A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation can move forward with key claims accusing Bank of America of knowingly benefiting from the scheme, finding the bank may have ignored public warnings about Epstein’s conduct while continuing to handle his finances.
U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff said the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, plausibly alleged that Bank of America provided non-routine banking services that helped facilitate Epstein’s activities, including processing suspicious transfers and failing to act on widely reported allegations that Epstein was a serial sexual abuser and trafficker.
In a detailed opinion issued Wednesday, Rakoff wrote that the complaint suggests the bank “turned a blind eye” to repeated media reports, police records and lawsuits describing Epstein’s misconduct. The judge said that, even if the allegations were not proven at the time, the bank allegedly failed to conduct adequate due diligence.
The court allowed claims to proceed under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, including allegations that Bank of America knowingly benefited from the venture and obstructed enforcement of the law by not promptly filing suspicious activity reports tied to Epstein and his associates.
Rakoff dismissed similar claims against The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., finding the complaint did not sufficiently show that BNY provided specialized services to Epstein or failed to take appropriate steps regarding his transactions.
The lawsuits stem from allegations that both banks continued moving money for Epstein and his network despite red flags. Doe, a Russian national now living in Florida, says Epstein began abusing her in 2011 and forced her into sex work until his 2019 arrest and death.
The judge rejected claims that either bank directly participated in sex trafficking and ruled that certain negligence claims were barred by the statute of limitations. Still, the remaining claims against Bank of America survived dismissal, allowing the case to move closer to trial.
Bank of America said the underlying facts have not yet been fully reviewed and that it looks forward to presenting its defense. Representatives for BNY and the plaintiff did not immediately comment.
Doe’s legal team has pursued similar cases against other financial institutions. Deutsche Bank agreed to pay $75 million in 2023 to settle related claims, and JPMorgan Chase reached a $290 million settlement with Epstein survivors that same year.
A jury trial in the Bank of America case is scheduled for May 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
