JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank seek dismissal of lawsuits by Jeffrey Epstein accusers

NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase & Co and Deutsche Bank AG asked a US judge to dismiss lawsuits by women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, and said the banks enabled and ignored red flags about the late financier’s sex trafficking.

The banks in papers filed on Friday night in Manhattan federal court said they did not participate in or benefit from sex trafficking by their former client and that the unnamed women failed to allege violations of a federal anti-trafficking law.

The banks also said they had no duty to protect the women from Epstein and did not cause his abuses, requiring the dismissal of claims under a new law in New York that lets abuse victims sue even if statutes of limitations have expired.

“Jane Doe 1 is a survivor of Epstein’s sexual abuse, and she is entitled to justice,” but filed meritless claims against the “wrong party,” JPMorgan said in its filing.

A lawyer for the women says the facts, as described in their complaints, speak for themselves.

“We are disappointed in the banks’ continuing effort to avoid taking responsibility for their role in the expansion and perpetuation of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring,” David Boies, the lawyer, said in a statement to Reuters.

Both lawsuits seek class-action status and unspecified damages. They were filed on Nov. 24 by lawyers who have represented many Epstein accusers.