US Regulators Take Epstein Allegations 'Seriously' as Investigations Loom Over Bankers' Involvement
Regulators at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have expressed concerns over allegations that top bankers may have facilitated Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activity, including his connections to powerful executives.
A letter from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, seen by The Guardian, raised questions about Jes Staley, the former Barclays boss who worked at JP Morgan in the early 2000s and is now facing scrutiny for allegedly protecting Epstein's access to the banking system. Staley has already been banned from the UK banking sector following his own investigations into his relationship with Epstein.
Regulators say they are taking these allegations "very seriously" and will take action over any potential misconduct, including investigating JP Morgan Chase Bank, which had a close relationship with Epstein before he was dropped as a client in 2013. The FDIC's acting chair, Travis Hill, described the regulator's stance on this matter, stating that "unlawful activity involving the banking sector" would be treated with utmost seriousness.
If wrongdoing is identified, regulators could impose fines and potentially ban individuals from working in the US banking sector. While the exact nature of these investigations remains unclear, Warren has urged JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to testify before the US Senate banking committee regarding the financial trail that kept Epstein afloat for so long.
JP Morgan has defended its actions, stating that they did not aid Epstein's heinous crimes and ended their relationship with him six years before his arrest. The bank claims that it produced millions of pages of discovery in this case, which contradicts Warren's allegations.
The correspondence between Warren and regulators comes as the US justice department prepares to release previously classified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. These documents are expected to be released within 30 days, sparking renewed scrutiny over the government's handling of these cases and potential ties between powerful individuals and high-profile figures like Epstein.
Regulators at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have expressed concerns over allegations that top bankers may have facilitated Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activity, including his connections to powerful executives.
A letter from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, seen by The Guardian, raised questions about Jes Staley, the former Barclays boss who worked at JP Morgan in the early 2000s and is now facing scrutiny for allegedly protecting Epstein's access to the banking system. Staley has already been banned from the UK banking sector following his own investigations into his relationship with Epstein.
Regulators say they are taking these allegations "very seriously" and will take action over any potential misconduct, including investigating JP Morgan Chase Bank, which had a close relationship with Epstein before he was dropped as a client in 2013. The FDIC's acting chair, Travis Hill, described the regulator's stance on this matter, stating that "unlawful activity involving the banking sector" would be treated with utmost seriousness.
If wrongdoing is identified, regulators could impose fines and potentially ban individuals from working in the US banking sector. While the exact nature of these investigations remains unclear, Warren has urged JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to testify before the US Senate banking committee regarding the financial trail that kept Epstein afloat for so long.
JP Morgan has defended its actions, stating that they did not aid Epstein's heinous crimes and ended their relationship with him six years before his arrest. The bank claims that it produced millions of pages of discovery in this case, which contradicts Warren's allegations.
The correspondence between Warren and regulators comes as the US justice department prepares to release previously classified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. These documents are expected to be released within 30 days, sparking renewed scrutiny over the government's handling of these cases and potential ties between powerful individuals and high-profile figures like Epstein.