Jamie Dimon Spoke About Jeffrey Epstein With Former JPMorgan Exec Several Times, Report Says

Topline

Former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley said he and Jamie Dimon, the bank’s chief executive, had conversations about the company’s business with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, contradicting Dimon’s previous statements that he did not discuss Epstein.

Former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley said he discussed late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein … [+] with the bank’s CEO Jamie Dimon.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Key Facts

Staley, who left the bank in 2013, noted multiple instances of communication with Dimon about Epstein: when Epstein was arrested in 2006; when Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008; and on multiple occasions to discuss whether to keep Epstein as a client through 2012, documents obtained by the Journal show.

Dimon was deposed Friday in an ongoing lawsuit over the bank’s ties to Epstein, a JPMorgan spokesperson told the Journal Dimon doesn’t believe such conversations with Staley ever happened, and Staley’s statements are false.

Forbes has contacted JPMorgan for comment.

Key Background

Prosecutors in the U.S. Virgin Islands are currently bringing a civil lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase that alleges the bank benefited from Epstein’s sex trafficking when he was a client from 1998 to 2013. The lawsuit also alleges the bank failed to report Epstein’s suspicious activities and gave him services reserved for high-wealth clients even after he was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008. In March, JPMorgan officials attempted to redirect blame solely on Staley, filing a suit claiming Staley concealed his relationship with Epstein and was aware of Epstein’s abuse. Since then, prosecutors have claimed Dimon knew about Epstein’s sex trafficking as early as 2008, but JPMorgan maintains that Dimon had no direct connection to Epstein or his account. Staley and Dimon aren’t the only big names involved in the high-profile case: earlier this month the judge ruled prosecutors could subpoena billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk after prosecutors said they believed Epstein “may have referred or attempted to refer (Musk) to JPMorgan.” Musk tweeted in response Epstein “never advised me on anything whatsoever.” Google cofounder Sergey Brin, Hyatt Hotels executive chairman Thomas Pritzker and real estate mogul Mortimer Zuckerman are among the other big names who have also been subpoenaed as part of the same lawsuit. Report the details…

Big Number

$120 million. That’s how much money Epstein held with JPMorgan in 2008, according to court filings.

Surprising Fact

Dimon said he’s considering running for public office, in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday. “I love my country, and maybe one day I’ll serve my country in one capacity or another,” Dimon said, though he’s repeatedly said he plans to stay at JPMorgan for another five years.

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