EVCP Subpoena Cost Reimbursement Order

MEMORANDUM ORDER ON EVCP SUBPOENA COSTS Related Epstein banking cases, including Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. S.D.N.Y. Nos. 22-cv-10018, 22-cv-10019, and 22-cv-10904 Entered: November 22, 2023 This post-settlement memorandum order resolved a cost dispute involving the non-party Epstein Victims' Compensation Program, or EVCP. EVCP sought reimbursement for costs incurred responding to subpoenas from JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank in the related Epstein banking cases. The subpoenas sought information about claimants and claims submitted to the compensation program for use in class-certification and related litigation disputes. Judge Rakoff explained that EVCP had been created as a court-approved alternative dispute resolution program to confidentially resolve sexual-abuse claims against Jeffrey Epstein and others. The order states that EVCP received claims from 361 individuals and paid approximately $121 million before largely winding down operations. The court described the confidentiality conflict created by the subpoenas. EVCP objected that claimant information was sensitive and privileged. The court had earlier required limited production on an attorneys-eyes-only basis with personally identifying information redacted. The parties later agreed to a spreadsheet-based production, but preserved EVCP's right to seek reimbursement. EVCP requested roughly $1.5 million. The court granted reimbursement in part, ordering JPMorgan to pay $563,365.51 and Deutsche Bank to pay $187,788.50. The order is a financial record because it quantifies the litigation cost imposed on a victim-compensation program and allocates that cost to the banks that sought the discovery. Source: SDNY / CourtListener RECAP Available at: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653.351.0.pdf