Senate report reveals major banks turned a blind eye to Epstein's crimes

US Senate Report Reveals Major Banks Turned a Blind Eye to Epstein

A report released by Senator Ron Wyden reveals that JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America turned a blind eye to financing Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network. The banks may have violated anti-money laundering laws.

Scraper SystemAugust 05, 2026, 12:30 AM

US Senate Report Reveals Major Banks Turned a Blind Eye to Epstein

A new report released Tuesday by Senator Ron Wyden, a senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, provides evidence that Wall Street's major banks 'turned a blind eye' to Jeffrey Epstein's conduct.

The report states that the banks' actions enabled Epstein's ready access to cash, which he used to lure, house, and transport victims as part of his sex trafficking network. Wyden wrote that bank records and court documents reviewed by his team 'detail a shocking pattern of the nation's largest Wall Street banks blatantly ignoring evidence of sex trafficking and money laundering in order to keep a wealthy client.'

Allegations Against the Banks

The report references the conduct of JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America, and names several bankers who should be investigated. It also identifies several Epstein 'accomplices' who allegedly 'carried significant amounts of cash around the world' on his behalf.

Investigators stated that Bank of America 'likely violated' federal anti-money laundering laws by failing to report $170 million in payments from billionaire investor Leon Black to Epstein. The report also alleges that JP Morgan Chase executives 'coached Epstein on how to withdraw cash through shell companies rather than personal accounts' and 'helped him conceal information from compliance staff and government regulators.'

Banks' Response

A Bank of America spokesperson said, 'We take our legal and regulatory obligations seriously, and as we have said previously, the bank did not facilitate abuse.' A Deutsche Bank spokesperson stated, 'We regret our historical connection to Jeffrey Epstein,' adding that they have cooperated with regulators and law enforcement on investigations and invested in strengthening their control environment. JP Morgan Chase did not immediately respond to a request for comment. All three banks had previously reached multimillion-dollar settlements with Epstein's victims without admitting any wrongdoing.

Epstein Files Controversy

The report comes as both Republican and Democratic critics question why the Epstein investigation has resulted in so few U.S. criminal cases beyond Epstein and his closest associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Democrats have used the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein investigation files as a source of criticism, while the issue has gained rare bipartisan support.

Last November, the Senate and House passed a law requiring the Justice Department to release all files within 30 days. Although the Justice Department said all files were released by January, they were criticized for the redactions they contained. Lawmakers have since introduced a new bill that would impose criminal penalties if full, unredacted access to the Epstein files is not provided. Wyden's report contains some of the most significant allegations regarding the Epstein files since the January release, just three months before the November midterm elections.

US Senate Report Reveals Major Banks Turned a Blind Eye to Epstein