Leer en Español
U.S. Virgin Islands A.G. Denise George was fired by Governor Albert Bryan just days after Bloomberg reported that she had sued JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the country, over Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking scheme.
The lawsuit asserts that JPMorgan Chase enabled Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted felon, to abuse women and girls and contends that the bank should have been aware of Epstein’s illegal activities and should have reported their client to law enforcement as part of its anti-money laundering processes.
It is not the first time that Epstein’s network or companies get sued by the state. The V.I. government settled a civil lawsuit that Ms. George had also brought against the Epstein estate for $105 million a month earlier; experts estimate that this one might be the most significant monetary settlement in the territory’s history.
The 2013 Butterfly Trust, Coatue Enterprises L.L.C., the C.O.U.Q. Foundation, Enhanced Education, Financial Trust Company, Inc., H.B.R.K. Associates, Inc., Hyperion Air, Inc., J.E.G.E., Inc., J.E.G.E., L.L.C., N.E.S., L.L.C., Plan D, L.L.C., Southern Financial, L.L.C., and Southern Trust Company were among the Epstein businesses and non-profits that had accounts with JPMorgan, according to the lawsuit.
The Epstein estate settled the case without admitting guilt, and the Southern Trust Company played a key role in the V.I. government’s lawsuit against it.
In the new lawsuit, the now former AG Denise George said that the bank covered up the sex trafficking activities taking place on Little St. James, Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to the lawsuit filed against JPMorgan, the bank broke the Virgin Islands Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the Virgin Islands Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. George wants the bank to pay back the profits it made from doing business with Epstein and his firms and impose fines and other penalties.
As part of her ongoing efforts to safeguard public safety and hold accountable those who facilitated or participated, directly or indirectly, in the trafficking enterprise Epstein oversaw, George claims in the lawsuit that she brought the action after presenting her findings to JPMorgan in September.
Although JP Morgan had not yet responded to the complaint officially, a source told the Guardian newspaper that the bank’s contact with the disgraced banker ended “well before his continued misbehavior became known.”
Doe 1 v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., a class action lawsuit, was also filed against the bank on November 24 in Manhattan federal court on behalf of one of Epstein’s alleged victims and “all others similarly situated.”
According to a report from The Consortium, Bryan had been getting dissatisfied with Ms. George for some time. However, social media theories of political retaliation have emerged after President Joe Biden went on a vacation just a few days ago to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Carol Thomas-Jacobs, the chief deputy attorney general at the V.I. Dept. of Justice, has been tapped as acting A.G. following Ms. George’s termination.
Independent Writer. Marketing and communications strategist for politicians, artists, public figures & corporate brands for more than 10 years. Contact: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)
Escritor independiente. Consultor en marketing y comunicaciones de políticos, artistas, figuras públicas y marcas por más de 10 años. Contacto: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)