(New York) The American bank JPMorgan Chase, prosecuted for its links with the deceased financier accused of sex crimes against minors Jeffrey Epstein, has itself filed a complaint against one of its former executives, Jes Staley, believing that he bears all the responsibilities in this matter.
A woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, and the government of the US Virgin Islands attacked the establishment at the end of 2022, accusing it of having facilitated the actions of Jeffrey Epstein by allowing him to finance his activities.
The plaintiffs claim JPMorgan knew Jeffrey Epstein was breaking the law. They accuse in particular Jes Staley, 66, of having protected him and of having ensured that he could pay his victims.
In court documents filed in a New York court on Wednesday, JPMorgan denies those charges — the bank has already asked that the claims against it be dismissed.
But if the bank were to be ordered to pay compensation, Jes Staley should be responsible, says the establishment.
JPMorgan also accuses Jes Staley, an employee between 1979 and 2013, of having breached his fiduciary duties, in particular by not reporting certain facts that could damage “his finances or his reputation”.
PHOTO VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jeffrey Epstein
“To the extent that Staley was aware of, participated in, or witnessed Epstein’s sexual abuse, and failed to report it to JPMorgan, actively conceal it, or false statements to JPMorgan, [c’est] Staley, not JPMorgan, [qui] is responsible for the harm that Epstein may have caused “to the complainant, is it written in the complaint.
After leaving JPMorgan, Jes Staley worked for investment firm Blue Mountain Capital Management before being appointed head of British bank Barclays in 2015.
Under investigation for his links with Jeffrey Epstein, Jes Staley left this post at the end of 2021.
Contacted by AFP, a lawyer for Jes Staley declined to comment on Thursday.
Case judge Jed Rakoff also ordered JPMorgan on Thursday to turn over more documents directly related to the company’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, to officials in the US Virgin Islands.
The latter, who claim that Jamie Dimon was personally involved in certain decisions around Jeffrey Epstein, had asked that the bank provide documents up to 2019, and not the end of 2014 as proposed by JPMorgan.
Without providing explanations, the judge acceded to their request.
Jeffrey Epstein was sentenced to 13 months in prison in 2008 for leading young girls into prostitution in Florida, according to a secret agreement with a prosecutor allowing him to escape federal prosecution.
Charged and arrested in 2019 for having organized, for several years, a network made up of dozens of young girls under his influence and with whom he had sexual relations in his numerous properties, he committed suicide in prison a few weeks later, before to be judged.
