Senior United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, appointed by President Clinton in 1996. Born August 1, 1943 in Philadelphia. B.A. from Swarthmore College (1964), M.Phil. from Oxford University's Balliol College (1966), J.D. from Harvard Law School (1969). Former federal prosecutor in the SDNY. Widely regarded as one of the most influential federal judges in the country.
Rakoff has become the central judicial figure in civil litigation surrounding Epstein's sex trafficking and the financial institutions that facilitated it. In 2023, he ruled that JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank must face proposed class actions by Epstein's victims under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. These cases produced historic settlements: $290 million from JPMorgan to victims, $75 million from JPMorgan to the USVI, and $75 million from Deutsche Bank to victims. In January 2026, Rakoff allowed two claims against Bank of America to proceed, ruling the bank knowingly benefited from Epstein's trafficking and obstructed enforcement. Bank of America subsequently agreed to a $72.5 million settlement in March 2026. In total, Rakoff has overseen proceedings producing over $500 million in settlements from financial institutions connected to Epstein.
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Jed Rakoff is mentioned in documents or reporting related to the Epstein case. Being mentioned does not imply any wrongdoing, criminal conduct, or inappropriate behavior.
This dossier was generated by AI (Claude) from court filings, government releases, and other documentary sources in our database. It may contain errors or misattributions. Always verify claims against the linked source documents.
Background
Born August 1, 1943, Philadelphia. Swarthmore College, Oxford (M.Phil.), Harvard Law School. Former SDNY prosecutor. Appointed to SDNY bench by President Clinton in 1996. Senior status since 2010. Over 1,800 published judicial opinions.
Epstein Connection
Presiding judge over all major civil banking lawsuits related to Epstein's sex trafficking operation. His rulings allowed victims' claims under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to proceed against JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America, leading to over $500 million in total settlements. His decisions established legal precedent for holding financial institutions liable for facilitating sex trafficking.
Legal Status
Presiding judge. Not a subject of allegations.
Key Relationships(3)
SDNY case dockets
BofA lawsuit
JPMorgan, BofA lawsuits
Timeline(6 events)
Appointed to SDNY by President Clinton
Rules JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank must face Epstein victims' class actions
JPMorgan agrees to $290M victim settlement and $75M USVI settlement
Deutsche Bank agrees to $75M victim settlement
Allows two claims against Bank of America to proceed; dismisses BNY Mellon
Bank of America agrees to $72.5M settlement, pending Rakoff approval
At a Glance
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Document Mentions
About Jed Rakoff
Who is Jed Rakoff?
Senior United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, appointed by President Clinton in 1996. Born August 1, 1943 in Philadelphia. B.A. from Swarthmore College (1964), M.Phil. from Oxford University's Balliol College (1966), J.D. from Harvard Law School (1969). Former federal prosecutor in the SDNY. Widely regarded as one of the most influential federal judges in the country. Rakoff has become the central judicial figure in civil litigation surrounding Epstein's sex trafficking and the financial institutions that facilitated it. In 2023, he ruled that JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank must face proposed class actions by Epstein's victims under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. These cases produced historic settlements: $290 million from JPMorgan to victims, $75 million from JPMorgan to the USVI, and $75 million from Deutsche Bank to victims. In January 2026, Rakoff allowed two claims against Bank of America to proceed, ruling the bank knowingly benefited from Epstein's trafficking and obstructed enforcement. Bank of America subsequently agreed to a $72.5 million settlement in March 2026. In total, Rakoff has overseen proceedings producing over $500 million in settlements from financial institutions connected to Epstein.
What is Jed Rakoff's connection to Jeffrey Epstein?
Jed Rakoff appears in 101 case documents, 0 flight logs, and 0 emails from the Epstein investigation files.
Is Jed Rakoff in the Epstein files?
Yes. Jed Rakoff is referenced in 101 documents from the Epstein case files, including court filings, FBI reports, and DOJ releases.
This dossier on Jed Rakoff was compiled from court records, flight logs, and public documents. 100% free, ad-free, and independent.