Warren Presses Dimon on Epstein's JPMorgan Lobbying

Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon to detail any collaboration between the bank and Jeffrey Epstein regarding a 2009 UK tax policy, citing newly released Department of Justice emails.

The correspondence suggests Epstein acted as an informal conduit to British officials during debates over a proposed 50% tax on banker bonuses exceeding £25,000. Warren’s letter, confirmed by the Senate Banking Committee on Monday, directly challenges Dimon’s previous sworn testimony.

During a 2023 deposition, Dimon stated: "I have never had an appointment with Jeff Epstein. I’ve never met Jeff Epstein. I never knew Jeff Epstein. I never went to Jeff Epstein’s house. I never had a meal with Jeff Epstein." He also claimed he "had never even heard of the guy, pretty much" prior to 2019.

The DOJ files reveal a different picture of Epstein’s integration with JPMorgan’s operations. In December 2009, Epstein emailed then-U.K. Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, advising him to limit the tax to cash bonuses and instructing him to "amend it, deliver the message personally to [D]imon."

When Epstein asked if "jamie" should call Chancellor Alistair Darling, Mandelson replied, "Yes and mildly threaten." According to Darling’s memoir, Dimon made that call on December 29, stating he was "very, very angry" and questioning whether buying UK debt "was now such a good idea."

Furthermore, a 2010 email from Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, asked if she should prepare "heavy snacks" or a "nice sit down dinner" for evening appointments with Mandelson, Jes Staley, and Jamie Dimon. Staley was then the head of JPMorgan’s private banking division.

For market participants, the revived scrutiny threatens to reignite a controversy that cost JPMorgan $365 million in settlements last year. The bank paid $290 million to abuse victims and $75 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands, without admitting wrongdoing.

The financial stakes of the original relationship were significant. Between 1998 and 2013, Epstein opened at least 134 accounts and processed over $1 billion in transactions. In 2003 alone, he generated $8 million in fees, making him the biggest revenue generator in his client class.

Warren has given Dimon until July 24, 2026, to provide communications between himself, Mandelson, Staley, and Darling. She is also demanding JPMorgan’s policies on retaining external lobbyists to determine if Epstein was compensated for his efforts.