Former JPMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley disclosed to a US House oversight committee that he repeatedly provided confidential and market-sensitive banking data to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The admissions were detailed in transcripts released on Wednesday regarding a closed-door interview Staley gave on July 24.
During the voluntary session, Staley stated he revealed the bank’s communications with the Federal Reserve during the 2008 financial crisis to Epstein. He also shared figures showing $44 billion in private bank inflows over a two-week period and provided details regarding pending deals. Additionally, Staley admitted to disclosing other confidential information about JPMorgan Chase.
Staley defended these actions by asserting he believed he had the authority to share such data when he deemed it appropriate. He maintained that while he had a close professional relationship with Epstein, he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities. The executive also testified that he informed Epstein about the bank’s concerns regarding his large cash withdrawals and designated him as a high-risk client.
In a separate disclosure, Staley confirmed he was appointed to a role connected to Epstein’s estate years after the financier’s 2008 conviction. He stated he signed documents related to the trust in 2014 and an amendment in 2015 but later declined to serve because he did not want to be associated with the estate and received no compensation for the position.
Staley spent over three decades at JPMorgan Chase, where he led the private bank and asset-management division that served as Epstein’s client. He subsequently led Barclays from 2015 until his resignation in 2021. JPMorgan Chase declined to comment on the revelations, and Staley’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
