Former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley has been implicated in serious sexual misconduct allegations, according to recently unsealed documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The files, which include a confidential 86-page memo from US prosecutors, detail claims that Staley forced a woman to touch his genitals and raped her during a massage at Epstein's New York residence around 2011 or 2012.
Prosecutors Reviewed Allegations of Rape and Bodily Harm
The memo, titled "Investigation into Potential Co-Conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein" and dated 19 December 2019, summarises interviews with victims and witnesses. It alleges that after the incident, the woman complained to Epstein, who reportedly said it was up to her and Staley to decide whether to engage in sex. Another section cites a separate victim who claimed both Staley and financier Leon Black engaged in sexual contact against her will during massages.
Staley, who has denied any wrongdoing, did not respond to requests for comment over several months. There is no evidence that prosecutors decided to pursue the allegations, and he has never been charged with a crime related to these claims.
Court Hearing and Email Exchanges
During a UK court hearing in 2025, Staley admitted to having sex with a member of Epstein's staff in New York but described it as consensual. The unsealed files also reveal email exchanges from July 2010, where Staley and Epstein discussed Disney princesses, with Staley mentioning "Say hi to Snow White" and Epstein responding about "Beauty and the Beast." Staley has denied knowledge of this exchange in court.
Additional documents show an email from an unnamed individual on the same date, stating "the snow white was f..ed twice as soon as she put her costume." Weeks earlier, Epstein had asked someone to buy a Snow White costume, suggesting a pattern of behaviour linked to the financier's abuse methods.
Impact on Staley's Career and Reputation
Staley's friendship with Epstein, which began in 2000 when he was head of JP Morgan's private bank, has severely damaged his reputation. He was forced to step down as Barclays CEO in 2021 after UK regulators investigated his ties to Epstein and was later banned from the financial sector for downplaying those connections. A failed court battle in 2024 attempted to overturn this ban, revealing intimate details of their relationship.
The newly released files include a memo from June 2023, indicating that New York prosecutors believe allegations against Staley but lack independent corroboration. The US Department of Justice did not comment on the matter.
Epstein, who used massages to groom and abuse teenage girls, died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. These unsealed documents continue to shed light on the network of associates involved in his crimes.
