Former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley denied having sexual relations with a woman dressed as Snow White during a closed-door US congressional interview regarding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly released transcripts.
Jes Staley Denies Snow White Allegations in Congressional Testimony
During the July hearing with US lawmakers investigating the late child sex offender, Jes Staley faced direct questioning about a July 2010 email exchange concerning Disney princesses, according to transcripts released last month. A congressional representative asked Staley, “Did you ever have sex with a young woman in a Snow White costume?“No, I did not,” Staley said.”
Staley spent more than three decades at JPMorgan Chase before heading Barclays in 2015. Lawmakers pressed him on messages sent on July 9 and 10, 2010, where Staley emailed Epstein, “That was fun. Say hi to Snow White.” When Epstein asked what character he wanted next, Staley replied, “Beauty and the Beast,” according to the transcripts.
Disputed Emails and Apartment Encounters
Investigators confronted Staley with another message sent to Epstein on July 10, 2010, by an unnamed individual. That email stated, “the snow white was f..ed twice as soon as she put her costume))”. Records indicate Epstein had asked someone to purchase a Snow White costume weeks earlier on June 20, 2010.
When a redacted congressional representative asked why that email would exist if no encounter occurred, Staley stated, “I have no idea who else she was with. I – it has nothing to do with me, though.” Staley added that he may have seen the woman in Epstein’s apartment and prompted his own email, but maintained he was not with anyone in a costume outside of potentially crossing paths at the residence. Staley also denied that he and Epstein used Disney princesses as codenames to select women for sexual encounters.
Did you know? Jes Staley met Jeffrey Epstein in 2000 when Staley became head of JP Morgan’s private bank, where Epstein was a client. Staley later stepped down from Barclays in 2021 after regulators investigated his relationship with the sex offender.
Regulatory Fallout and Banned Financial Career
After City regulators opened an investigation into his relationship with the convicted sex offender, Staley stepped down as chief executive of Barclays in 2021. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) subsequently banned Staley from taking any job in the UK financial sector for playing down those ties. Last year, Staley failed to overturn that banking ban in a court battle that exposed intimate details of the pair’s friendship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jes Staley?
Jes Staley is the former chief executive of British bank Barclays and former head of JPMorgan Chase’s private bank, who was banned from the UK financial sector over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
What were the Disney princess emails about?
The emails exchanged between Staley and Epstein in July 2010 referenced characters like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. US lawmakers questioned Staley about whether these served as codenames for selecting women for sexual encounters, which Staley denied.
Why was Jes Staley banned from banking?
According to the Financial Conduct Authority, Staley failed to accurately disclose the nature and length of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, leading to a permanent ban from the UK financial services industry.
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