Bank of America settles Epstein survivors’ lawsuit

Trending 2 months ago

Bank of America has settled a civilian lawsuit brought by women who accused nan slope of facilitating their intersexual maltreatment by Jeffrey Epstein, tribunal records showed connected Monday.

Lawyers for nan slope and nan women told Manhattan-based US territory judge Jed Rakoff successful a 12 March telephone telephone that they had reached a “settlement successful principle”, a tribunal filing said. The position of nan colony were not instantly clear.

The colony requires Rakoff’s approval. Lawyers for some sides are scheduled to taxable ineligible papers astir nan colony by 27 March, and nan judge scheduled a tribunal proceeding for 2 April to see approving nan deal.

Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for nan women, said successful a statement: “Today’s solution of nan lawsuit against Bank of America is 1 much measurement connected nan roadworthy to much-deserved justice.”

A spokesperson for Bank of America declined to comment.

The projected people action, revenge successful October by a female utilizing nan pseudonym Jane Doe, accused nan country’s second-largest slope of ignoring suspicious financial transactions related to Epstein contempt a “plethora” of accusation astir his crimes because it weighted profit complete protecting survivors.

Bank of America has said Doe alleged simply that it provided regular services to group who astatine nan clip had nary known links to Epstein, and that immoderate proposal that it was much profoundly progressive was “threadbare and meritless”.

Rakoff ruled successful January that Bank of America must look Doe’s claims that it knowingly benefited from Epstein’s activity trafficking and obstructed enforcement of nan national Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Among nan transactions Doe flagged were payments to Epstein by Leon Black, Apollo Global Management’s billionaire co-founder.

Black stepped down arsenic Apollo’s main executive successful 2021 aft a reappraisal by an extracurricular rule patient recovered he had paid Epstein $158m for taxation and property planning.

He has denied wrongdoing and said he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct.

Black had been scheduled connected 26 March to beryllium questioned nether oath by lawyers for Doe and Bank of America.

The deposition is not expected to spell guardant because of nan settlement. A scheduled 11 May proceedings will besides not return spot if Rakoff approves nan settlement.

Doe’s lawyers person besides sued different alleged enablers of Epstein’s activity trafficking, and successful 2023 reached settlements of $290m pinch JPMorgan Chase and $75m pinch Deutsche Bank connected nan behalf of his accusers.

Epstein died successful a Manhattan jailhouse compartment successful August 2019 while awaiting proceedings connected sex-trafficking charges. His decease was ruled a termination by New York City’s aesculapian examiner.

More
Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com