US Regulators Taking Epstein Allegations 'Very Seriously'
In a move that has sparked calls for greater accountability, top US regulators have said they are taking allegations that major banks facilitated financier Jeffrey Epstein's crimes "very seriously". The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have assured Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren that they will investigate any potential misconduct by bankers who may have enabled Epstein's abuse.
The controversy centers around Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was one of JP Morgan Chase's most profitable clients before being dropped in 2013. Warren had raised concerns over the bank's wider banking relationship with Epstein, noting that he was one of the bank's most lucrative clients at the time of his arrest on child sex trafficking charges.
Regulators have confirmed that they are reviewing a letter from Warren, which alleged that former Barclays boss Jes Staley protected Epstein's access to the banking system while working at JP Morgan in the early 2000s. The OCC and FDIC say they will examine banks, including JP Morgan Chase Bank, for any potential safety and soundness concerns and violations of law.
Jonathan Gould, the comptroller of the currency, said that he takes "very seriously" any allegations of wrongdoing or abuse by banks and bank executives, adding that regulators will continue to examine banks within their authority. The FDIC's acting chair, Travis Hill, has also expressed his concern over potential insider involvement in illicit activity.
While regulators have not confirmed whether they are opening formal inquiries, the correspondence with Warren suggests a renewed focus on the issue. The Democratic senator had called for JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon to testify before the US Senate banking committee over the bank's dealings with Epstein.
JP Morgan has denied any wrongdoing, saying that it ended its relationship with Epstein six years before his arrest and did not help him commit his heinous acts. However, the bank has been criticized for its extensive dealings with Epstein, which include over 134 different accounts and more than $1 billion in transactions.
The developments come days after President Donald Trump signed a bill allowing the US justice department to release all of its unclassified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his co-conspirator.
In a move that has sparked calls for greater accountability, top US regulators have said they are taking allegations that major banks facilitated financier Jeffrey Epstein's crimes "very seriously". The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have assured Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren that they will investigate any potential misconduct by bankers who may have enabled Epstein's abuse.
The controversy centers around Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was one of JP Morgan Chase's most profitable clients before being dropped in 2013. Warren had raised concerns over the bank's wider banking relationship with Epstein, noting that he was one of the bank's most lucrative clients at the time of his arrest on child sex trafficking charges.
Regulators have confirmed that they are reviewing a letter from Warren, which alleged that former Barclays boss Jes Staley protected Epstein's access to the banking system while working at JP Morgan in the early 2000s. The OCC and FDIC say they will examine banks, including JP Morgan Chase Bank, for any potential safety and soundness concerns and violations of law.
Jonathan Gould, the comptroller of the currency, said that he takes "very seriously" any allegations of wrongdoing or abuse by banks and bank executives, adding that regulators will continue to examine banks within their authority. The FDIC's acting chair, Travis Hill, has also expressed his concern over potential insider involvement in illicit activity.
While regulators have not confirmed whether they are opening formal inquiries, the correspondence with Warren suggests a renewed focus on the issue. The Democratic senator had called for JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon to testify before the US Senate banking committee over the bank's dealings with Epstein.
JP Morgan has denied any wrongdoing, saying that it ended its relationship with Epstein six years before his arrest and did not help him commit his heinous acts. However, the bank has been criticized for its extensive dealings with Epstein, which include over 134 different accounts and more than $1 billion in transactions.
The developments come days after President Donald Trump signed a bill allowing the US justice department to release all of its unclassified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his co-conspirator.