--- alias: - Motley Rice - Motley Rice LLC category: Private Organization created: 2026-09-25 location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina relations: - fn: 1 reverse: true start: 2003-04 type: founded with: '[[Ron Motley]]' - fn: 1 reverse: true start: 2003-04 type: founded with: '[[Joe Rice]]' - end: 2023-10 fn: 4 role: contingency counsel against the Epstein estate and JPMorgan Chase start: 2020 type: represented with: '[[Government of the United States Virgin Islands]]' - end: 2023-10-18 fn: 7 role: counsel for the plaintiff start: 2022-12-27 type: participant_in with: '[[Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank]]' start: 2003-04 summary: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina plaintiffs' firm of the 1998 tobacco settlement negotiators, contingency counsel to the Virgin Islands against Epstein's estate and JPMorgan Chase, which took more than 43 million dollars in fees. tags: - Organization - LawFirm - MotleyRice - VirginIslands - JeffreyEpstein - JPMorganChase - ProjectJeep - TobaccoLitigation - MassTort updated: 2026-09-25 --- Motley Rice LLC is a plaintiffs' litigation firm founded in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in April 2003 by Ron Motley (1944 to 2013) and Joe Rice (1954 to 2026), who as lead private counsel for state attorneys general negotiated the 246 billion dollar tobacco Master Settlement Agreement of 1998. On contingency, it represented the [Government of the United States Virgin Islands](/organizations/government-of-the-united-states-virgin-islands/) in its 2020 suit against the estate of [Jeffrey Epstein](/people/jeffrey-epstein/), which settled in 2022 for 105 million dollars, and in [Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank](/events/government-of-the-united-states-virgin-islands-v-jpmorgan-chase-bank/), which settled in 2023 for 75 million dollars. The firm stood to receive more than 23 million dollars of the first settlement and received 20 million dollars of the second.[^1][^2][^3][^4] ### The Firm Motley and Rice began working together in the 1970s in asbestos litigation at a firm in Barnwell, South Carolina, later Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole. The firm credits itself with more than 50 cases in the aviation litigation arising from the September 11 attacks and with representing more than 6,600 family members, survivors and first responders in continuing litigation; with the terrorism-financing case Linde v. Arab Bank under the Anti-Terrorism Act; as co-lead negotiator of the Deepwater Horizon class settlement with BP; and as co-lead counsel for more than 2,700 communities in the National Prescription Opiate multidistrict litigation.[^1][^2] ### The Estate Case On January 15, 2020 Attorney General [Denise George](/people/denise-george/) sued Epstein's estate in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands under the territory's Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, naming the co-executors [Darren Indyke](/people/darren-indyke/) and [Richard Kahn](/people/richard-kahn/) and Epstein's companies. According to [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) notes of her October 2, 2023 interview, George consulted Governor [Albert Bryan](/people/albert-bryan/) before filing and was told, "He's dead go for it," and Motley Rice's forensic accountants traced companies and limited liability companies connected to Epstein's [Southern Trust Company](/organizations/southern-trust-company/). When the firm began interviewing estate employees, who she said "had nondisclosure agreements and were informed if questioned by law enforcement to say nothing and alert Kellerhals," Bryan's chief legal counsel, [David Bornn](/people/david-bornn/), a former employee of the estate lawyer [Erika Kellerhals](/people/erika-kellerhals/), called George to relay that Kellerhals wanted to know what she was investigating. According to the same notes, George told the FBI that Bryan later asked her, "originally when I said go ahead I didn't think it was going to go this far. I can't get you to let this go?" Bryan has denied wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein.[^5][^6] The case settled on December 1, 2022. The estate agreed to pay 105 million dollars in cash, to return more than 80 million dollars in economic development tax benefits obtained through Southern Trust's certificate, to give the territory half the proceeds of the sale of [Little St. James](/places/little-st-james/), and to pay 450,000 dollars for remediation on [Great St. James](/places/great-st-james/). Motley Rice stood to receive more than 23 million dollars of the 105 million. Indyke and Kahn were not charged and have denied wrongdoing.[^3][^4][^5] ### The JPMorgan Case George filed the territory's suit against [JPMorgan Chase](/organizations/jpmorgan-chase/) on December 27, 2022 before Judge [Jed Rakoff](/people/jed-rakoff/) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that the bank had knowingly facilitated and profited from Epstein's sex trafficking while keeping him as a client from 1998 to 2013. Bryan removed her four days later. The territory's lawyers of record included Linda Singer and Elizabeth Paige Boggs of Motley Rice.[^7][^8] In February 2023 the firm sought to serve [Leslie Wexner](/people/leslie-wexner/) with a document subpoena. According to its sworn declaration, Wexner's longtime Columbus lawyer John W. Zeiger of Zeiger, Tigges & Little did not return calls about accepting service, and his partner Marion Little said that Zeiger would not accept it "without being given a detailed description of the Subpoena's contents," and, after hearing a general description, "instructed me not to send him the Subpoena." The territory moved on February 17, 2023 to serve Wexner by certified mail.[^9] Singer examined JPMorgan's chief executive, [Jamie Dimon](/people/jamie-dimon/), on May 26, 2023, and objected on the record to "counsel coaching the witness on answers," which she said "has happened a number of times." Dimon testified that the bank "did not need introductions to anybody."[^10] On May 28, 2023 JPMorgan produced a 22-page summary of its internal "Project Jeep" review. On June 7, 2023 Motley Rice asked Rakoff to reopen depositions, citing the summary's "more than four pages of Epstein referrals to JPMorgan," including "[Andrew Farkas](/people/andrew-farkas/), [Boris Nikolic](/people/boris-nikolic/), [Bill Gates](/people/bill-gates/), and [Peter Mandelson](/people/peter-mandelson/)"; emails showing that the former [Bear Stearns](/organizations/bear-stearns/) chairman [Alan Greenberg](/people/alan-greenberg/) had gone to general counsel [Stephen Cutler](/people/stephen-cutler/) "for an exception to the felony policy" for Epstein; a January 19, 2011 message from a JPMorgan Securities employee to Epstein ("Ace would love to speak to Jeffrey"); and a 2008 email stating that "JPM requires top of the house ok for clients who are convicted felons. (ie PCS Legal to Asset Mgt Legal to Cutler to Jaime Daimnon [sic])." The bank's counsel at [WilmerHale](/organizations/wilmerhale/) answered that "top of the house" meant Cutler. In August 2023 Rakoff ordered production of records concerning newly identified women Epstein had paid, but denied the request "to compel production of all documents and information concerning 'Project Jeep' or other investigations by JPMorgan that occurred after Epstein's 2019 arrest."[^11][^12] On September 26, 2023 JPMorgan agreed to pay the territory 75 million dollars without admitting wrongdoing: 30 million dollars to organizations combating human trafficking, 25 million dollars to strengthen the territory's law enforcement, and 20 million dollars in attorneys' fees. The territory received about 180 million dollars in Epstein-related settlements after Motley Rice's fees; as of January 2026 the Bryan administration had not filed the accounting of the money that a 2024 territorial law requires.[^5][^6][^13] [^1]: Motley Rice LLC, "About Motley Rice" (Our Founders; Our History). https://www.motleyrice.com/about ; Motley Rice LLC, "Motley Rice Co-Founding Member Joe Rice Awarded SCAJ Top Honor." https://www.motleyrice.com/news/joe-rice-scaj-founders-award [^2]: Motley Rice LLC, "Ronald L. Motley," attorney profile. https://www.motleyrice.com/attorneys/ronald-l-motley [^3]: "U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Settles Sex Trafficking Case Against Estate Of Jeffrey Epstein And Co-Defendants For Over $105 Million," *U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice,* December 1, 2022. https://usvidoj.com/u-s-virgin-islands-attorney-general-settles-sex-trafficking-case-against-estate-of-jeffrey-epstein-and-co-defendants-for-over-105-million/ [^4]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Court filings show V.I. First Lady's loyalty to Epstein." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* June 21, 2023. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/court-filings-show-v-i-first-ladys-loyalty-to-epstein/article_c2dca0a7-a243-5365-88c0-389c576ad022.html [^5]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Docs confirm Bryan pressed for special treatment of sex offender." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* February 2, 2026, reporting four pages of FBI notes of an October 2, 2023 interview with Denise George released January 30, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/docs-confirm-bryan-pressed-for-special-treatment-of-sex-offender/article_5e9483c9-38d2-406c-8bb0-e5757ce287f2.html [^6]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Bryan unapologetic for texts with Epstein, doubles down on denial of wrongdoing." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* March 3, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/bryan-unapologetic-for-texts-with-epstein-doubles-down-on-denial-of-wrongdoing/article_8bab46a1-6075-4c7c-abec-6efb19622e62.html [^7]: Docket, Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.), ECF Nos. 1, 5, 6, 7, 17, 343 to 348, CourtListener docket 66683865. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66683865/government-of-the-united-states-virgin-islands-v-jpmorgan-chase-bank-na/ [^8]: "U.S. Virgin Islands fires attorney general in Jeffrey Epstein cases," *PBS NewsHour / Associated Press,* January 2023. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-virgin-islands-fires-attorney-general-in-jeffrey-epstein-cases [^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02806221, Court Records (Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904), Declaration in support of motion for alternative service of subpoena upon Leslie Wexner, ECF No. 50-4, February 17, 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02806221.pdf [^10]: Deposition of James Dimon, May 26, 2023, Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.). https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rQOuhi8KqiM0/v0 [^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02808715, Court Records (Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904), letter motion of Motley Rice to Judge Jed S. Rakoff seeking leave to reopen depositions, ECF No. 191, June 7, 2023 (filed June 20, 2023), pp. 3 to 5. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808715.pdf ; U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02808625, Court Records (same case), letter of John J. Butts, WilmerHale, ECF No. 187, June 9, 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808625.pdf [^12]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02814941, Court Records (Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904), Order of Judge Jed S. Rakoff on Dkt. 212, August 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02814941.pdf [^13]: "JPMorgan Chase settles Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking suit by U.S. Virgin Islands for $75 million," *CNBC,* September 26, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/26/jpmorgan-to-settle-jeffrey-epstein-suit-by-virgin-islands.html