Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase sued for profiting from Epstein trafficking

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation have filed a lawsuit against megabanks JP Morgan Chase and Deutche Bank, alleging the banks profited from and enabled Epstein’s crimes.

Two anonymous plaintiffs in two separate suits accuse the banks of knowingly helping facilitate Epstein’s international sex trafficking operation as well as made money off managing his accounts.

The suits, both filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, claimed JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Deutsche Bank AG “chose profit over following the law.”

The filings both say the banks engaged in “assisting, supporting, facilitating, and otherwise providing the most critical service for the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking organization to successfully rape, sexually assault, and coercively sex traffic” women through Epstein’s ring.

Before he died in federal custody, Epstein was accused of trafficking girls as young as 14 years old for sex.

“Without the financial institution’s participation, Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme could not have existed,” the suits claim. One of the filings also says “Without Deutsche Bank’s assistance, Epstein could not have abused or trafficked the dozens of young women he did between 2013 and 2018.” 

Deutsche Bank responded to the suits with a brief media statement, saying, “We believe this claim lacks merit and will present our arguments in court.” JP Morgan Chase has not responded publicly.