Jes Staley says his encounter with Epstein aide was consensual in congressional testimony

In a session before the House Oversight Committee, former Barclays chief Jes Staley described a single, consensual sexual encounter with an assistant to Jeffrey Epstein. The testimony came after DOJ files revealed Staley had exchanged roughly 1,200 communications with Epstein between 2008 and 2012 while he headed JP Morgan’s Private Bank. Staley said he first met the assistant at Epstein’s townhouse, later received an invitation to her Upper East Side apartment in 2009 or 2010, and that the encounter was initiated by her.

He asserted he never told Epstein about the episode and was unaware of any instruction from Epstein for his staff to have sex with associates. Investigators also asked about alleged Snow White-costume encounters; Staley said he did not recall such a scene. The committee’s transcript also noted that Epstein had previously settled a sexual-abuse lawsuit filed by the same assistant.