Ex-Barclays boss ‘abused girls on visits to Jeffrey Epstein’s island’ | US News
A former Barclays executive has been accused of sexually abusing girls at the late Jeffrey Epstein’s US Virgin Islands retreat.
Jes Staley, CEO of Barclays until November 2021, is said to have ‘used aggressive force’ in his sexual assault. [anonymous victim ‘JPM Jane Doe’] and informed [her] that he had Epstein’s permission to do with her as he pleased.”
Staley, who headed JPMorgan’s private banking division from 2000 to 2009, began working on Epstein’s account in about his first year in the position. Staley developed a close friendship with financier Epstein, according to Monday’s ruling.
Lawsuits against JPMorgan allege Staley knew about Epstein’s sex trade. Lawsuits filed by the US Virgin Islands and an Epstein accuser allege that JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank had knowledge of Epstein’s actions and “knowingly benefited from participating in a sex trafficking project.”
In Monday’s decision, District Court Judge Jed Rakoff said JPMorgan Chase Bank could be held liable to Epstein’s accusers if they prove Staley had firsthand knowledge of Epstein’s illegal operation.
JPMorgan has said that Staley is at fault because of his relationship with Epstein and that the lawsuits are of no merit.
Staley is accused of visiting and spying on young girls at Epstein’s homes. Staley exchanged 1,200 emails with Epstein from 2008 to 2012, including some containing photos of young women in “seductive” positions. The bank manager visited Epstein’s island of Little St. James in the US Virgin Islands.
Epstein’s victims claimed he agreed to bring wealthy clients to JPMorgan in exchange for Staley using his leverage with the lender to shield Epstein and his sex trafficking system.
The US Virgin Islands have accused Staley and Epstein of sending each other sexually suggestive messages about girls. ‘That was fun. Say hello to Snow White,” Staley wrote in an email, according to Rakoff.
A December 2009 email “consisted entirely of a picture of a young woman,” according to the verdict.
Staley’s attorney, Kathleen Harris, declined to comment.
Epstein was arrested for sex trafficking in 2019 and died in his prison cell in August of that year.
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