Wells Fargo and Others Asked for Details on Epstein Money
Wells Fargo and Others Asked for Details on Epstein Money
(Bloomberg) -- Financial institutions from Silicon Valley to Israel are being asked about money they may have handled from Jeffrey Epstein or entities linked to him, according to new court filings expanding the list of banks that could have insights into the late sex offender’s finances.
Six U.S.-based financial companies --Wells Fargo & Co., Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank, Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab Corp., Northern Trust International Banking Corp. and Silicon Valley Bank -- as well as Israel’s Bank Leumi were subpoenaed in recent days by Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George, who has filed a civil lawsuit against Epstein’s estate seeking to recover money and to pay his victims. National Financial Services LLC, a unit of Fidelity, also received a subpoena in the matter.
The subpoenas request information from the banks about more than two dozen partnerships, nonprofits and other entities linked to Epstein. There is no indication that any of the banks were involved in wrongdoing.
Citibank, Wells Fargo, Fidelity and Schwab had no immediate comment. Leumi, Silicon Valley Bank and Northern Trust didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The subpoenas indicate that the Virgin Islands is casting a wide net in its hunt for Epstein’s wealth. The bank disclosures, which are due to island authorities in 30 days, may provide potential clues into the still-mysterious finances of Epstein, who was battling federal sex abuse charges when he died in a Manhattan jail last summer, his death ruled a suicide. He had previously reported banking relationships over the years with Citibank, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Deutsche Bank AG.
The Virgin Islands sued Epstein’s estate and six related companies in a local court in January, alleging violation of the territory’s criminal racketeering law. It is seeking civil penalties and damages, forfeiture of Epstein’s private island in the territory and restitution for his sexual abuse victims.
Authorities on the island are also conducting a criminal investigation into whether Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell participated in his criminal sex trafficking ring. Maxwell was arrested this month in a separate probe involving similar charges brought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan. She has pleaded not guilty.
George, the island’s attorney general, is asking the financial institutions for account statements, deposit and withdrawal slips, information about the source and destination of funds, and the identity of those requesting the transactions. She is also seeking internal bank memos, phone records, internal correspondence and documentation of any internal due diligence or investigations related to the accounts.
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