Question
What did Jes Staley say about his relationship with Epstein?
Answer
Jes Staley, who served in senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and later as CEO of Barclays, acknowledged a personal and professional friendship with Jeffrey Epstein but consistently disputed characterizations of the relationship as being more significant than he described.
When the relationship became public, Staley described his contact with Epstein as having been a friendship that he had ended, and stated that he had not been aware of the full scope of Epstein’s criminal activities. He expressed regret about the association.
However, email exchanges that emerged in litigation told a more complex story — communications between Staley and Epstein showed a warmer, more personal relationship than a standard banker-client dynamic. Staley visited Epstein at Little Saint James island and other properties.
The scrutiny intensified when Staley was at Barclays. UK and US regulators investigated his characterization of his Epstein relationship. He ultimately resigned as Barclays CEO in November 2021 amid that regulatory investigation. The UK Financial Conduct Authority later concluded proceedings against him.
JPMorgan also filed its own civil lawsuit against Staley, alleging he had misled the bank about his Epstein relationship, claims Staley denied.
Sources
- Barclays public statement on Staley’s departure, 2021
- JPMorgan civil complaint against Staley, 2023
- Reuters and Financial Times reporting on Staley-Epstein relationship