In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell book

SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 20 – J.P. Morgan Chase and Deutsche Bank were sued for their enabling of Jeffrey Epstein, in lawsuits filed on Thanksgiving in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where Inner City Press found them in the docket.

  The separate lawsuits allege that "without exorbitantly large amounts of cash, Epstein's operations could not run, as newly recruited victims were each paid hundreds of dollars in cash immediately after Epstein sexually abused them, as hush money."

   The JPM Chase complaint is on Patreon, here.

On March 20, 2023 Judge Jed S. Rakoff in a bottom line order dismissed some but not all claims, in the Epstein-related cases against JPMC and Deutsche Bank: "ORDER granting in part and denying in part (37) Motion to Dismiss; granting in part and denying in part (43) Motion to Dismiss in case 1:22-cv-10018-JSR; granting in part and denying in part (31) Motion to Dismiss; granting in part and denying in part (44) Motion to Dismiss in case 1:22-cv-10019-JSR; granting in part and denying in part (38) Motion to Dismiss in case 1:22-cv-10904-JSR. On February 1, 2023, and February 7, 2023, defendants filed motions to dismiss the operative complaints in the above-captioned cases. Upon consideration of all parties' written submissions and oral argument, the Court hereby grants those motions in part and denies those motions in part, as specified below. An opinion explaining the reasons for these rulings will follow in due course. The Clerk is respectfully directed to close entry numbers 37 and 43 on the docket of 22-cv-10018; numbers 31 and 44 on the docket of 22-cv-10019; and number 38 on the docket of 22-cv-10904. SO ORDERED.. (Signed by Judge Jed S. Rakoff on 3/20/2023) Filed In Associated Cases: 1:22-cv-10018-JSR, 1:22-cv-10019-JSR, 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (kv).

Inner City Press put the order on its DocumentCloud here.

 On March 7, 2023 JPM Chase filed a third party complaint against James Edward Staley, including "At no point did Staley disclose to JPMC, nor did JPMC otherwise know, the information about Staley’s personal activities contained in paragraphs 22 through 33..  Staley, not JPMC, is responsible for any injuries Epstein may have caused...." 3d Party Complaint on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud here.

On March 13 in order argument before Judge Rakoff, JPMorgan Chase's lawyer amplified this, emphasizing that Staley was not aware of any exchange of money, or of trafficking. Deutsche Bank's lawyer emphasized DB had paid a fine to NYS regulators - that is, they gave at the office. Judge Rakoff promised a bottom line decision by the end of March, if not before.

On March 16, starting after 4 pm and running past 8 pm, Judge Rakoff held a hearing, including settling (most) trial dates and threatening to summon or worse the head of FinCEN, to get the Suspicious Activity Reports or SARs. Inner City Press tweeted, including:

OK - now at Epstein-related case of US Virgin Islands vs JPMorgan Chase, in which Dimon discovery has been ordered, and JPMC has filed a third-party complaint against Jes Staley.

Judge Rakoff: So, I'm not going to move trial dates. For Doe v. Deutsche Bank it's August 8; for Doe v. JPM Chase, and USVI v. JPM Chase, it's September 5. I am willing to move motion dates, but not the trial. Any suggestions? Linda Singer: I'll open the bidding.

Judge Rakoff: Who's here for Mr. Staley? Brendan Sullivan: I'm here, and I'm fine with any date except tomorrow, which is St. Patrick's Day. That's a Holy day. I know nothing about this case. I was only notified of it 8 days ago.

 [Judge Rakoff recounted when Brendan Sullivan appeared before him. Looking it up, there are two cases: US ex rel. Edward O'Donnell (2012-14), and Cendant Corporation v. Forbes (1999)

 Judge Rakoff: Plaintiffs' counsel, how long a trial, assuming one overall trial? A: Ten to 14 days.  Judge Rakoff: What about October 23, for three weeks, which would be more than enough?

 Judge Rakoff: JPMorgan has created this situation. The banks had years to know what they thought of him. And they could have served him personally. So JPM has created the problem with Mr Staley. Maybe we should sever it, or justice or pay-back, however you call it

 Judge Rakoff rules: I will move the JPMorgan trials, and Jes Staley, to October 23. If Deutsche Bank doesn't want to join it, it can remain August 8. Or Sept 5. Let me know quickly, by close of business Monday.

 Update: the JPMChase (Epstein-related) case is still going. Judge Rakoff: You have to spell out each search term: not just Jeffrey but also Jeff. Counsel: We are doing that. Judge Rakoff: I'm glad we had this discussion.

 Judge Rakoff: If this case goes to trial I Iearn a party held back information, I may impose sanctions. Such as striking your case. Plaintiffs' counsel: We have requested the SARs that were filed by JPM Chase or DB, they say they need FinCEN's permission.

Judge Rakoff: I think I can override that. And I just decided to. Bank counsel: I think this is statutory. Judge Rakoff: This will be fun. If they oppose it, I will set a time and place but no later than next week, I will want a decision maker present

Judge Rakoff: And if they don't appear, I'll have no choice but to ask the Marshals to bring them before me.... I think the government, once they know the situation, will be happy to comply. I'm not sure I don't have the power. The Supreme Court may consider it.

 Counsel: There's a deposition set for Jes Staley next week. We don't want to be put out of the room. Judge Rakoff: Call me from the deposition. If I'm on the bench, my clerk will inform you to call during my next break. Let's resolve it right then and there.

 Judge Rakoff: I notice most of the audience has wimped out long ago. [Inner City Press still covering it].

Back in December 2022, US Virgin Islands filed suit against JPMorgan Chase, stating that "JP Morgan knowingly facilitated, sustained and concealed the human trafficking network operated by Jeffrey Epstein from his home and base in the Virgin Islands and financial benefited from this participating by failing to comply with federal banking regulations." Judge Rakoff ordered: "ORDER: Barring any objection from plaintiff Government of the United States Virgin Islands, which must be made by joint telephone call to Chambers no later than 5:00 PM on January 4, 2023, this case is hereby consolidated for all pretrial purposes with Doe v. Deutsche Bank, 22- cv-10018 and Doe v. JP Morgan Chase & Co., 22-cv-10019."

Then the USVI Attorney General who sued Chase was fired: “I relieved Denise George of her duties as attorney general this weekend,” Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said. “I thank her for her service to the people of the territory during the past four years as attorney general and wish her the best in her future endeavors. Assistant Attorney General Carol Thomas-Jacobs will serve as acting attorney general.”

Still, on January 23 Judge Rakoff signed off on Letters Rogatory in which is seeking from Cathy Alexander, Epstein's former co-manager on Little St. James, all communications with Epstein, Maxwell, Bella Klein, Daphne Wallace, Harry Beller, Leslie Groff, Sarah Kellen aka Sarah Kensington aka Sarah Vickers, Erika Kellerhals, Richard D. Kahn and/or Darren K. Indyke. Full 19 pages on Patreon here.

And on January 30, Judge Rakoff signed off an another letter rogatory to Barclays Bank, for its communications with the UK Financial Conduct Authority about Jes Staley and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein including, reportedly, 1200 emails between the two.

On February 17, USVI filed with the court a copy of a subpoena to Leslie Wexner, on Patreon here.

On November 29, the Doe v. bank(s) cases were assigned to SDNY Judge Jed S. Rakoff, as "related" to a previous case against Deutsche Bank he has. Both had a proceeding on December 5 that Inner City Press covered.

In the courtroom along with David Boies, Bradley Edwards, Sigrid McCawley et al was former SDNY prosecutor Robert Boone (Inner City Press covered him in the Michael Avenatti - Stormy Daniels criminal case), now representing JPMorgan Chase.

Both cases have the same pre-trial schedule, going forwar. But for now they have different trial dates: " barring further order of the Court, trial of the cases will proceed separately, with 22-cv-10018-UA starting trial on August 7, 2023 and 22-cv-10019-UA starting trial on September 5, 2023. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Jed S. Rakoff on 12/5/22) Filed In Associated Cases: 1:22-cv-10018-JSR, 1:22-cv-10019-JSR."

Deutsche Bank complaint on Patreon here

Maximum Maxwell book here.

Meanwhile, the UN has yet to answer Inner City Press on why SG Antonio Guterres maintained a rep on the board of Ghislaine Maxwell's Terramar Project (instead bannign the Press); Norway won't answer on its AMbasador Mona Juul and Terje Roed Larsen taking $130,000 personal loan from Epstein.

The JPMC case is Doe 1 v. JP Morgan Chase & Co., 22-cv-10019 (Rakoff)

Also now Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., 22-cv-10904 (Rakoff)

Watch this site. 

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA

Mail: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2022 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com