by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY / SOUTH BRONX, Jan 27– JPMorgan Chase's apparent enabling of sex trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as its "debanking," have been formally raised by Fair Finance Watch on November 24 to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, opposing JPMC's applications including to open eight branches while closing in low and moderate income communities.
As the US bank regulators including the OCC under Comptroller Jonathan V. Gould move to limit public notice and participation in review of banks' applications for approvals, and purport to take seriously debanking and even banks' enabling of sex trafficking, this was a test.
On December 2, the test was failed. The OCC wrote: " Dear Mr. Lee: The OCC has decided not to extend the public comment period. Your request for a public hearing did not appropriately describe the nature of issues or facts to be presented in such a hearing. Therefore, your request for a public hearing was denied."
On January 23, FFW filed:
Re: Timely Comment on Branch Applications and JPM Chase & debanking (second comment after Nov 2025)
To Comptroller Gould and To Whom it May Concern at the OCC:
On behalf of Fair Finance Watch and in my personal capacity there are timely comments opposing JPMorgan Chase NA's branch applications listed below, all submitted this month and having comment periods running through today January 23 or later. These comments are timely.
First, note that in November FFW commented to one including about JPM Chase's debanking. The OCC's response on December 2 was to say that no hearing was necessary - and to do nothing. Today we are putting into the record before the OCC the complaint against Chase and its CEO for debanking filed in Florida including as to Plaintiff 401 MEZZ VENTURE, LLC is a limited liability company organized in Delaware with its principal place of business in Florida. 4. Plaintiff 401 NORTH WABASH VENTURE, LLC is a limited liability company organized in Delaware with its principal place of business in Florida. 5. Plaintiff THC MIAMI RESTAURANT HOSPITALITY, LLC is a limited liability company organized in Delaware with its principal place of business in Florida. We are re-requesting a hearing. Here are the pending branch applications we are commenting on
Also for the record on these and all other JPM Chase applications before the OCC, now and until at least the end of the year: JPM Chase has been exposed as having enabled sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including a current Congressional inquiry into Suspicious Activity Reports it should have filed by didn't.
Also, on the issue of debanking which the OCC (and Comptroller) have said they take so seriously, for the record on these and all other JPM Chase applications, consider: "Strike CEO Jack Mallers said JPMorgan Chase closed his bank accounts without a proper explanation last month, prompting concerns of debanking of crypto CEOs. "Last month, J.P. Morgan Chase threw me out of the bank," Mallers wrote on social media platform X on Sunday. "It was bizarre. My dad has been a private client there for 30+ years." When Mallers inquired why his accounts were closed, he said JPMorgan’s only response was: "We aren’t allowed to tell you.'"
Despite the Florida case, the OCC on January 26 wrote to FFW: "January 27, 2026 Sent by email to lee@fairfinancewatch.org Matthew Lee, Esq., Executive Director Fair Finance Watch Post Office Box 10013, Chinatown Station New York, New York 10013 Re: Branch Filings JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Columbus, Ohio, Charter Number 8 Control Numbers: 2026-BranchNew-344538; 2026-BranchNew-344540; 2026-BranchNew-344542; 2026-BranchNew-344544; 2026-BranchNew-344553; 2026-BranchNew-344554; 2026-BranchNew-344559; 2026-BranchNew-344560; 2026-BranchNew-344564; 2026-BranchNew-344591 Dear Mr. Lee: The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) acknowledges receipt of your email of January 23, 2026, transmitting comments regarding the above referenced branch filings. In your emails, you request that the OCC extend the public comment period and hold a public hearing on the branch applications. The OCC has decided not to extend the public comment period. Your request for a public hearing did not appropriately describe the nature of issues or facts to be presented in such a hearing. Therefore, your request for a public hearing was denied."
This is boilerplate. The OCC doesn't actually care about - or believe in the existence of - debanking at all, it seems. Watch this site.
See, American Banker, BankThink: "The FDIC is taking the 'community' out of CRA enforcement," by Matthew R. Lee, here.
Again, the only enforcement mechanism of CRA is its consideration on applications for deposit facilities: branches. A hearing is requested, timely opposition made.
Thank you for your attention, /s/ Matthew Lee, Esq. Executive Director Fair Finance Watch
Watch this site.
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
