JPMorgan says former U.S. Virgin Islands first lady sought visas for Jeffrey Epstein victims

JPMorgan Chase & Co on Thursday unveiled new accusations that the U.S. Virgin Islands was complicit in Jeffrey Epstein’s intercourse crimes, together with {that a} former first girl for the territory sought pupil visas for among the disgraced financier’s victims.

The largest U.S. financial institution additionally singled out Governor Albert Bryan as being amongst authorities officers who maintained “close ties” with Epstein, saying that in 2018 he organized donations from Epstein to colleges and little leagues.

JPMorgan made the accusations in a submitting in Manhattan federal courtroom, the place the U.S. Virgin Islands desires the financial institution held liable in a civil lawsuit for retaining Epstein as a shopper from 1998 to 2013, the final 5 years after he pleaded responsible to prostitution.

The New York-based financial institution has countered that the territory had “unclean hands” for safeguarding Epstein, who died in 2019, and awarding him tens of millions of {dollars} in tax breaks in trade for his “money, advice, influence, and favours.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Virgin Islands’ legal professional basic’s workplace known as the brand new accusations “an obvious attempt to shift blame,” repeating an earlier assertion. Bryan’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Thursday’s submitting was partially redacted, however had fewer redactions than a model filed on Tuesday.

JPMorgan additionally faces a proposed class motion by ladies who say Epstein sexually abused them, and that the financial institution ought to have reduce ties with him sooner.

Epstein, 66, died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial for intercourse trafficking.

The metropolis’s medical expert known as Epstein’s loss of life a suicide. Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is interesting her conviction and 20-year jail sentence for aiding in his sexual abuses.

‘WILL IT WORK FOR YOU?’

Many of JPMorgan’s new accusations concern Cecile de Jongh, whose husband, John de Jongh, was governor from 2007 to 2015.

The financial institution known as the previous first girl Epstein’s “primary conduit for spreading money and influence throughout the USVI government,” and “a ready partner” in his want to use younger ladies.

Email requests for remark from Cecile and John de Jongh weren’t instantly acknowledged. Neither is a celebration to the litigation.

The financial institution stated de Jongh as soon as organized for Epstein to fulfill an area immigration lawyer to assist one girl get hold of a visa, and requested an area college whether or not three ladies might enroll there to acquire pupil visas.

JPMorgan additionally stated de Jongh managed Epstein’s native firms all through her husband’s governorship, with Epstein paying their kids’s tuition, and labored with Epstein in 2011 when the U.S. Virgin Islands was drafting new intercourse offender legal guidelines.

“This is the suggested language; will it work for you?” de Jongh requested Epstein in a May 2011 electronic mail, in keeping with JPMorgan.

The financial institution’s chief govt, Jamie Dimon, who shouldn’t be a defendant, is predicted to testify below oath in a deposition on Friday. Bryan faces a June 6 deposition.

JPMorgan is individually suing Jes Staley, a former Epstein pal who as soon as led its asset administration business, to have him cowl losses it could incur within the different two lawsuits.

The case is Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 22-10904.