Several prominent business magnates, including Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, and Thomas Pritzker, the heir to the Hyatt hotel chain, have been subpoenaed in a high-profile lawsuit investigating JPMorgan Chase's ties to the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The attorney general of the US Virgin Islands has requested that Brin, Pritzker, Michael Ovitz, the co-founder of Creative Arts Agency, and real estate tycoon Mort Zuckerman submit any documents or information related to the bank and Epstein.
The subpoenas are related to the US Virgin Islands' civil lawsuit that accuses JPMorgan Chase of benefiting from Epstein's notorious sex-trafficking ring while turning a blind eye to his immoral acts. The Wall Street Journal reported that it is not clear why the four individuals were asked to provide information related to JPMorgan Chase's links with Epstein. However, such requests are often made during the discovery process for people who may have relevant information but are not directly involved in the case. The bank has denied any wrongdoing and claims to be unaware of Epstein's criminal activities.
Brin, whose personal fortune is estimated at $85.6 billion, is one of the world's richest people and co-founded Google. Pritzker is the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Group and has an estimated net worth of $5.3 billion. Ovitz is a former Hollywood super-agent and co-founder of the Creative Artists Agency, while Zuckerman is a prominent real estate developer and current owner of US News & World Report.
Epstein, who possessed a couple of private islands located in the US Virgin Islands, died in prison in 2019 under suspicious circumstances while facing federal charges related to sex trafficking. JPMorgan had Epstein as a client for around 13 years, from 2000 to 2013. The US Virgin Islands has filed a civil lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase seeking compensation as one of two lawsuits that the bank is facing due to its association with the disgraced financier.
The investigation of JPMorgan Chase's links to Epstein has been a controversial and high-profile case. The involvement of prominent business magnates such as Brin, Pritzker, Ovitz, and Zuckerman adds a new dimension to the investigation and raises questions about the extent of Epstein's influence and connections in the business world.
