A federation of New York judgment on Monday ruled that US Virgin Islands And women late investor accuser Jeffrey Epstein belong to sexual abuse may bring lawsuits claiming that JPMorgan Chase knowingly benefited from participating in Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme.
In addition, jjudge allow portions of a separate, similar lawsuit filed against Epstein by Epstein’s accusers Deutsche Bankincluding a claim that the bank also knowingly benefits.
The four-page ruling by Manhattan District Judge Jed Rakoff came in response to petitions from JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank to dismiss the three lawsuits.
While Rakoff agreed to dismiss multiple charges in each case, he allowed the other explosives charges to remain unchanged and proceed to trial. The judge wrote that he would issue an opinion explaining the reasons for his decisions “within due time.”
Epstein, who committed suicide in a Manhattan prison in 2019 while awaiting federal criminal trial child sex trafficking fees, was a customer of JPMorgan from 1998 to 2013.
The final five years of that relationship came after he pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting an underage prostitute. At Thursday’s trial before Rakoff, a Virgin Islands lawyer said the JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon “in 2008 knew that his billionaire client was a sex trafficking,” a claim in dispute by an attorney for the bank.
Deutsche Bank accepted Epstein as a client in 2013 and kept him as a client even after employees reported 40 underage girls made sexual assault claims against him. The bank paid New York bankers a $150 million fine for dealing with him.
Brad Edwards, an attorney for Edwards Pottinger who represents Epstein’s abusers, called the rulings Monday “a monumental victory for the hundreds of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme and sexual abuse survivors in general, all of whom can have greater peace of mind knowing that there is no personal any person or organization that stands above accountability.”
“Epstein’s sex trade would not have been possible without the support of JPMorgan Chase, and then Deutsche Bank,” Edwards said. “And we assure the public that we will leave no obstacle in our quest to find justice for the many victims who deserve better from one of America’s largest financial institutions. “
In the lawsuit against JPMorgan brought by a woman suing on behalf of other Epstein victims, Rakoff asserted that the bank “knowingly benefited from participation in a sex-trafficking venture” run by its clients. is Epstein at the helm.
The judge also said accusers could pursue charges that JPMorgan “neglected to take reasonable care to prevent physical harm”, that the bank failed to comply with reasonable care in providing occasional banking services to Epstein and the bank impeded trafficking enforcement of the Victims Protection Act.
Rakoff maintains similar claims in the whistleblower’s own lawsuit against Deutsche Bank.
In the Virgin Islands case, the judge upheld the government’s claim that JPMorgan benefited from Epstein’s involvement in sex trafficking, including transporting women to his private island in the territory. USA.
The judge dismissed all other claims in the Virgin Islands cases and those of the accusers.
In a statement, Acting US Virgin Islands Attorney General Carol Thomas-Jacobs said: “We are pleased that the US Virgin Islands will continue to work with survivors to force JPMorgan Chase to suffer. responsible for facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s cruel sex-trafficking venture.”
“This is critically important to ensure that financial institutions do their job, with real-time, detailed information available to them, as a first line of defense in identifying and report potential human trafficking, as the law expects,” said Thomas-Jacobs.
“We look forward to uncovering more facts regarding the depth and scope of JPMorgan’s conduct as we explore and ultimately prove our case in court.”
Spokespersons for JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank declined to comment on the ruling.
JPMorgan two weeks ago sued Jes Staley, their former investment banker, alleging that he was liable for banking lawsuits involving Epstein. The bank seeks to recover more than $80 million it paid to Staley, who resigned as Barclays CEO at the end of 2021 following an investigation by UK financial regulators into his ties with Epstein.
Epstein has spent many years hanging out with famous friends, including former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
– With additional CNBC reporting Eamon Jmalevolence
