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Just weeks after Jeffrey Epstein's death in a jail cell, JPMorgan Chase quietly flagged over $1 billion in "suspicious" transactions linked to him — a revelation now emerging from newly unsealed court records that shed fresh light on the bank's long engagement with the disgraced financier. The bank filed the confidential report — known as a suspicious activity report (SAR) — to the US Treasury Department on September 26, 2019, a month after Epstein's death in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The report cited "negative media" about Epstein's alleged abuse of minors, concerns over his financial dealings, use of multiple accounts, and connections to Russian banks Alfa Bank and Sberbank. It also noted his relationships with two former US presidents. The transactions flagged by the bank spanned from October 2003 to July 2019 and involved a wide range of associates, companies, and financial institutions. What Do the Records Say? The documents were released following an order by Judge Jed Rakoff, who oversaw a lawsuit between the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and JPMorgan. The court acted after requests from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In 2023, JPMorgan agreed to pay $290m to Epstein's victims and $75m to the USVI to settle claims that it enabled his crimes. The bank denied wrongdoing in both settlements. Also Read: A Dozen Beauty Pageant Women, Epstein Only Guest - What Happened At Trump's Party At Mar-a-Lago? "These SARs confirm what's been inferred all along," JPMorgan spokesperson Patricia Wexler told CNN. "The bank filed SARs about Epstein early on, including when it exited Epstein from the bank in 2013 — and repeatedly between 2013 and 2019, as required. It does not appear that anyone in the government or law enforcement acted on those SARs for years." JPMorgan had cut ties with Epstein in 2013, five years after his conviction for soliciting a minor in Florida. The trove of newly released documents includes correspondence between Epstein and Jes Staley, a former top JPMorgan executive who later became CEO of Barclays. Staley resigned from Barclays in 2021 amid scrutiny over his ties to Epstein. Staley has denied knowing about Epstein's sexual exploitation of minors, but admitted in court that he had a sexual encounter with one of Epstein's assistants. Emails between the two men show Epstein offering to arrange meetings with high-profile figures — including technology founders and heads of state — none of whom have been accused of wrongdoing. Another name appearing in the 2019 report is billionaire investor Leon Black, who has acknowledged paying Epstein for financial advice. "After an exhaustive investigation, the Dechert law firm concluded Mr. Black paid Epstein only for tax and estate planning advice," said Black's attorney, Susan Estrich. "To imply Epstein had influence over Mr. Black is false and absurd." The unsealing of the records comes amid renewed scrutiny of how Epstein was able to maintain powerful financial and political connections for years despite his 2008 conviction. Senator Ron Wyden has demanded JPMorgan release more information about its relationship with Epstein, suggesting the bank "turned a blind eye" to his conduct in exchange for profits. In its response, JPMorgan wrote: "With the exception of former executive Jes Staley, the bank's executives are respected professionals who acted with integrity and would never have allowed Epstein to remain a client if they knew of his ongoing crimes." "The firm deeply regrets having had Epstein as a client," it added. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.
