US Virgin Islands seeks to subpoena Elon Musk in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit
NEW YORK — The federal government of the U.S. Virgin Islands is making an attempt to subpoena billionaire Elon Musk for paperwork in its lawsuit searching for to carry JPMorgan Chase accountable for intercourse trafficking acts dedicated by businessman Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk has by no means been publicly accused of any wrongdoing associated to Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 as he awaited intercourse trafficking fees in a federal jail in Manhattan.
However over time, there had been unconfirmed hypothesis — inspired by Epstein himself — that Epstein had suggested Musk on sure enterprise issues.
Spokespeople for Musk have denied these stories, however the authorities of the U.S. Virgin Islands stated in a court docket submitting that it believes Epstein could have referred or tried to refer Musk to JPMorgan as a possible consumer.
The Virgin Islands, the place Epstein had an property, sued JPMorgan final yr, saying its investigation has revealed that the monetary providers large enabled Epstein’s recruiters to pay victims and was “indispensable to the operation and concealment of the Epstein trafficking enterprise.”
Legal professionals for JPMorgan didn’t instantly return messages searching for remark Monday.
Prior to now, they’ve stated victims are entitled to justice however litigation making an attempt guilty the monetary establishment for Epstein’s actions have been legally meritless, directed on the flawed occasion and ought to be dismissed.
Authorities alleged that Epstein recruited and sexually abused dozens of underage women at his mansions in New York and Palm Seaside, Florida, within the early 2000s. He had pleaded not responsible.
Legal professionals for the Virgin Islands advised a federal decide Monday that they have not been capable of find Musk to serve him with the subpoena.
They requested the court docket to serve Tesla, his electrical car firm, as a substitute.
They stated they employed an investigative agency to go looking public data databases for doable addresses for Musk and reached out to one in every of his attorneys by e mail, however obtained no response.
A message despatched to a lawyer for Musk searching for remark Monday was not instantly returned.
The subpoena — one in every of a number of despatched to distinguished enterprise figures — sought paperwork from Jan. 1, 2002, to the current reflecting communications between Musk and JPMorgan or Musk and Epstein concerning Epstein or Epstein’s position in Musk’s accounts, transactions or monetary administration.
It additionally sought all paperwork reflecting or concerning Epstein’s involvement in human trafficking and his procurement of ladies or girls for industrial intercourse.
And it sought details about charges Musk may need paid to Epstein or JPMorgan and any paperwork regarding communications between Musk, Epstein and JPMorgan concerning accounts, transactions or the connection at JPMorgan.