Ex-RBS Trader in U.K. Currency Probe Said to Be JPMorgan’s Usher

Richard Usher, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s chief dealer in London, wrote instant messages while he was at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc that U.K. regulators are scrutinizing as part of their investigation of alleged currency manipulation, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

The messages to traders at other firms included details of his trading positions, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The spot currency trader left Edinburgh-based RBS in 2010, and his departure was unrelated to the probe, the person said. The regulator’s review doesn’t imply wrongdoing on Usher’s part, the other person said. The people didn’t say how many other traders’ communications are being scrutinized.