Newly unsealed files linked to the disgraced child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reveal that US prosecutors reviewed allegations of rape and bodily harm against former Barclays CEO Jes Staley. Staley, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, has never been charged with a crime related to the claims.
The allegations are contained in an 86-page internal memo produced by prosecutors and addressed to the then US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The memo cites claims that Staley forced a woman to touch his genitals during a massage before raping her, and left “bloody marks” on the arms of a woman he called “tinkerbell”.
One victim alleged that Epstein instructed her to provide a massage to Staley at Epstein’s New York residence in or around 2011 or 2012. She said Staley forced her to touch his genitals and then raped her. After the incident, she complained to Epstein, who left it to her and Staley to decide whether to engage in sex. She subsequently distanced herself from Epstein.
Another woman recalled Epstein asking her to massage Staley and financier Leon Black, both of whom allegedly engaged in sexual contact with her against her will during the massages. When she complained, Epstein laughed and told her it was up to her whether to engage in sex during those massages.
During a UK court hearing in 2025, Staley admitted to having sex with a member of Epstein’s staff in New York, but he maintained that the intercourse was consensual. The memo also includes an internal email between prosecutors noting the rape allegation, and the final 15 pages of the document, summarising potential charges, are heavily redacted.
