NEW YORK, Feb 22 (Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) on Wednesday mentioned it shouldn’t be held accountable for a former high govt’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a lawsuit accusing the most important U.S. financial institution of facilitating its former shopper’s intercourse trafficking enterprise.
In a submitting in Manhattan federal courtroom, JPMorgan mentioned emails between former govt Jes Staley and Epstein supplied no foundation for the U.S. Virgin Islands, which filed the lawsuit, to recommend Staley might “detect Epstein’s intercourse trafficking.”
The financial institution additionally mentioned there was no proof Staley’s private journey to the islands or alleged inappropriate emails had been a part of his job, and that even assuming Staley helped “direct” Epstein’s intercourse trafficking “his conduct could be far past his remit as a JPMC worker.”
In searching for the dismissal of the “misdirected and poor” lawsuit, JPMorgan mentioned there was no clarification for the way it might need identified about and benefited from Epstein’s misconduct by having him as a shopper from 2000 to 2013.
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Legal professionals for the U.S. Virgin Islands didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Staley shouldn’t be a defendant.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking prices.
JPMorgan’s dismissal movement got here one week after a courtroom submitting mentioned Staley and Epstein had exchanged about 1,200 emails between 2008 and 2012, together with some about younger ladies that contained sexual content material.
Epstein had pleaded responsible in 2008 to a Florida state prostitution cost.
Staley, a former JPMorgan personal banking chief, has acknowledged having a friendship with Epstein however denied understanding about his alleged crimes.
After leaving JPMorgan, Staley grew to become chief govt of Barclays Plc (BARC.L) however resigned in November 2021 amid a dispute with British monetary regulators inspecting his ties to Epstein.
The U.S. Virgin Islands sued JPMorgan for unspecified damages in December 2022, saying the financial institution ought to have identified about Epstein’s misconduct on a personal island he owned there.
Epstein’s victims are additionally suing JPMorgan and Deutsche Financial institution AG (DBKGn.DE), the place Epstein was a shopper from 2013 to 2018. Each banks are searching for dismissals.
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 New York; Enhancing by Tom Hogue
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