Who is Jes Staley? Former JPMorgan executive interviewed about Epstein ties

By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/who-is-jes-staley-former-jpmorgan-executive-interviewed-about-epstein-ties Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Who is Jes Staley? Former JPMorgan executive interviewed about Epstein ties Politics Jul 23, 2026 12:11 PM EDT American banker James "Jes" Staley sits for a closed-door interview Thursday after years of mounting questions about his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Staley abruptly stepped down as CEO of the British bank Barclays in 2021, as the United Kingdom's financial regulator dove deeper into the nature of his relationship to Epstein. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. The longtime bank executive, who spent years managing relationships with wealthy clients and later publicly said he regretted his ties to Epstein , has maintained that he had a working relationship with the late financier. But their ties have been the subject of a class-action lawsuit and faced intense scrutiny as banks and overseas regulators reexamine how the 69-year-old has characterized the relationship. Staley was banned for life from senior management roles in the British financial industry after its regulatory authority found he misled investigators about his relationship with Epstein. He appealed the decision and lost. Both of Staley's former employers — JPMorgan, and later, Barclays — have sought to mitigate the legal blowback that resulted from Staley's own on-the-record statements about his connection to Epstein. These legal challenges have also focused on why these institutions would continue financial dealings with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Staley's voluntary interview on July 23 is part of the committee's ongoing investigation into the federal government's handling of cases involving Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. A number of powerful figures from across the political spectrum and the worlds of finance, entertainment and beyond have been named in the Epstein documents released by the Justice Department. Inclusion in the files does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing, but the fallout has led to some high-profile resignations and calls for more accountability. Other notable figures who have provided testimony include billionaire co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist Bill Gates , former President Bill Clinton , former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick , former Attorney General Pam Bondi , two of Epstein's former assistants and a former prison guard who was working the night before the financier was found dead in his cell. Why did the committee want to talk to Staley? Watch the clip in the player above. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said in a letter to Staley in May that the House Oversight Com