Legal experts say that new lawsuits could reveal late financier Jeffrey Epstein's ties to banks and avoid the "embarrassing partisan gamesmanship" blocking justice for survivors and "accomplish what lawmakers had failed to do."
Two new lawsuits filed against Bank of America and the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY) by an anonymous plaintiff allege that the financial institutions "illicitly enabled Epstein’s sex trafficking," The Guardian reports Monday. The suits are led by Sigrid S. McCawley, of Boies Schiller Flexner, and Brad Edwards of Edwards Henderson, both longtime representatives of Epstein victims.
Despite the outcome of the suits, Edwards asserts that the litigation could discourage future trafficking.
“The lawsuits are necessary for complete justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein – as well as for future would-be victims who will suffer from similar trafficking organizations – if our financial institutions are not held accountable for the essential role each plays, either in providing the necessary infrastructure for the illegal operation or recognizing the financial component of these crimes and putting an end to it," Edwards said in a statement.
“We have a far better chance of making a real difference than Congress, because we know the facts and history of the case and are not motivated by politics but rather by a genuine desire to make a real difference and to protect the survivors, who have already suffered tremendously," he added.
The legal move could shed more light on secrets behind Epstein and other wealthy individuals' actions.
“We approach these matters without any political agenda and thus cannot be deterred by shutdowns, protecting wealthy politically connected individuals, or the other embarrassing partisan gamesmanship you and the rest of the world have had to watch unfold recently.”
Bank of America and BNY have denied the claims.