Jeffrey Epstein’s victims are suing JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank for “facilitating its sex trafficking operation and ignoring red flags”: Women allege large sums of money were withdrawn to pay them for sex
- Separate lawsuits filed Thursday against both banks in New York allege they facilitated Epstein’s sexual abuse and “priority profits over compliance.”
- The women in the cases say they were abused by Epstein over a number of years and paid with money from accounts Epstein held at the banks
- Lawsuits allege the banks ignored “red flags” and ignored its abuse
- Lawyer in cases says ‘time has come for real enablers to be held accountable’
Victims of Jeffrey Epstein are suing Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase, alleging they played “an integral role” in the pedophile financier’s sex abuse campaign.
In two lawsuits filed in New York on Thursday, the women say the banks facilitated Epstein’s sex trade by withdrawing large sums of money to pay his victims.
They are also accused of ignoring “red flags” and putting profit before the law.
Bradley Edwards, an attorney in the Deutsche Bank case, told The Wall Street Journal: “It’s time the real trailblazers were held accountable, particularly his wealthy friends and the financial institutions that played an essential role.
“These victims have been wronged by many, not just Epstein. He did not act alone.’
Epstein committed suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Both lawsuits are class action lawsuits, which plaintiffs designate as “Jane Doe 1, individually and on behalf of all others in a similar situation.”
Jeffrey Epstein is pictured outside his New York mansion in 2019. The suits state that much of his sexual abuse took place at the mansion.
JP Morgan Chase is accused of “acting negligently to enable Epstein to commit such crimes against countless young women.”
The lawsuit against Deutsche Bank states: “Knowing that they would make millions of dollars by facilitating Epstein’s sex trade and through their relationship with Epstein, Deutsche Bank chose to profit rather than comply with the law.” .”
The unnamed woman in the Deutsche Bank case says she was trafficked and sexually assaulted by Epstein between around 2003 and 2018.
She claims she was paid cash for sexual acts. The lawsuit also alleges that Deutsche Bank ignored “red flags.”
The filing seen by reads: “Deutsche Bank also knew that Epstein would use force, threats of violence, fraud, abuse of legal process, exploitation of power differences and a variety of other forms of coercion to make a difference in young people women and girls to engage in commercial sexual activity.
“Deutsche Bank also engaged in repeated extortion operations to support the Epstein organization. Knowing that they would make millions of dollars by facilitating Epstein’s sex trade and their relationship with Epstein, Deutsche Bank chose to go for profit rather than comply with the law.
“Specifically, Deutsche Bank chose to facilitate a sex trafficking operation to siphon off profits.”
The lawsuit also cites several damning findings by New York regulators about Deutsche Bank’s deal with Epstein.
The bank was fined $150 million by state regulators in 2020 for, among other things, failing to intervene when Epstein paid tuition for women and made suspicious payments to Russian models and women with Eastern European names. The bank was required to monitor his accounts as he was a registered sex offender.
Lawsuits filed Thursday allege Epstein’s victims were paid with cases of large withdrawals from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. The banks are accused of having facilitated the abuse of the pedophile financier.
Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion, one of the largest private residences in Manhattan. The lawsuits state that much of the abuse committed by Epstein took place there
In the case against JPMorgan Chase, the unnamed woman is a former ballet dancer who says she was molested by Epstein between 2006 and 2013.
She says she was recruited by another woman and also sold to Epstein’s friends. It is alleged that she was paid with cash obtained through large withdrawals from JPMorgan Chase accounts.
The lawsuit against the bank alleges that “JP Morgan knowingly and intentionally benefited from and obtained things of value in supporting, assisting, facilitating and otherwise providing the most vital service to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking organization.”
It said the bank “knew” that Epstein was committing sex crimes and “acted negligently to enable Epstein to commit such crimes against countless young women.”
“JP Morgan chose to profit rather than comply with the law,” the lawsuit adds.
A spokesman for Deutsche Bank told the WSJ, which first reported the lawsuits, “We believe this lawsuit is without merit and we will present our arguments in court.”
JPMorgan Chase declined to comment.