What JPMorgan executive Jes Staley shared with Jeffrey Epstein and why Congress is asking questions

Former JPMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley told U.S. lawmakers that he repeatedly shared confidential and market-sensitive information from the bank with Jeffrey Epstein, and was once named as a trustee of the convicted sex offender’s estate.

The disclosures were detailed in a transcript released Wednesday by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is investigating Epstein’s relationships with political, business and other prominent figures.

Staley appeared before the committee in a closed-door, voluntary interview on July 24 as part of its investigation into Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.


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According to the transcript, Staley told Epstein about JPMorgan’s communications with the Federal Reserve during the 2008 financial crisis, $44 billion in private bank inflows over a two-week period, his own compensation and details of pending deals. He also acknowledged sharing other confidential information about the bank.

Staley defended disclosures to Epstein

Lawmakers questioned Staley about communications involving his compensation, client relationships and developments linked to his eventual move to Barclays.

Staley defended the exchanges, saying he believed he had the authority to share information when he considered it appropriate. He said he maintained a close professional relationship with Epstein but was unaware of his crimes.

He also testified that he informed Epstein about JPMorgan’s concerns over his large cash withdrawals and told him that the bank had designated him a high-risk client.

JPMorgan declined to comment. Staley’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Staley spent more than three decades at JPMorgan, where he ran the private-bank and asset-management businesses. Epstein was a client of the bank during that period. Staley later led Barclays from 2015 until his resignation in 2021.

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Staley signed Epstein trust documents

Staley separately confirmed that he had been appointed to a role connected to Epstein’s estate years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.

He said he signed documents related to the Epstein trust in 2014 and a trust amendment in 2015. Staley later declined to serve, saying he did not want to be associated with the estate. He testified that he received no compensation.

The testimony adds new detail to scrutiny of Staley’s relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Epstein had extensive connections across politics, finance, academia and business, including with President Donald Trump. The oversight committee has also interviewed former President Bill Clinton, Commerce Secretary and former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Goldman Sachs senior counsel Kathy Ruemmler.