Ex-JPMorgan banker claims Jeffrey Epstein knew more about upper levels of bank than he did

An ex-JPMorgan Chase executive testified in London court that Jeffrey Epstein knew more about what was going on at the top levels of the bank than he did.Jes Staley — who went on to become chief executive of Barclays following his stint at JPMorgan — claimed that Epstein, the convicted child sex offender and disgraced financier who died in prison in 2019, had a “remarkable ability” to gather Wall Street intel, according to a Bloomberg report.“Mr.Epstein was also well connected within the upper levels of JPMorgan itself,” Staley said during his second day in the witness box as he appealed a proposed ban and $2.3 million fine from London’s financial regulatory agency.“He seemed to be aware of things relating to the bank, that I was not aware of,” Staley added.Staley – who is attempting to overturn a lifetime ban that the Financial Conduct Authority announced in 2023 – acknowledged his relationship with Epstein went beyond work.“It was founded on a business relationship,” the former Barclays boss said.

“He became a friend.”He said Epstein told him about his own departure from JPMorgan before he even knew about it.“The bank was more important to him than the other way around,” Staley said.JPMorgan Chase officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.In 2000, JPMorgan’s then-chief executive Douglas “Sandy” Warner told Staley he should get to know Epstein, Staley claimed in his witness statement.“Sandy Warner recommended that I should become acquainted with Mr.Epstein because he was an exceptionally well connected man who could help me, in my capacity at JPM, to form business relationships with influential and other well connected individuals,” he said.Staley claimed he was not the only high-level figure at JPMorgan in touch with Epstein.“I have no doubt, as a result of knowledge of the financial services industry, that a number of senior investment bankers at JPM and at other institutions will have engaged ...