This week, the U.S. Virgin Islands issued subpoenas to some of the wealthiest men in the country in relation to a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase & Co. over its relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Billionaires Sergey Brin, Thomas Pritzker, Mortimer Zuckerman, and Michael Ovitz were given subpoenas seeking any communications or documents related to the bank and Epstein. The Wall Street Journal reported:
The four men are some of the wealthiest people in the U.S., and it couldn’t be determined why they were being asked for the communications and documents. In civil cases, lawyers can use subpoenas during the discovery process to get information from people who aren’t a party to a lawsuit but could provide evidence related to the case.
Last year, the U.S. Virgin Islands sued JPMorgan in a Manhattan federal court, alleging the bank played a role in facilitating Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes. Allegations state the bank allowed Epstein to remain a client in the face of these abuses and even helped him send money to his victims. The lawsuit says that JPMorgan ignored Epstein’s crimes due to his client status and the referrals the bank received for high-value business opportunities.
The men who were issued subpoenas are some of the most influential people in the world. Brin is the co-founder of Google, and a board member of Alpahbet Inc. Pritzker, the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corp. Zuckerman, a real estate mogul and owner of U.S. News & World Report. Ovitz is a venture capitalist and former Hollywood agent.
Furthermore, Jamie Dimon is expected to be deposed under oath regarding the bank’s relationship with Epstein. Epstein banked with JPMorgan for 15 years until it cut ties with him in 2013. During a March hearing, U.S. Virgin Islands attorney Mimi Liu argued, “Jamie Dimon knew in 2008 that his billionaire client was a sex trafficker.” CNBC reported:
Lawyers have questioned several JPMorgan employees so far in this case and another filed by an unnamed woman who accused Epstein of sexual abuse. The cases are running together in Manhattan federal court.
JPMorgan has sought to have the lawsuits dismissed. The bank has denied that it aided Epstein and has sought to blame any relationship on former executive Jes Staley, whom the bank has sued. Mr. Staley has maintained he was friendly with Epstein but never knew about his alleged crimes. -WSJ
“If Staley is a rogue employee, why isn’t Jamie Dimon?” Liu said during the hearing to discuss the bank’s efforts to have the lawsuit dismissed, referring to former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley. “Staley knew, Dimon knew, JPMorgan Chase knew,” Liu continued, emphasizing that Epstein made several cash transfers and wire transfers, including several hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to several women which should have been flagged as suspicious under company policy. The Wall Street Journal concluded:
Lawyers have questioned several JPMorgan employees so far in this case and another filed by an unnamed woman who accused Epstein of sexual abuse. The cases are running together in Manhattan federal court.
JPMorgan has sought to have the lawsuits dismissed. The bank has denied that it aided Epstein and has sought to blame any relationship on former executive Jes Staley, whom the bank has sued. Mr. Staley has maintained he was friendly with Epstein but never knew about his alleged crimes.
Featured image credit: Epstein image By Department of Justice – Released federal files https://www.motherjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Epstein.Docs_.redacted.pdf, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84893344
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