NEW YORK, Dec 31 (Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and Deutsche Financial institution AG (DBKGn.DE) requested a U.S. choose to dismiss lawsuits by girls who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, and mentioned the banks enabled and ignored crimson flags in regards to the late financier’s intercourse trafficking.
The banks in papers filed on Friday night time in Manhattan federal courtroom mentioned they didn’t take part in or profit from intercourse trafficking by their former shopper and that the unnamed girls did not allege violations of a federal anti-trafficking regulation.
The banks additionally mentioned they’d no obligation to guard the ladies from Epstein and didn’t trigger his abuses, requiring the dismissal of claims below a brand new regulation in New York that lets abuse victims sue even when statutes of limitations have expired.
“Jane Doe 1 is a survivor of Epstein’s sexual abuse, and he or she is entitled to justice,” however filed meritless claims towards the “incorrect get together,” JPMorgan mentioned in its submitting.
A lawyer for the ladies says the information, as described of their complaints, converse for themselves.
“We’re disillusioned within the banks’ persevering with effort to keep away from taking accountability for his or her function within the growth and perpetuation of Jeffrey Epstein’s intercourse trafficking ring,” David Boies, the lawyer, mentioned in a press release to Reuters.
Each lawsuits search class-action standing and unspecified damages. They have been filed on Nov. 24 by legal professionals who’ve represented many Epstein accusers.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking expenses.
Epstein was a JPMorgan shopper from about 2000 to 2013, and a Deutsche Financial institution shopper from 2013 to 2018, courtroom papers present.
The JPMorgan plaintiff is a former ballet dancer who mentioned Epstein abused and trafficked her from 2006 to 2013, whereas the Deutsche Financial institution plaintiff mentioned she suffered from related misconduct between 2003 and 2018.
Each mentioned quite a few money funds from the banks have been used to pay Epstein’s victims.
New York state’s monetary regulator in July 2020 fined Deutsche Financial institution $150 million over its relationship with Epstein.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the place Epstein had a house, sued JPMorgan, saying the financial institution turned a “blind eye” to his trafficking whereas offering banking providers.
The instances are Jane Doe 1 v Deutsche Financial institution AG et al, U.S. District Court docket, Southern District of New York, No. 22-10018, and Jane Doe 1 v JPMorgan Chase & Co in the identical courtroom, No. 22-10019.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Modifying by Mark Porter
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