Full Breakdown
Jes Staley Testifies Before U.S. House Oversight Committee on Epstein Ties
7/23/2026, 11:38:56 PM
Core Event
On July 23, former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley appeared in a closed-door hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Staley asserted he had no friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while committee Democrats said he was not answering questions under oath.
Background & Context
Staley led Barclays until his resignation after the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) concluded he had misled regulators about his relationship with Epstein. The FCA cited more than 1,000 emails in which Staley described the bond as “profound” and referred to Epstein as “family.” Earlier, Staley headed JPMorgan Chase’s private bank, where Epstein was a client; the U.S. Virgin Islands sued JPMorgan for allegedly ignoring Epstein’s trafficking, a case later settled without admission of wrongdoing. Staley subsequently lost an appeal that sought to overturn the FCA’s industry ban and forfeited roughly £18 million in Barclays compensation.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, joined by Representatives Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi, wrote to Barclays chair Nigel Higgins demanding answers about how the bank handled information on Staley’s ties. Barclays responded that the UK regulator concluded the bank was misled and that its own investigation was based on information available at the time, noting new data now shows Staley misled the bank and others.
Data & Statistics
- Over 1,000 emails between Staley and Epstein were referenced by the FCA.
- The FCA ban prevents Staley from taking any role in the UK financial sector.
- Staley lost approximately £18 million ($24 million) in pay and bonuses from Barclays.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Staley is not being ?truthful and is flat out lying,” — U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, of California, the senior Democrat on the panel
