Banks seek to quash women’s lawsuits in Jeffrey Epstein case

NEW YORK –

Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase are asking a federal courtroom to throw out lawsuits that declare the large banks ought to have seen proof of intercourse trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein, the high-flying financier who killed himself in jail whereas going through felony expenses.

The banks stated in filings late Friday they did not commit any negligent acts that precipitated hurt to the ladies who filed the lawsuits and that the lawsuits failed to indicate that they benefitted from Epstein’s intercourse trafficking.

The filings in federal district courtroom in New York got here a couple of month after two girls who have been each recognized as Jane Doe sued the banks and the federal government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the place Epstein had a house on a small island that he owned.

The lawsuits, which search class-action standing to symbolize different Epstein victims, declare that the banks knowingly benefitted from Epstein’s intercourse trafficking and “chose profit over following the law” to earn thousands and thousands of {dollars} from the financier.

They advised that the banks ought to have steered away from Epstein after his 2006 arrest in Florida — he finally pleaded responsible to state expenses of soliciting prostitution — and fallout from a federal investigation and news protection.

“Without the financial institution’s participation, Epstein’s sex-trafficking scheme could not have existed or flourished,” the lawsuits declare.

JPMorgan Chase stated Friday that the Jane Doe in its case “is entitled to justice … But this lawsuit against JPMC is directed at the wrong party, is legally meritless, and should be dismissed.”

Deutsche Bank stated it supplied “routine banking services” to Epstein from 2013 to 2018, and the lawsuit “does not come close to adequately alleging that Deutsche Bank … was part of Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking ring.”