Epstein Victims Win as Judge Certifies Class Action Against FirstBank Puerto Rico Over Trafficking Claims

Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims have scored a major legal victory after a federal judge certified a new class-action lawsuit against a Puerto Rican bank accused of helping facilitate the late financier's s-- trafficking operation, OK! can reveal.

According to court documents obtained by OK!, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff granted class certification on October 20 in a lawsuit brought by Julia Molchonova against FirstBank Puerto Rico and its parent company, First BanCorp.

The ruling allows women allegedly abused or trafficked by Epstein between January 1, 1998, and August 10, 2019, to pursue claims collectively against the financial institutions.

In the two-page order, Rakoff declared: "The Court hereby grants Molchonova's motion and certifies the following class: All women who were abused or trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein at any time between January 1, 1998, and August 10, 2019."

The judge noted that FirstBank opposed the motion, which was argued during an October 15 hearing. Following the hearing, Rakoff requested additional numerical information from a claims administrator involved in separate Epstein-related litigation concerning Bank of America, JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank.

The information was delivered October 17 and shared with the parties two days later. Rakoff said a separate opinion explaining his decision would follow, after which the court would consider notifying eligible class members.

The latest ruling follows an October 14 opinion in which Rakoff allowed several claims against FirstBank to proceed. Molchonova alleges the bank maintained an extensive financial relationship with Epstein despite mounting evidence of his alleged criminal activities.

According to the earlier opinion, the complaint claims FirstBank opened and maintained more than 30 accounts associated with Epstein and related entities over two decades. Those accounts allegedly facilitated millions of dollars in transfers involving Epstein, his associates, and entities connected to his operations.

The lawsuit further alleges that FirstBank continued providing services even after other major financial institutions ended their relationships with Epstein.

In his earlier ruling, Rakoff examined allegations that FirstBank ignored warning signs surrounding Epstein's activities.

The complaint claims the bank processed payments involving Epstein-linked entities and maintained accounts despite publicly available reports concerning his abuse of young women and girls.

Rakoff concluded that Molchonova had sufficiently alleged participation in a s-- trafficking venture to allow her claim under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to proceed.

However, the judge dismissed a separate claim alleging obstruction of enforcement under that law. FirstBank has contested the allegations, and no finding of liability has been made.

The newly certified class covers a period beginning around the time FirstBank allegedly opened accounts connected to Epstein and ending with his death in August 2019.

The decision represents a significant procedural step for alleged victims seeking to hold financial institutions accountable for their purported roles in Epstein's operations.

For now, the case will continue under the court's existing schedule while Rakoff prepares a more detailed explanation of his class-certification ruling.