Epstein's 'Golden Silence': Financier's Payoffs Protected Child Sex Ring, Bank Alleges
A series of disturbing allegations have emerged from legal documents suggesting that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein used massive financial payoffs to protect his illicit child sex trafficking ring in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The accused recipients of these payments include prominent figures and law enforcement officials, including a former governor and his wife.
JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank, has filed these shocking claims, accusing the island's elite of ignoring Epstein's monstrous actions as long as the monetary rewards kept coming. This revelation follows JPMorgan's agreement to pay an immense $290 million settlement to a lawsuit initiated by many of Epstein's victims, who were often held on Epstein's privately owned island in the Caribbean territory.
Simultaneously, the bank argues in its legal filings that the Virgin Islands' authorities "fostered an environment that facilitated Epstein's criminal conduct and allowed it to persist undetected. They were not his impediments, they were his enablers."
The legal filings assert that Epstein provided Cecile de Jongh, wife of ex-Gov. John de Jongh, up to $100,000 annually as the office manager for his local operations. She also allegedly received another $50,000 for her children's school tuition and an additional $15,000 for the governor's Special Events Fund.
Documents reveal that Epstein also proposed a loan to the governor to combat embezzlement charges in 2015. According to JPMorgan, Cecile, in return, allegedly showed Epstein how to gain control over the island's politicians, and functioned as the "primary conduit for spreading money and influence throughout" the Virgin Islands.
In one such case, emails suggest that Cecile recommended Epstein could secure "loyalty and access" from then-Sen. Celestino White by placing him on a "monthly retainer." Allegedly, White accepted $10,000 "to consult on renaming one of Epstein's islands," as stated in the court filing. White denies all accusations.
In another startling revelation, Cecile reportedly facilitated Epstein's trafficking scheme by aiding his victims in securing student visas through enrollment in a tailored English-as-a-second-language course at the University of the Virgin Islands.
Moreover, the bank accuses the Virgin Islands' government of granting Epstein $300 million in tax breaks and alleges he paid law enforcement officials to avoid supervision as a sex offender following his 2006 conviction in Florida for hiring an underage prostitute.
Interestingly, Cecile is said to have pursued legislation that would prevent Epstein from being tracked as a sex offender to assist him with his exploitation of teenage girls. It's reported she emailed him a draft of the bill asking: “Will it work for you?”
JPMorgan's revelations are part of a response to a lawsuit filed by the islands' government, alleging the bank's complicity in Epstein's trafficking operation for years due to the considerable fees he produced.
Prominent figures like former President Bill Clinton were reportedly entertained by Epstein on his private island. While Clinton and other high-profile individuals, including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, former President Donald Trump, Britain's Prince Andrew, and Microsoft's Bill Gates, deny any knowledge of Epstein's illegal activities, allegations persist.
Attorney Spencer Kuvin, representing nine now-adult Epstein victims, argues Epstein's vast influence was a direct result of his wealth, stating, "Money and power seem to have corrupted everyone within his orbit, from celebrities to politicians to the global educational elite. As more documents are revealed, we can expect even more shocking disclosures to surface."