Full Breakdown
Former Barclays CEO Jes Staley Denies Snow White Allegations in Congressional Testimony
8/28/2026, 12:57:30 AM
Allegations and Staley’s Denial
During a closed-door interview with U.S. lawmakers investigating Jeffrey Epstein, former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley was asked whether he ever had sex with a woman dressed as Snow White. Staley responded, “No, I did not.” He also rejected the notion that he and Epstein used Disney princesses as code names for sexual encounters, stating simply “No.”
Email Timeline
- June 20, 2010 (occurred): Epstein is reported to have asked an unnamed individual to purchase a Snow White costume.
- The same day an unnamed sender messaged Epstein about the costume.
- July 10, 2010 (occurred): Staley and Epstein exchanged further messages referencing Disney princesses, including Staley’s reply “Beauty and the Beast.”
Background of Staley’s Ties to Epstein
Staley first met Epstein in 2000 while leading JPMorgan Chase’s private bank, where Epstein was a client. Their friendship continued after Staley became Barclays CEO in 2015. Regulators in the United Kingdom opened an investigation into the relationship, leading to Staley’s resignation from Barclays in 2021 and a subsequent ban on holding senior roles in the UK financial sector. A 2023 court battle to overturn that ban revealed intimate details of the pair’s interactions.
Official Testimony
In the congressional transcript, Staley acknowledged seeing a woman in Epstein’s apartment but insisted it was unrelated to any sexual activity involving a Snow White costume. When pressed about the coincidence of his July email and the subsequent anonymous message, he replied, “Sure. Why not?” and later affirmed, “That’s pretty hard to believe,” was the representative’s reaction.
Verbatim Quote
- “I have no idea who else she was with. I – it has nothing to do with me, though,” — Jes Staley
*The testimony underscores Staley’s consistent denial of sexual conduct linked to the Snow White costume, while the released email exchanges continue to fuel public scrutiny of his historic association with Epstein.*
