NEW YORK, March 8 (Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) has sued Jes Staley, its former personal banking head and later Barclays Plc's (BARC.L) chief govt, accusing him of entangling it with intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, and saying Staley himself had been accused of sexual assault.
The biggest U.S. financial institution filed two complaints on Wednesday night time in Manhattan federal court docket, the place additionally it is defending in opposition to lawsuits by the U.S. Virgin Islands and a unnamed lady, Jane Doe 1, who say JPMorgan aided in Epstein's intercourse trafficking by conserving him as a consumer.
JPMorgan mentioned Staley ought to cowl some or all damages if it had been discovered liable, and pay punitive damages for his “intentional and outrageous conduct” in concealing details about Epstein and placing his personal and Epstein's pursuits above the financial institution's.
The Wall Road financial institution additionally desires Staley to repay all compensation from 2006 to 2013. Based mostly on trade requirements, that quantity might whole tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.
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Staley just isn't a defendant within the Doe or U.S. Virgin Islands lawsuits.
A lawyer for Staley didn't instantly reply to a request for remark after enterprise hours. Different media mentioned a lawyer for Staley declined to remark.
Staley has acknowledged having been pleasant with Epstein, however expressed remorse for his or her relationship and denied figuring out in regards to the financier's alleged crimes.
JPMorgan's lawsuits try to shift blame to Staley, as soon as thought-about a potential successor to Chief Government Jamie Dimon, for allegedly serving to shepherd the financial institution's relationship with Epstein, a consumer from 2000 to 2013, and injury its popularity.
‘AGGRESSIVE FORCE'
The complaints reference varied claims within the earlier lawsuits, which JPMorgan has sought to dismiss.
These included Staley's having allegedly “personally noticed Doe as a intercourse trafficking and abuse sufferer,” and content material from an estimated 1,200 emails that Staley and Epstein exchanged between 2008 and 2012, together with some about younger girls that contained sexual content material.
JPMorgan additionally referred to Doe's accusation that “one in all Epstein's mates used aggressive pressure in his sexual assault of her and knowledgeable Jane Doe 1 that he had Epstein's permission to do what he wished to her.
“Upon info and perception, Staley is that this particular person, who she described as a ‘highly effective monetary govt' she had traditionally been afraid to determine,” the financial institution mentioned in its complaints.
Attorneys for Doe didn't instantly reply to requests for remark after enterprise hours.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking fees.
Staley resigned as Barclays' chief govt in November 2021 amid a dispute with British monetary regulators analyzing his ties to Epstein.
Epstein's victims are additionally suing Deutsche Financial institution AG (DBKGn.DE), the place Epstein was a consumer from 2013 to 2018. Deutsche Financial institution is looking for a dismissal.
The instances are JPMorgan Chase Financial institution NA v Staley, U.S. District Court docket, Southern District of New York, No. 22-10019 and 22-10904.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Modifying by Sam Holmes
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