether annulled. However, Shuliak’s name is still displayed in bold under the heading “largest beneficiary” for the time being.
The designation carries a lot of weight.
And in a narrative where nearly no detail has gone ignored, hers may eventually be the most softly persistent presence of them.
