City watchdog investigates Odey Asset Management over sexual harassment and assault allegations involving 13 women

Odey Asset Management, a hedge fund firm founded by Crispin Odey, is being investigated by the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), over allegations of sexual harassment and assault involving 13 women over 25 years.

The FCA has declined to comment on the nature of the investigation.

JP Morgan, a bank providing services to Odey Asset Management, is reviewing its relationship with the company.

In 2020, Crispin Odey was accused of assaulting a female investment banker at his London home in 1998, but he was later cleared.

Odey has made political donations totaling £1.7m between 2007 and 2019, mostly from personal contributions, with some from his company, Odey Asset Management.

The majority of these donations, worth £1.3m, were made to groups campaigning for Brexit around the time of the EU referendum, with £355,000 given to the Conservatives and a direct donation of £10,000 to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June 2019.