Ex-JPM 'London Whale Conspirator' Julien Grout Appeals Civil Case

Julien Grout, the former JPMorgan employee accused of conspiring to hide billions of pounds' worth of losses made by the infamous "London Whale" trader, has filed an appeal against the Financial Conduct Authority's civil findings.

According to tribunal records first reported by the Financial Times, Grout will challenge the FCA's findings and state that he was "readily identifiable in findings which were meant to be anonymous" and therefore was not conspiring.

Another source confirmed to IBTimes UK that the tribunal records cited are correct while a separate person close to the case added that the appeal centres around the lack of a right to reply through a complete due process.

The regulator alleges that Grout hid losses by inflating credit derivatives portfolio prices to hide losses related to the $6.2bn (£3.7bn, €4.5bn) financial scandal in JPM's London investment office.

Grout's London-based solicitor, Graham Huntley from Signature Litigation, and the FCA declined to comment.

Regulators have already fined JPM $1bn over the London Whale scandal because of the bank's weak compliance and risk controls.

However, Bruno Iksil, the French JPMorgan trader based in London who made the enormous bad bets, was not charged by prosecutors because the trades were legal.

US prosecutors contend that there were subsequent attempts by Grout and Martin-Artajo to cover up the losses, something both men deny.

In September 2013, Grout was indicted in the US on charges including securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy.

French citizen Grout and another one-time trader at the bank, Javier Martin-Artajo, are considered fugitives by the US government as they did not appear to face trial over charges arising from the scandal. Martin-Artajo, who lives in Spain, has been fighting extradition.

Both men have denied wrongdoing.