Jeffrey Epstein: Ex-Barclays boss Jes Staley is said to have emailed him about Disney characters

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Jeffrey Epstein 2017: Who or what is behind "Snow White" and "Beauty and the Beast"?

Photo: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS

The former boss of the major bank Barclays and former manager at JPMorgan Chase, Jes Staley, is said to have exchanged around 1,200 emails with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The emails from the two grown men are said to have included Disney characters Snow White and Beauty from Beauty and the Beast.

What exactly is meant by this is unclear.

However, Epstein also shared photos of young women with the banker.

That's according to court documents filed by the US Virgin Islands against Staley's former employer, JPMorgan, Reuters reports.

According to this, Staley was in contact with Epstein between 2008 and 2012 through his JPMorgan email account.

The "Financial Times" had already reported on the e-mails and the code words like Snow White in 2021 and is now also taking up the publication of the lawsuit that was filed this week in the US District Court in Manhattan.

The US Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned two private islands, accused JPMorgan of enabling and supporting Epstein's sex trade for two decades.

The businessman Epstein, who is networked to the highest circles, was accused of having set up a ring for the sexual abuse of girls together with Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein took his own life in prison in 2019 and Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the summer of 2022.

The lawsuit alleges that banker Staley had a close personal relationship with Epstein and that emails between the two "even suggested that Staley may have been involved in Epstein's sex trafficking."

According to the lawsuit, an email exchange went like this:

"I'm sitting in the jacuzzi with a glass of white wine..."

"That was funny.

Say hello to Snow White,” Staley wrote to Epstein via email in 2010, according to the filing.

Epstein replied, "Which character would you like to have next?"

"Beauty and the Beast," Staley reportedly replied, to which Epstein replied, "Well, a page is available."

A London-based lawyer for Staley declined to comment.

However, the major bank JPMorgan, which also did not comment on the matter, said the lawsuit was "legally unfounded and should be dismissed".

Barclays also did not comment on the incident.

A statement released by Barclays from Staley in 2021 said: According to the investigation, he had neither witnessed nor had knowledge of any alleged crimes by Epstein.

The resignation followed investigations by the UK Financial Services Authority.

Staley allegedly called his relationship with Epstein "profound" in a November 1, 2009 email: "I owe you a lot.

And I value our friendship very much.

I have few that are so profound.«

A month later, Staley reportedly wrote to Epstein to tell him how nice it was to give him a "long and warm hug."

As a result, Epstein Staley is said to have sent two pictures of young women.

Many of the emails could also have a business background: Epstein was a client of JPMorgan from around 2000 to 2013.

Staley held various senior positions in private banking and wealth management at JPMorgan before leaving the bank in 2013.

Apr/Reuters