A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit accusing Bank of America of ignoring warning signs tied to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking can move forward, saying the claims are strong enough to be heard in court.
US District Judge Jed Rakoff said Wednesday that allegations the bank "recklessly disregarded" information about Epstein's conduct were sufficient to allow a proposed class action lawsuit to proceed.
The decision explains his earlier January 29 ruling that lets alleged victims pursue two key claims against the bank.
The lawsuit accuses Bank of America of knowingly benefiting from Epstein's sex trafficking and of obstructing enforcement of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
According to Reuters, the judge did not rule on whether the bank is guilty. Instead, he found that the claims deserve further review at trial, which is scheduled for May 11.
In a detailed 42-page opinion, Rakoff wrote that the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, "plainly alleges" that Bank of America provided non-routine banking services that helped Epstein.
According to the complaint, the bank allowed Doe to become a "premier" customer and move large amounts of money, despite allegedly having "every reason to know" Epstein was involved in the transfers and in sex crimes.
🚨 Judge Rakoff allows key TVPA sex-trafficking claims to proceed against Bank of America over its alleged role in facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking venture.
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) February 12, 2026
Negligence claims dismissed; BNY Mellon wins partial dismissal. pic.twitter.com/4y3mz6fJTW
Read more: Bank of America Shares 4% Rise in Q2 After Announcing Net Interest Income Rebound Imminent
Judge: Bank of America 'Turned Blind Eye'
Rakoff also said Doe plausibly claimed that the bank "turned a blind eye" to media reports about Epstein.
He pointed to questions about "the way large transfers passed in and out of an account allegedly owned by an impecunious young woman."
The judge added that one bank employee, who previously worked with Epstein at other major banks, allegedly had "direct personal knowledge" of Epstein's sex trafficking, which could expose Bank of America to civil liability, US News reported.
The lawsuit claims the bank continued doing business with Epstein until his arrest in July 2019 because profits were placed above protecting victims.
Epstein died the following month in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by the city's medical examiner.
Bank of America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it looks forward to a full review of the facts.
The judge dismissed four other claims against the bank and threw out all claims in a similar lawsuit against Bank of New York Mellon.
In 2023, Epstein accusers reached settlements totaling $290 million with JPMorgan Chase and $75 million with Deutsche Bank. Neither bank admitted wrongdoing.
Join the Conversation