By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon to set aside two days for depositions about what he knew about the bank's relationship with sex offender and former client Jeffrey Epstein.
The largest U.S. bank faces lawsuits seeking damages by women who claim that Epstein sexually abused them, and by the U.S. Virgin Islands, where the late financier had a home.
JPMorgan is separately suing former private banking chief Jes Staley, claiming he concealed what he knew about Epstein and should cover losses it may incur in the two lawsuits.
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said Dimon can be questioned by the plaintiffs' lawyers for five hours, and by Staley's lawyer for two hours.
Rakoff may allow more time if anyone requests it. JPMorgan had offered to make Dimon available for three hours. An Oct. 23 trial is scheduled.
"The plaintiffs' counsel know our CEO has no relevant knowledge, but persist with this media stunt," JPMorgan said in a statement. "A review of more than two decades of emails and other documents makes it clear that he had no involvement with Epstein or his accounts. He does not recall ever meeting, speaking or communicating with him."
Epstein was a JPMorgan client from 2000 to 2013, remaining so after pleading guilty in 2008 to a Florida state prostitution charge.
In court papers, JPMorgan has been accused of knowing by 2006 that Epstein paid cash to have underage girls and young women brought to his home, and ignoring several internal warnings to cut ties with him.
Dimon joined JPMorgan in 2004 and became CEO in December 2005. He has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs and Staley did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Staley, who was Barclays (LON:BARC) Plc's CEO from 2015 to 2021, has expressed regret for being friendly with Epstein.
In August 2019, Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
The cases in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York are: Jane Doe 1 v JPMorgan Chase & Co, No. 22-10019; Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands v JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, No. 22-10904; and JPMorgan Chase Bank NA v Staley, in Nos. 22-10019 and 22-10904.