Jes Staley interview about Jeffrey Epstein with House Oversight set

Jes Staley, the former JPMorgan Chase executive and ex-Barclays CEO, has agreed to be interviewed about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on July 23. This comes after Staley accepted an invitation for a voluntary transcribed interview extended to him by Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky.

The Oversight panel has been conducting interviews with high-profile individuals linked to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was also interviewed recently about the Department of Justice’s handling of Epstein’s files.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled for an interview on June 10, while billionaire Leon Black and Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathryn Ruemmler are set to be interviewed later in June and July, respectively.

Staley’s connection to Epstein stems from their friendship, as Epstein was a major client of JPMorgan’s private wealth and asset management divisions during Staley’s tenure. Following Epstein’s arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges and subsequent jailhouse suicide in 2019, JPMorgan settled a lawsuit with his victims for $290 million. The bank also settled with the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands for $75 million and reached a confidential settlement with Staley to resolve any civil damages associated with Epstein-related litigation.

In 2023, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority fined Staley over $2 million and permanently banned him from holding a management role in the sector after an investigation into his characterization of his relationship with Epstein to Barclays. Staley resigned from Barclays in late 2021 amidst the probe.

Staley expressed regret over his association with Epstein, stating, “Obviously, I thought I knew him well, and I didn’t. For sure, with hindsight, with what we know now, I deeply regret having any relationship with Jeffrey.”

The upcoming interview with the House Oversight committee will shed more light on Staley’s ties to Epstein and his involvement in the financial dealings with the convicted sex offender. It remains to be seen how this interview will impact Staley’s reputation and future career prospects in the finance sector.