JPMorgan sues former exec over ties to Epstein sex abuse
JPMorgan Chase sued its former executive Jes Staley on Wednesday, alleging that he aided in hiding Jeffrey Epstein바카라 게임 웹사이트s yearslong sex abuse and trafficking in order to keep the financier as a client.
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The New York bank seeks to hold Staley personally liable for any financial penalties that JPMorgan may have to pay in two related cases. It is also seeking to force Staley to pay back wages he earned during the time he allegedly was aware of the abuse and 바카라 게임 웹사이트personally observed바카라 게임 웹사이트 Epstein's behavior on multiple occasions.
바카라 게임 웹사이트In light of Staley바카라 게임 웹사이트s intentional and outrageous conduct in failing to disclose pertinent information and abandoning (JPMorgan바카라 게임 웹사이트s) interests in favor of his own and Epstein바카라 게임 웹사이트s personal interests, (the bank) is entitled to punitive damages,바카라 게임 웹사이트 the bank said in its lawsuit.
A lawyer for Staley had no comment on the lawsuit.
JPMorgan's lawsuit was filed after the bank was sued by the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who was allegedly abused by Epstein. Those lawsuits claim JPMorgan should have seen evidence of Epstein's sex trafficking and knowingly benefited from it.
Previous lawsuits have shown Staley and Epstein exchanged hundreds of emails and text messages over the years, and they were seen to have a close relationship that went beyond the professional relationship a banker would have with a wealthy client.
The bank continues to deny the allegations in its lawsuit, however it appears to allege that Staley may have committed sexual assault. It notes in its lawsuit that the anonymous Doe described a 바카라 게임 웹사이트powerful financial executive바카라 게임 웹사이트 could 바카라 게임 웹사이트use his clout within JP Morgan to make Epstein untouchable.바카라 게임 웹사이트 The bank says that the financial executive was Staley.
Epstein was accusing him of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them at his homes in Florida and New York. He was found dead in jail on Aug. 10 of that year, at age 66. A medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Staley left JPMorgan in 2013 to become CEO of London-based bank Barclays. He resigned last year following a report by British regulators into his past links with Epstein.
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AP Business Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report from San Francisco.