Goldman Sachs Chief Legal Officer Kathy Ruemmler has resigned, CEO David Solomon said on Thursday, after recent documents by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) showed she accepted gifts from late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein and advised him on how to address media inquiries regarding his crimes.

The departure of Ruemmler, who was among the top executive officers of the Wall Street firm, is the most high-profile banking exit after the release of the latest Epstein documents by the DOJ last month.

The revelations have engulfed a number of big banks, including UBS, which recent documents showed opened accounts for Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2014 just months after JPMorgan Chase decided to end its relationship with the financier.

"As one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, Kathy has also been a mentor and friend to many of our people, and she will be missed," Solomon said in a statement. "I accepted her resignation, and I respect her decision."

Ruemmler told Solomon on Thursday that she would resign, according to a source familiar with the matter. Her resignation will be effective June 30, the source said, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the topic.

Ruemmler, who was also White House counsel during the Obama administration, referred to Epstein in emails as "Uncle Jeffrey" and received gifts from him including wine and a handbag, the documents show.

Epstein also called Ruemmler's cell phone when he was arrested on July 6, 2019, among other calls he made that night, according to two documents that cited notes from law enforcement officials.

Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges in July 2019. He died in his Manhattan jail cell the following month, in what New York City's chief medical examiner called a suicide.

The recent release of files related to Epstein has rattled U.S. politics and triggered turbulence in many European countries.

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(With input from Reuters)