Story
Senator Warren Questions Jamie Dimon Over Reported Epstein-Linked Lobbying Advice
Summary
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is facing an inquiry from Senator Elizabeth Warren regarding whether he lobbied the UK government based on reported advice from Jeffrey Epstein concerning a 2009 bankers' bonus tax.
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon has been asked by Senator Elizabeth Warren to clarify whether he lobbied the UK government against a tax on bankers' bonuses based on advice from the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The request was detailed in a letter released by the Senate Banking Committee on Monday, renewing scrutiny over the bank's historical ties to Epstein.
Warren Demands Answers
In her letter, Senator Warren, a high-ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, stated that Congress and the public require a full accounting of any interactions between JPMorgan, Dimon, and Epstein. The inquiry seeks to determine the extent of Epstein's influence on the bank's lobbying activities and Dimon's personal involvement.
This congressional inquiry stems from a *Financial Times* report that cited emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice. According to the report, the 2009 emails show that Lord Peter Mandelson, then the UK's Business Secretary, told Epstein that Dimon should "mildly threaten" then-Chancellor Alistair Darling over the proposed bonus tax.
AdJPMorgan's Position and Background
In a statement provided to Reuters, JPMorgan said that Dimon never met or exchanged emails with Epstein and had no role in the decisions surrounding Epstein's banking relationship. The bank affirmed that this position is consistent with Dimon's deposition testimony from 2023.
Jeffrey Epstein was a client of JPMorgan from 1998 until the bank terminated the relationship in 2013. In 2023, JPMorgan agreed to pay approximately $290 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by victims of Epstein, resolving claims that the bank knowingly benefited from and facilitated his sex-trafficking operations.