JPMorgan seeks files from Manhattan DA in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuits
According to federal court filings, JPMorgan Chase is seeking documents from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in lawsuits against the bank over its relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a former client.
Attorneys for Bragg, JPMorgan Chase; a former executive, Jes Staley; and plaintiffs in the cases participated in a conference call Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. Rakoff instructed Bragg’s office to provide a so-called privilege record of the documents wanted by the Wall Street giant by Friday. This is a list of documents that Bragg’s office claims are privileged and cannot be discovered.
A spokesman for Bragg said: “A protective order is in place, so we cannot comment on the nature of the documents requested.”
JPMorgan Chase did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The bank is facing two lawsuits filed last year by the US Virgin Islands and a woman identified as “Jane Doe 1” alleging she supported Epstein’s sex trafficking venture.
“JPMorgan knowingly, negligently and unlawfully provided and operated the levers used to pay recruiters and victims and was essential to the operation and concealment of the Epstein trading company,” the US Virgin Islands alleged in its complaint.
Both lawsuits seek monetary damages. JPMorgan Chase has denied liability.
Deutsche Bank on Wednesday agreed to pay $75 million to Epstein victims to settle a lawsuit alleging it facilitated Epstein’s behavior.
JPMorgan Chase sued Staley in March, alleging that he should be held liable for any damages he may suffer from the lawsuits. It alleges Staley – who worked at the bank for more than 30 years – to have known about Epstein’s behavior and to have engaged in “Epstein-brokered sexual activity with young women”.
Staley moved to have the lawsuit dismissed, saying the bank was using him as a “public relations shield.” However, he has expressed regret over his relationship with Epstein.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is set to be fired this month as part of the lawsuits.
in one Bloomberg television interview Last week, Dimon said he was “so sad that we even had a relationship with this man.”
“You know, we had top lawyers doing the assessment [U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission] enforcement that [Justice Department]”You know, and obviously if we knew then what we know now, we would have done things differently,” Dimon said. “But it’s very unfortunate and I have a lot of respect for these women.
“It does not mean that we are liable for the actions of any individual,” he added, “but I have great respect for them. My heart goes out to them.”
On Thursday night, a JPMorgan spokesman told NBC News, “Jamie Dimon has never met, communicated with, emailed, or dealt with Epstein.”
In court documents, the US Virgin Islands have claimed that the company’s “banking relationship” was known at “the highest level of the bank.” An internal email from August 2008 stated: “I would rate Epstein’s assets as a likely outflow for 2008 ($120 million or so?) as I don’t see it staying that way (until Dimon -Review).”
Additional internal emails and memos archived as evidence also showed that bank executives were concerned about the financial institution’s relationship with Epstein since 2006.
Financial records show that Epstein transferred approximately $3 million to “women and girls” through his JPMorgan Chase accounts from 2003 to 2013, according to filings submitted by plaintiffs in evidence.
The financial records do not include the names of those who received the transfers or their ties to Epstein.
Court documents show that Epstein withdrew a little over $5 million in cash during that time, typically $40,000.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., member of the Banking, Housing and City Affairs Committee, said, asked Dimon in a letter last week why the bank ignored “obvious signs of Epstein’s illegal activities” and maintained a relationship with Epstein.
“If true, JPMorgan’s decision to turn a blind eye to such egregious wrongdoing raises serious questions about its role in facilitating Epstein’s abuse, as well as its willingness or ability to root out and prevent other, less obvious, sex trafficking cases.” , she said.
