JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank sought dismissal of women’s lawsuits in Epstein case

JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank have asked a United States federal court to dismiss lawsuits by women who have accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse and blamed banks for being negligent and enabling the sex trafficking operations of the late financier who killed himself in jail in 2019 amid the ongoing trial.

The papers were filed, late Friday, in a Manhattan federal district court, where the banks claim that they did not commit any negligent acts and did not participate in or benefit from sex trafficking by their former client. This comes nearly a month after two women who were both identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against the banks as well as the government of the US Virgin Islands, where Epstein had a home on an island that he owned.

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“Jane Doe 1 is a survivor of Epstein's sexual abuse, and she is entitled to justice,” said the JPMorgan filing. However, the filing added, “But this lawsuit against JPMC is directed at the wrong party, is legally meritless, and should be dismissed,” as per Associated Press.

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Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank also said that they provided Epstein “routine banking services” between 2013 and 2018, which “does not come close to adequately alleging” that they were a part of “Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking ring.”

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Furthermore, they asserted that the banks had no duty to protect women from Epstein and did not cause or enable his abuses. The filing by JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank has sought the dismissal of the lawsuits which claim that the banks “chose profit over following the law” and knowingly earned and benefitted from Epstein’s sex trafficking.

“We are disappointed in the banks' continuing effort to avoid taking responsibility for their role in the expansion and perpetuation of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring,” said David Boies, a lawyer for the women, in a statement to Reuters.

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The women’s lawsuit also suggested that they should have dropped Epstein as a client after his arrest in 2006 to which he eventually pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida for soliciting prostitution. According to the court filings, Epstein was a JPMorgan client from about 2000 to 2013 after which he switched to Deutsche Bank.

(With inputs from agencies)

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