Jennifer Percival, director of Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, turned herself in on Monday, admitting she fabricated evidence to secure a $750,000 payout from a JPMorgan‑Chase‑backed settlement fund for Jeffrey Epstein victims.
In late 2020, Percival applied to the Epstein estate fund that had been set up after the financier’s 2019 death. The fund denied her request, but no explanation was disclosed in the public record.
Two years later, she filed a claim with JPMorgan’s $290‑million victim compensation scheme, falsely asserting that the estate fund had approved her and that she had received a $500,000 payment. She altered a rejection letter and fabricated emails, convincing the bank’s compliance team to transfer the money.
At the plea hearing she confessed, saying, “The purpose of these actions was to obtain money, which gave me a sense of validation.” She brought a check for the $776,031 restitution she must pay.
Federal sentencing guidelines recommend a term of three to four years, though a judge may deviate. Her defense team is likely to argue that her decades of disability‑focused research warrants leniency. Prosecutors warned that evidence—including bank records, search warrants, and testimony from administrators of both settlement funds—would be presented if the case moved to trial.
The sentencing date remains unscheduled; Percival was released on bail pending the hearing. Her case casts doubt on the integrity of victim‑compensation mechanisms and may prompt a review of JPMorgan’s vetting procedures for future payouts.