Emails exchanged between JPMorgan & Chase Co. executive Jes Staley and Jeffrey Epstein fail to show that minors were victimized or that “force, fraud or coercion” were used against women, the bank said in court filing asking a judge to dismiss a U.S. Virgin Islands lawsuit.
JPMorgan said in a Wednesday filing in Manhattan federal court that those were necessary elements of the crime of sex-trafficking, which the USVI claims the bank is liable for facilitating by ignoring red flags and providing banking services to Epstein. Some of the late financier’s abuse allegedly took place at his private island estate in the territory.
The USVI last week unsealed contents of emails between Staley, then head of private banking at JPMorgan, and Epstein in which they appeared to be discussing young women. According to the USVI, they show Staley knew Epstein was engaged in sexual misconduct and JPMorgan therefore knew as well.
