Former Barclays boss Jes Staley had sex with a member of serial pedophile Jeffrey Epsteinâs staff, the banker told a court on the third day of his evidence as he appeals against a proposed financial services ban.
Britainâs Financial Conduct Authority said in 2023 that it would ban Staley and fine him 1.8 million pounds ($2.3 million) for allegedly misleading the watchdog over his relationship with Epstein. He is giving evidence at Londonâs Upper Tribunal this week.
The 68-year-old, who said on Tuesday that he had no idea about the late financier Epsteinâs âmonstrous activities,â was asked by the FCAâs lawyer about evidence Staley had given in a lawsuit against him by his previous employer JPMorgan.
JPMorgan, where Staley was previously head of the private bank and had Epstein as a client, was sued by the US Virgin Islands for allegedly ignoring Epsteinâs sex trafficking, with the bank in turn suing Staley before the case was settled.
In the US litigation, Staley was asked about having âhad sexual intercourse with a woman ⊠at Mr Epsteinâs brotherâs apartmentâ in New York, the FCAâs lawyer Leigh-Ann Mulcahy said.
Staley said he was introduced to the woman by Jeffrey Epstein, the encounter was consensual and that âshe was a part of his staff as I recall.â
The FCA also referred to the fact Epstein had asked Staley to be trustee of his estate as evidence of their close relationship. Staley said: âI turned him down.â
Staleyâs appeal centers on a 2019 letter sent by Barclays Chair Nigel Higgins to the FCA, which approached the British bank shortly after Epsteinâs arrest brought scrutiny on the financierâs other high-profile associates.
The FCA says the letter contained two misleading statements: that Staley âdid not have a close relationshipâ with Epstein and their last contact was âwell before he joined Barclays in 2015.â Staley says both statements were accurate.
The FCA has cited a cache of over 1,000 emails between Staley and Epstein, in which Staley described their friendship as âprofoundâ and referred to Epstein as âfamily.â
In one previously-reported email chain from 2010, Staley told Epstein: âThat was fun. Say hi to Snow White.â
When Epstein asked âwhat character would you like next,â Staley replied: âBeauty and the Beast.â
Staley said he had no recollection of those emails, after which Mulcahy said: âThey are not emails that are consistent with a purely personal relationship ⊠they were personal in nature, werenât they?â
Staley replied: âI do not recall those emails.â His evidence is expected to conclude on Friday.