JMorgan Chase and the victims of Jeffrey Epstein who recently sued the investment bank over its relationship with the disgraced financier have reached a settlement in one of two major lawsuits filed against the bank. The lawsuits allege that through its financial relationship with the billionaire it facilitated his crimes against the women and advanced his sex-trafficking operations. According to sources familiar with the matter, JPMorgan has agreed to pay the victims $290 million.
Filed in November of last year by a woman under a Jane Doe identity, the case alleges the victim was sexually assaulted by Epstein and that Epstein paid her and other victims using money he had stored and transferred with the help of JPMorgan. The suit had sought class action status to include hundreds of Epstein’s alleged victims.
The terms reached in the settlement were not released, and the deal is still pending the approval of a judge. The bank noted in a statement that the parties had informed the court of the settlement agreement.
A bank spokesman said, “We all now understand that Epstein’s behavior was monstrous, and we believe this settlement is in the best interest of all parties, especially the survivors, who suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of this man.”
Counsel for the victims, Lawyer David Boies said, “Taken together or individually, the historic recoveries from the banks who provided financial services to Jeffrey Epstein, speak for themselves. It has taken a long time, too long, but today is a great day for Jeffrey Epstein survivors, and a great day for justice.”
He went on to note “the bank has asked us not to reveal the number” of victims which the settlement will cover “at this time and that pending further discussions we are going to respect that request.”
The government of the Virgin Islands is still suing JPMorgan, also claiming the bank facilitated his sex trafficking.
Meanwhile the bank is suing former bank executive Jes Staley who became acquainted with Epstein while running the bank’s asset-management unit. JPMorgan alleges Staley deceived the bank’s executives about Staley. Staley denies the allegations through his lawyers and claims he never knew about any crimes allegedly committed by Epstein.
Last month Deutsche Bank paid out $75 million in a settlement with Epstein’s victims last month. The bank had taken Epstein on as a client in 2013 after JPMorgan severed its relationship with him.
The announcement of the settlement comes roughly two weeks after testimony by JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, who claimed repeatedly he had never met Epstein or conversed with him. He also claimed he had no recollection of ever being told anything about him by any of the bank’s executives.
On Friday, lawyers for the plaintiffs asked the presiding judge to allow a follow up deposition of Dimon, following the discovery of a late-produced email which they described as, “one of the most relevant and responsive documents produced to date.”
On Monday, a bank spokesman said of Epstein, “any association with him was a mistake and we regret it. We would never have continued to do business with him if we believed he was using our bank in any way to help commit heinous crimes.”