1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Bank of America settles Epstein case for $72.5 million

Shakeel Sobhan AFP, Reuters
March 28, 2026

A lawsuit claimed the bank ignored red flags tied to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operations. The bank denied wrongdoing but agreed to settle.

The Bank of America logo is displayed through a magnifying glass in this photo illustration in Ontario, Canada, on February 9, 2026.
Bank of America denied wrongdoing but said the settlement would bring closure for plaintiffs [FILE PHOTO: February 9, 2026]Image: Thomas Fuller/NurPhoto/picture alliance

Bank of America has agreed to pay $72.5 million (€62.8 million) to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operations, according to court filings on Friday.

The lawsuit, filed by an unidentified woman on behalf of herself and other alleged victims, accused the bank of ignoring "red flags" and suspicious transactions linked to Epstein in order to continue providing him financial services. The suit accused the bank of valuing profit over protecting victims.

While the bank denied the allegations and said that the "Bank of America did not facilitate sex trafficking crimes," it added that the ​resolution the settlement would bring closure for plaintiffs, ​a spokesperson for the bank said in a statement.

JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank settled earlier

The proposed settlement, which requires court approval, would avert a lengthy trial.

A hearing has been scheduled before a US district judge.

Friday's settlement follows similar precedents by other lenders, including JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank. In 2023, both of these banks agreed to pay $75 million separately to settle similar lawsuits.

Who was Jeffrey Epstein?

Epstein started his career with a job at investment bank Bear Stearns where he was made a limited partner in 1980 [FILE PHOTO: January 2, 2026]Image: Jon Elswick/AP Photo/picture alliance

Epstein, a New York financier, was accused of running a yearslong sex abuse ring involving underage girls. He was convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from minors.

He died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on further sex trafficking charges.

In 2025, the release of a vast archive of evidence collected in connection with the convicted pedophile triggered global fallout, including the arrests in the UK of ex-Prince Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor and ex‑Ambassador Peter Mandelson.

In the US, the files exposed Epstein's ties with prominent figures.

After Epstein: How to hold powerful abusers accountable

09:56

This browser does not support the video element.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW

More stories from DW