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The Justice Department has published a massive tranche of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including roughly 3 million pages, about 2,000 videos and some 180,000 images, part of a larger set of materials the department identified as potentially responsive to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. DOJ officials said they identified more than 6 million potentially responsive pages and have released roughly half of that total on a rolling basis while reviewers redacted victim-identifying information.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the production as the department’s compliance with the act and said hundreds of reviewers manually examined millions of pages, videos and images. Blanche said authorities redacted images of women and exploited minors (except for Ghislaine Maxwell) and that a small number of documents remain withheld pending judicial approval. The department also warned the release may include false or sensationalist claims submitted to the FBI, and noted some material contains untrue information about former President Trump.
Survivors’ attorneys and victims have sharply criticized the latest release, saying the DOJ failed to properly redact the identities and images of multiple survivors. Attorneys Brittany Henderson and Brad Edwards asked judges to order the department to take down the website hosting the documents and to republish the records after thorough redaction, and they urged appointment of an independent special master. A court filing by survivors’ lawyers says DOJ failed to redact at least 31 people who were victimized as children; some survivors reported harassment and receiving abusive messages after the release.
Spencer Kuvin, who represents multiple survivors, called the redaction failures “patently absurd” and said two of his clients were clearly identified in the files. Survivor Dani Bensky described the redactions as “egregious” and inconsistent. A Justice Department spokesperson said the department takes victim protection seriously, noted thousands of victim names were redacted across the published pages, and said files are removed from the site when a victim raises concerns so further redactions can be made. The DOJ also reported that to date 0.1% of released pages have been found to contain unredacted victim-identifying information.
Legal and congressional responses
Lawmakers and legal advocates have raised questions about the scope and timing of the releases. Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, who led the legislation forcing the release, asked the DOJ to allow them to view some unredacted files to assess whether redactions are appropriate. Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee requested arrangements to review the full files, saying the review is urgent ahead of a public committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman scheduled a conference to review concerns raised by survivors’ counsel. DOJ leaders told judges earlier that the effort to comply with the act was a substantial undertaking requiring many manual reviews.
What the files show
The released material includes a wide range of documents and media: draft indictments and prosecutorial memoranda from mid-2000s Florida investigations, a 2007 45-page memo from a Miami-based federal prosecutor seeking approval for a 60-count indictment, grand jury materials, interview transcripts, court records, call logs, emails, handwritten notes, travel and transaction reports, photos from Epstein properties and travel, and hours-long video interviews.
The 2007 memo — previously noted in internal DOJ reviews — laid out allegations connecting 27 girls and women, ages roughly 14 to 23, to visits to Epstein’s Palm Beach home for “massage services” and described possible federal charges including sex trafficking of children and conspiracy. That case was never brought federally at the time; Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida state court to prostitution-related charges after a non-prosecution agreement controversial for shielding him from broader federal charges.
Among draft indictments and prosecutor workups in the releases were a mid-2000s draft indictment seeking dozens of counts against Epstein and three assistants, alleging enticement of minors, travel offenses and sex trafficking. Internal reviews have criticized earlier prosecutorial decisions in Florida, and the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility found then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta exercised “poor judgment” in the handling of the non-prosecution agreement.
Names and photographs of prominent figures appear in many documents, though the department said “notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.” The files include new photographs and correspondence involving powerful individuals; DOJ officials cautioned that presence in the files is not proof of criminality.
Selected items and disclosures from the released records
– Video: Nearly two hours of footage from an interview between Steve Bannon and Epstein, in which they discuss Epstein’s sex offender classification and other topics. Bannon asked whether Epstein was a “tier one” sexual predator; Epstein replied “tier one” and then told Bannon he was “the lowest.” Bannon had earlier worked with Epstein on a proposed documentary.
– Photographs: Images showing former Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) crouching over a woman; photos do not provide context or timing. The former prince has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has not complied with some U.S. requests for testimony.
– Emails and messages: Exchanges involving numerous public figures, including:
– Dr. Peter Attia: Emails with Epstein appear hundreds of times in the records. Attia apologized for “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible” emails, denied criminal wrongdoing and said he never flew on Epstein’s plane or attended sex parties.
– Elon Musk: Emails in which Musk corresponded with Epstein about holiday trips to Epstein’s island and queried about when the “wildest party” would be. Musk said he had little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations.
– Steve Bannon: Emails and the video interview reflecting a relationship in which Bannon sought to produce films with Epstein; notes indicate Epstein gave Bannon watches and corresponded with him extensively.
– Steve Tisch: Emails show Epstein sending details about multiple women to New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and inviting him to Epstein’s properties; Tisch said he never went to Epstein’s island and regretted the association.
– Bret Ratner: Photos show filmmaker Brett Ratner with Epstein and two women.
– Mehmet Oz: A transaction report shows Epstein paid $1,592 for travel for Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2004; other correspondence between them is redacted.
– Woody Allen: Text exchange in 2015 where Allen joked he would not get past White House security “with my rap sheet.”
– Bill Gates: Unverified allegations drafted by Epstein alleging Gates contracted an STD and sought antibiotics from associates; Gates’ spokesperson called the claims “absurd and completely false.”
– Peggy Siegal: An email noted Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos at a 2009 after-party at Maxwell’s house, according to Siegal.
– Jeffrey Epstein invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly when asked about Bill Clinton during a 2016 deposition in Virginia Giuffre’s defamation suit against Ghislaine Maxwell.
Other contexts and notable items
– The releases include diagrams and lists purporting to show Epstein’s inner circle and suspected co-conspirators, some names redacted, with images of Maxwell, suspected co-conspirator Jean-Luc Brunel, assistant Lesley Groff, accountant Henry Bellar and others.
– The DOJ said sources for the records included cases against Epstein and Maxwell, a Florida case involving a former butler, multiple FBI probes and an internal watchdog investigation into Epstein’s death.
– Some previously released batches (in December and earlier) contained photos of prominent figures at Epstein properties, call logs, police files and thousands of pages of photos and documents. The current production followed a deadline set by Congress via the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which directed the DOJ to publish records, allowing redactions to protect victims. DOJ leaders said they expected to release “substantially all” records in the near term but have proceeded on a rolling basis.
– Survivors’ counsel reported “thousands of redaction failures” on behalf of nearly 100 survivors. The DOJ said when concerns are raised by victims, the department removes the file from its site to determine if further redactions are needed; it has also removed some documents already published to fix redaction problems.
– Public and congressional scrutiny continues over whether the DOJ has fully complied with the law, whether too many pages remain withheld, and the adequacy of redactions. Lawmakers have pressed for access to unredacted materials to evaluate the department’s handling, and some survivors’ attorneys have moved in court to force the DOJ to take down the files until redactions are corrected.
DOJ characterization and next steps
The Justice Department called the production an “unprecedented and extensive effort” to comply with the law and emphasized its concern for victim protection. It said the review of DOJ-produced documents is complete, though other materials still await judicial determinations. DOJ officials maintain they are removing and re-reviewing files when problems are identified.
Courts, lawmakers and survivors will continue to press the department on the scope of the releases, the handling of redactions, and whether additional review or oversight is warranted, including requests for a special master and further judicial conferences to address victims’ and Congress’s concerns.
