JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon to be deposed in Epstein lawsuit
Zachary Halaschak
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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon will be deposed to answer questions as part of lawsuits centered on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Dimon, who has led JPMorgan for years, will give a sworn deposition that will be closed to the media in May after a judge ruled the lawsuits can proceed, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday afternoon. Lawyers from the bank had unsuccessfully pushed to prevent the deposition.
EPSTEIN AND TOP BANKER TRADED THOUSANDS OF EMAILS AND PHOTOS OF YOUNG WOMEN
The lawsuits, brought forward by an Epstein accuser and the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, claim JPMorgan allowed Epstein to be a client despite internal warnings. Epstein, who was found hanged in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting sex trafficking charges, banked with JPMorgan from 1998 to 2013.
The lawsuits contend that the financial services giant benefited from the relationship with Epstein and his alleged human trafficking. The Washington Examiner asked a spokeswoman for JPMorgan about the deposition but didn’t receive a response. In the past, the firm has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
Presiding Judge Jed Rakoff has denied in part JPMorgan’s request to dismiss the pair of lawsuits, allowing the cases to proceed. One of the lawsuits alleges that JPMorgan “knowingly facilitated, sustained, and concealed the human trafficking network” Epstein operated.
JPMorgan is countersuing Jes Staley, one of the firm’s former executives, for any damages.
Staley was CEO of Barclays until he resigned while under pressure from British regulators about his relationship with Epstein. Prior to that, he was a top executive at JPMorgan, which overlaps with the time he had an allegedly close relationship with Epstein.
JPMorgan alleges that Staley was complicit in Epstein’s crimes and that he didn’t report them “despite having a fiduciary duty” to do so.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
As part of the legal proceedings, it was shown that Epstein and Staley emailed each other hundreds of times, even after Epstein was placed under home confinement in 2009 for soliciting a minor for prostitution. In that case, the lawsuit alleges that Staley was presumably relaxing at Epstein’s private island known as “Little St. James” while Epstein was confined to his home in Florida.
“So when all hell breaks [loose], and the world is crumbling, I will come here, and be at peace. Presently, I’m in the hot tub with a glass of white wine. This is an amazing place. Truly amazing. Next time, we’re here together. I owe you much. And I deeply appreciate our friendship. I have few so profound,” Staley wrote, according to the Financial Times.