Bank of America, Bank of New York sued for alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Key Takeaways
- A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein has sued Bank of America and BNY Mellon, alleging they knowingly enabled his sex-trafficking operation through financial services.
- The plaintiff, Jane Doe, is seeking unspecified damages and is represented by firms that previously secured settlements from Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan.
- The lawsuit claims that payments made to Doe through her Bank of America account, directed by Epstein's accountant, should have alerted the bank to suspicious activity.
- BNY Mellon is accused of processing $378 million in payments to trafficked women and providing credit to a modeling agency used by Epstein.
- Both banks are accused of failing to file necessary Suspicious Activity Reports, which could have potentially aided law enforcement sooner.
A woman, referred to as Jane Doe, who claims she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, has initiated legal action against Bank of America and the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY), alleging they knowingly provided financial services that enabled his sex-trafficking operation for years. Jane Doe is seeking an unspecified amount of damages, represented by the same law firms that previously secured major settlements from Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan over their alleged financial links to Epstein. The lawsuit details that Doe met Epstein in 2011 and was financially dependent on him, enduring repeated sexual abuse until 2019, with payments for rent and employment channeled through her Bank of America account. Her lawyers argue these transactions, directed by Epstein's former accountant, should have triggered Suspicious Activity Reports with the US Treasury. The suit against BNY specifically claims the bank processed $378 million in payments to women trafficked by Epstein, including providing a line of credit to a modeling agency used for trafficking. These legal actions come as Congress continues to investigate the Epstein case following his 2019 death in jail.
