Could 25 (Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) on Thursday unveiled new accusations that the U.S. Virgin Islands was complicit in Jeffrey Epstein’s intercourse crimes, together with {that a} former first woman for the territory sought pupil visas for among the disgraced financier’s victims.
The most important U.S. financial institution additionally singled out Governor Albert Bryan as being amongst authorities officers who maintained “shut ties” with Epstein, saying that in 2018 he organized donations from Epstein to varsities and little leagues.
JPMorgan made the accusations in a submitting in Manhattan federal courtroom, the place the U.S. Virgin Islands needs the financial institution held liable in a civil lawsuit for conserving Epstein as a consumer from 1998 to 2013, the final 5 years after he pleaded responsible to prostitution.
The New York-based financial institution has countered that the territory had “unclean palms” for safeguarding Epstein, who died in 2019, and awarding him hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in tax breaks in alternate for his “cash, recommendation, affect, and favors.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Virgin Islands’ legal professional normal’s workplace referred to as the brand new accusations “an apparent try and shift blame,” repeating an earlier assertion. Bryan’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Thursday’s submitting was partially redacted, however had fewer redactions than a model filed on Tuesday.
JPMorgan additionally faces a proposed class motion by girls who say Epstein sexually abused them, and that the financial institution ought to have reduce ties with him sooner.
Epstein, 66, died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial for intercourse trafficking.
Town’s medical expert referred to as Epstein’s demise a suicide. Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is interesting her conviction and 20-year jail sentence for aiding in his sexual abuses.
‘WILL IT WORK FOR YOU?’
A lot of JPMorgan’s new accusations concern Cecile de Jongh, whose husband, John de Jongh, was governor from 2007 to 2015.
The financial institution referred to as the previous first woman Epstein’s “main conduit for spreading cash and affect all through the USVI authorities,” and “a prepared accomplice” in his need to use younger girls.
E-mail requests for remark from Cecile and John de Jongh weren’t instantly acknowledged. Neither is a celebration to the litigation.
The financial institution mentioned de Jongh as soon as organized for Epstein to satisfy a neighborhood immigration lawyer to assist one lady get hold of a visa, and requested a neighborhood college whether or not three girls might enroll there to acquire pupil visas.
JPMorgan additionally mentioned de Jongh managed Epstein’s native corporations all through her husband’s governorship, with Epstein paying their youngsters’s tuition, and labored with Epstein in 2011 when the U.S. Virgin Islands was drafting new intercourse offender legal guidelines.
“That is the instructed language; will it give you the results you want?” de Jongh requested Epstein in a Could 2011 e mail, in keeping with JPMorgan.
The financial institution’s chief govt, Jamie Dimon, who is just not a defendant, is predicted to testify underneath oath in a deposition on Friday. Bryan faces a June 6 deposition.
JPMorgan is individually suing Jes Staley, a former Epstein pal who as soon as led its asset administration enterprise, to have him cowl losses it might incur within the different two lawsuits.
The case is Authorities of the U.S. Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Financial institution NA, U.S. District Court docket, Southern District of New York, No. 22-10904.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in Chicago
Enhancing by Matthew Lewis
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