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UBS Bank Kept Ghislaine Maxwell's Millions Despite Epstein's Crimes

Why did UBS ignore red flags for years? Maxwell's $19 million stayed untouched—even as Epstein's crimes shocked the world.

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The image shows an old Swiss banknote with a picture of a man on it. The text on the paper reads...
The image shows an old Swiss banknote with a picture of a man on it. The text on the paper reads "Banque Generale Suisse" and there is a watermark on the left side of the image. The man in the picture is wearing a suit and tie and has a serious expression on his face. The background of the paper is a light blue color.

UBS Bank Kept Ghislaine Maxwell's Millions Despite Epstein's Crimes

Swiss bank UBS handled millions for Ghislaine Maxwell while she remained closely linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Internal records show the bank accepted her as a client in 2014, despite her being flagged as high-risk and rejected by other financial institutions like Wells Fargo years earlier.

The relationship continued even after Epstein's 2019 arrest, with Maxwell transferring large sums through her accounts during this period.

In 2014, Maxwell opened several accounts with UBS after JPMorgan had severed ties with Epstein in 2008. Though she was already considered a high-risk client—and had been turned away by banks as early as 2011—the Swiss lender approved her applications. Around the same time, Epstein briefly held a UBS credit card, despite his 2008 conviction for soliciting minors.

By September 2014, UBS revoked Epstein's card, citing concerns over 'reputational risks'. Yet Maxwell's accounts remained active, eventually holding up to $19 million. The bank continued processing her transactions even after Epstein's imprisonment.

In August 2019, just weeks after Epstein's arrest, Maxwell moved $130,000 into her UBS account. That same month, the bank received a U.S. grand jury subpoena, forcing it to disclose details of her financial activity. Despite the legal pressure, Maxwell kept transferring funds through the institution.

UBS maintained Maxwell's accounts for years, despite her well-documented connection to Epstein. The bank's decision to accept and retain her as a client—even after his conviction and imprisonment—later became a focus of legal scrutiny.

The subpoena in 2019 required UBS to hand over records of her transactions, revealing the extent of her financial dealings during a period of intense public and legal attention.

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