New York, NY — The financial institution Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) is facing new civil lawsuits alleging that it knowingly provided financial services that enabled Jeffrey Epstein's years-long sex trafficking operation. The suits place BNY Mellon alongside other major financial institutions, including Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, which have recently faced similar legal action and congressional scrutiny over their handling of Epstein-linked transactions.
Allegations of 'Systematic Failure'
The lawsuits, filed on behalf of anonymous victims, claim a "systematic failure" by BNY Mellon to report suspicious activity, which allegedly allowed Epstein to sustain his criminal enterprise.
The core of the legal argument centers on the bank’s responsibilities under anti-money laundering and know-your-customer regulations. The victims' legal teams contend that the sheer volume, nature, and source of the money flowing through Epstein's accounts should have triggered mandatory Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to federal regulators.
"Egregiously, BNY [Mellon] had a plethora of information regarding Epstein's sex trafficking operation but chose profit over protecting the victims," one of the lawsuits claims.
These legal challenges suggest that financial institutions played a critical role—not just passively—but by providing the "veneer of institutional legitimacy" that allowed Epstein and his co-conspirators to move funds internationally and maintain his lifestyle and influence.
Congressional and Regulatory Scrutiny
The lawsuits follow a broader investigation initiated by the House Committee on the Judiciary, which has been probing why multiple major banks processed an estimated $1.5 billion in Epstein-linked transactions over several years without sufficient reporting.
Lawmakers have pressed the banks for documents and testimony, aiming to understand the institutional mechanisms that failed to flag the suspicious flow of money. The legal and political pressure underscores a growing focus on the financial enablers of high-profile crimes.
Distinguishing 'Paul Mellon' from 'BNY Mellon'
It is important to note that the entity named in these legal proceedings is the corporation, Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon), one of the world's largest investment banks.
There is no public or legal information that connects the historical figure Paul Mellon (an American philanthropist and art collector who died in 1999 and was a prominent member of the Mellon family, whose wealth contributed to the founding of various Mellon-related financial institutions) directly to Jeffrey Epstein or his criminal activities. The connection in current news relates solely to the modern corporate entity, BNY Mellon, and its alleged financial relationship with Epstein's accounts.
The Road Ahead
The lawsuits against BNY Mellon seek significant financial damages for the victims and demand accountability for the alleged institutional failures that spanned years. This new litigation is part of a larger, ongoing effort to expose the full network of individuals and organizations that facilitated Jeffrey Epstein's international sex trafficking ring
Tres Rivers
Investigative Journalist