TheEpstein files are a collection of millions of documents, images, and videos detailing the criminal activities of American financier and convicted child sex offenderJeffrey Epstein, includinghis social circle of public figures, politicians, and celebrities.[3] The files are documents collected as evidence in the criminal cases against Epstein and his associates, stored as over 300gigabytes of data, plus other media, in the FBI'sSentinel case management system.[4] They include his contacts book, flight logs of his planes, and court documents.[5][6][7] Many of the records and files belong toEpstein's estate, which is run by lawyerDarren Indyke and accountantRichard Kahn.[8]
In November 2025, theU.S. House of Representatives passed theEpstein Files Transparency Act,[9] and theU.S. Senate unanimously approved it,[10] with PresidentDonald Trump signing the bill the next day.[11] The following month, theU.S. Department of Justice released a relatively small amount of files, leading to bipartisan criticism.[12] Trump had previously floated the idea of releasing the files duringhis 2024 presidential campaign,[13] though he later claimed that controversies surrounding the files were fabricated by members of theDemocratic Party.[14]
On January 30, 2026, an additional 3 million pages were released, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.[12] Though the Department of Justice acknowledged that a total of 6 million pages might qualify as files required to be released,[15] it stated that the January 30 release would be the final one, and that it had met its legal obligations.[16][17] The released filesmentioned a number of public figures and led to increased scrutiny of their activities.[18]
Since the release of the files, two men have had criminal investigations launched into them due to their ties to Epstein, with one resulting in criminal charges thus far; ex-Norwegian Prime MinisterThorbjørn Jagland, who has been charged with aggravatedcorruption,[19] and British politicianPeter Mandelson.[20]
In 1996,Maria Farmer reported to the police that Epstein had stolen naked photos of her underage siblings, though no investigation was conducted.[21] In 2005, a woman reported to Florida'sPalm Beach Police Department that her 14-year-old stepdaughter had been taken to Epstein's mansion and paid to strip and massage Epstein.[22] Following an investigation, Epstein was indicted,[23] and accepted a plea deal in 2008.[24] He was indicted again in 2019,[25] anddied in prison. Epstein cultivated a social circle of public figures that included politicians and celebrities.[3] This fueledconspiracy theories that Epstein kept a list of clients to whom he hadtrafficked young girls, that he used it toblackmail them, and that he was killed by them; these theories were disseminated widely after his 2019 death, including by then-president Donald Trump,[26] and again in 2025.[27][28]
The FBI began investigating Epstein in 2006, following reports that he had been paying underage girls for sex in his Florida home. In 2007, federal prosecutors prepared a draft indictment consisting of 32 counts against Epstein and two of his employees for enticement of minors and sex trafficking.[29][30] Ultimately, U.S. attorneyAlexander Acosta signed off on a deal that allowed Epstein to avoid federal prosecution; Epstein instead pleaded guilty to a state charge of soliciting prostitution from someone under age 18 and received an 18-month jail sentence. No charges were presented against his employees.[30] The draft indictment described Epstein as "an extremely high flight risk and, from information we have received, a continued danger to the community based upon his continued enticement of underage girls."[31] It described many crimes that were ultimately not prosecuted in favor of Epstein's plea deal.[29]
Emails from 2019 show that shortly after Epstein's 2019 arrest, FBI agents discussed contacting Ghislaine Maxwell and 9 other alleged co-conspirators includingLesley Groff,Darren Indyke,Richard Kahn (accountant),Jean-Luc Brunel, andLes Wexner, in order to serve them with grand jury summonses. The emails do not name the some of the alleged co-conspirators but notes the city or state each is in. An FBI agent noted in the email that "3 have been located in FL and served [grand jury] subpoenas; 1 in Boston, 1 in NYC, and 1 in CT were located and served."[32]
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York produced an 86-page memo called "Investigation into Potential Co-Conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein" that was sent to US Attorney Geoffrey Berman on December 19, 2019. The memo contains statements of 24 women who reported being abused by Epstein as minors and 14 who reported being abused by Epstein as adults. One of the women told prosecutors that Epstein had told her to give massages to two men in 2011 or 2012, and that one of the men tried to sexually assault her and the other man "forced her to touch his genitals and then raped [her]." The FBI has not commented on whether or not the men were investigated.[33][34]
The files also contained FBI interview notes with an employee at Epstein's Florida estate who described duties such as fanning $100 bills on a table near Epstein's bed, disposing of used condoms, and placing a gun between Epstein's mattresses.[30] The employee also told the FBI in 2007 that Epstein once had him buy flowers and deliver them to a student atRoyal Palm Beach High School to commemorate her performance in a school play.[30]
One document detailed a diagram of Epstein's inner circle, including Maxwell, his lawyer Darren Indyke, and his accountant Richard Kahn.[35] The undated diagram also showedJean-Luc Brunel, a French model agent with longtime ties to Epstein who faced rape charges in France before dying by suicide in a French jail in 2022.[36] The document listed other close associates including Epstein's personal chef, pilots, and Peter Listerman, a model scout described in the file as a "subject/witness" and model "matchmaker".[36] It also listedLes Wexner, the billionaire business magnate who employed Epstein as a money manager and has said he severed ties with Epstein in 2007.[36] While the diagram indicated that the DOJ had been investigating people close to Epstein for potential involvement, other individuals identified were known Epstein employees, none of whom were charged.[36] The Justice Department redacted the names and photographs of five other individuals on the diagram, including Maxwell's assistant and four Epstein employees, one of whom was listed as a "girlfriend/employee".[36] Victims and advocates criticized the Justice Department for what they characterized as heavy but inconsistent redactions of names and details throughout the released documents.[36]
The release detailed Epstein's associations with numerous prominent individuals.[37][38][39][35][30] The documents further illustrated how Epstein's relationships with powerful figures persisted even after he became a convicted sex offender in 2008, contradicting or undermining years of public denials from some associates.[40][41]
The files contain market sensitive and secret information stemming from the heart of theUK Government, which appears to have been sent to Epstein byPeter Mandelson.[42][43][44] One email sent to Epstein from a redacted address in August 2009, appeared to revealPrime MinisterGordon Brown's pseudonym, "John Pond", along with Brown's secure email address.[42][43][44]
The files contain a late 2010 email byAl Seckel to Epstein in which he mentions Epstein'smug shot onWikipedia, and that he was trying to replace it with a friendly picture of Epstein, in addition to removing the term "sex offender" from Epstein's article on Wikipedia at a time when Epstein was trying to rebuild his public image after being released from jail in July 2009.[45]
The released files included emails between investigators regarding Epstein's death, including an investigator's observation that his final communication did not appear to be a suicide note.[46] Multiple investigations have determined that Epstein's death was a suicide.[46] The records also detailed a tactic that jail staffers used to evade media gathered outside theMetropolitan Correctional Center when Epstein's body was removed: staff used boxes and sheets to create what appeared to be a body and loaded it into a white van labeled as belonging to theOffice of the Chief Medical Examiner.[46] Reporters followed the van when it departed the jail, not knowing that Epstein's actual body had been loaded into a black vehicle, which left "unnoticed", according to the interview notes.[46]
Epstein signed a 32-page trust two days before his death. The document names 40 beneficiaries of his $600 million estate. He left $100 million to his girlfriend, Belarussian dentist Karyna Shuliak. He also left $50 million to his personal lawyer Darren Indyke, and $25 million to his accountant Richard Kahn. Indyke and Kahn were named as co-executors of Epstein's estate. He left Ghislaine Maxwell and his brother Mark Epstein $10 million each, and $5 million to Harvard math professor Martin Nowak. It is unclear how much the beneficiaries received, as the estate has shrunk due to taxes and payments to victims. At least one named beneficiary, Mark Epstein, has said he was unaware of being named as a beneficiary to the estate.[47]
Faulty redaction techniques in the December 2025 release allowed members of the public to recover blacked-out content, revealing information that officials had intended to withhold.[48][49] Social media users discovered that blacked-out text in certain documents could be revealed by copying and pasting it into another application; the flaw traced back to a 2021 court filing by theVirgin Islands attorney general's office in a civil racketeering case, which the Justice Department had incorporated into its release.[50] At least 550 pages in the initial December release were entirely blacked out, including a 255-page series of consecutive documents and a 119-page grand jury transcript.[51] Among the recovered content was an unverified FBI tip alleging that Trump had witnessed the killing and disposal of an infant born to a 13-year-old trafficking victim.[52][53]
The January 2026 release drew further criticism over redaction failures. The Justice Department published dozens of unredacted nude images showing young women or possibly teenagers with their faces visible; the images were largely removed afterThe New York Times began notifying the department.[54] Attorneys for survivors said the names of victims who had never been publicly linked to Epstein appeared unredacted in the files.[55] AWall Street Journal review found that at least 43 victims' full names were exposed, including more than two dozen who were minors when they were abused; some names appeared over 100 times, and home addresses were visible in keyword searches.[56] Brad Edwards and Brittany Henderson, attorneys who had provided the Justice Department with a list of 350 victims on December 4 to ensure their names would be redacted, said the department failed to perform a basic keyword search to verify its redaction process; Edwards said there were "literally thousands of mistakes".[55][56] Victim Anouska de Georgiou, who had testified againstGhislaine Maxwell, said her driver's license was among the exposed materials and accused the government of "a profound disregard for the safety, protection, and well-being of victims".[56]
The Department of Justice established an email inbox for victims to report redaction errors and said it would remove affected documents pending correction.[55] Attorneys Jennifer Freeman and Sigrid McCawley criticized the handling of the release; Freeman called the redactions "ham-fisted" and accused the department of "hiding the names of perpetrators while exposing survivors".[57] Department officials acknowledged that many records in the files were duplicates; reviewers appeared to have applied different standards when redacting names and other identifying information, with some documents showing a name left exposed in one copy but redacted in another.[30]
On February 1, 2026, attorneys representing more than 200 alleged victims asked federal judgesRichard Berman andPaul Engelmayer to order the immediate takedown of the Justice Department's Epstein Files website, calling the release "the single most egregious violation of victim privacy in one day in United States history".[58] Deputy Attorney GeneralTodd Blanche defended the department's procedures, saying redaction errors affected "about .001%" of all materials and that the department moved quickly to fix mistakes when notified.[58]
During the2024 U.S. presidential election campaign, Donald Trump and his allies pledged to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein held by the federal government. Trump stated in interviews that he would "probably" make additional Epstein records public,[59] while allies includingJD Vance andDonald Trump Jr. accused theBiden administration of concealing a list of Epstein's clients.[60] After taking office, Attorney GeneralPam Bondi announced in February 2025 that she was reviewing Epstein-related material at President Trump's direction,[61] and theFBI undertook an extensive review of approximately 100,000 records.[62]
In July 2025, theU.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo concluding that no "client list" existed in the Epstein files, that no credible evidence supported claims Epstein had blackmailed prominent individuals, and that his death was a suicide.[61][63][64] The announcement drew criticism from Trump supporters and Democratic lawmakers alike.[61][65] Reporting byThe Wall Street Journal andThe New York Times subsequently revealed that Bondi had informed Trump in May that his name appeared in the files alongside "unverified hearsay", and that officials had advised against public disclosure.[66][67] Trump characterized the files as falsified documents created by political opponents[68] and filed a defamation lawsuit against theWall Street Journal over its coverage.[69] On November 19, 2025, Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed to mandate release of DOJ records related to Epstein.[70] The signing took place without reporters present.[71]
Trump and Epstein were acquainted from the late 1980s through the mid-2000s. In a 2002 interview withNew York magazine, Trump called Epstein a "terrific guy" who "likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side".[72] Their relationship cooled in the early 2000s, with commonly cited reasons including disputes over employees and a 2004 real estate deal inPalm Beach, Florida, in which Trump outbid Epstein on an oceanfront mansion. In 2003, Trump contributed a letter toa bound album of birthday greetings given to Epstein on his 50th birthday;The Wall Street Journal reported the letter contained suggestive content, which Trump denied writing.[73][74] In October 2007, Trump revoked Epstein's membership atMar-a-Lago.[75]
During theBiden administration, Trump allies, includingKash Patel, promoted claims that the FBI was withholding an Epstein "client list" and urged its release. In a speech at theTurning Point Action convention in June 2024,Donald Trump Jr. accused the Biden administration of keeping the list secret to protect pedophiles; in October,JD Vance said "we need to release the Epstein list".[60] Trump, despite having brought up a connection between Epstein and Bill Clinton at the 2015Conservative Political Action Conference,[76] rarely mentioned the Epstein files during this period; yet, he did not refute his allies' claims.[77] On two occasions duringhis 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged to release the Epstein files. In a June 2024 interview withFox News, when asked whether he would declassify them, Trump responded, "Yeah, yeah, I would." The clip was shared by an official Trump campaign account onTwitter. The unedited answer aired later shows Trump saying he was not sure he would because "you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there, because it's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world".[78][59] In a September 2024 interview withLex Fridman, Trump stated he would have "no problem" releasing additional Epstein files and would "probably" make the client list public.[79][59]
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked on February 21, 2025, byFox News journalistJohn Roberts whether the Justice Department would publish "the list of Jeffrey Epstein's clients", and Bondi replied: "It's sitting on my desk right now to review. That's been a directive by President Trump. I'm reviewing that."[61][80] On February 27, she released documents that contained no significant new information.[62] Faced with outcry from a disappointed public, Bondi demanded that FBI Director Kash Patel provide the extensive material she had originally requested from him.[81] Michael Seidel, the section chief of the FBI's Record/Information Dissemination Section, objected to Bondi's order and was forced to resign.[81] The FBI worked on Epstein records for two weeks during late March, according to SenatorDick Durbin. He later wrote:
[Bondi] pressured the FBI to put approximately 1,000 personnel ... on 24-hour shifts to review approximately 100,000 Epstein-related records in order to produce more documents that could then be released on an arbitrarily short deadline. This effort ... was haphazardly supplemented by hundreds of FBI New York Field Office personnel, many of whom lacked the expertise to identify statutorily-protected information regarding child victims and child witnesses or properly handle FOIA requests. My office was told that these personnel were instructed to "flag" any records in which President Trump was mentioned.[62][82]
In the documents, the FBI found dozens of high-profile names, including Trump's. A unit of FOIA officers, citing exemptions in FOIA law, redacted Trump's name because, although he was then a sitting president, he had been a private citizen when the 2006 federal investigation into Epstein began.[81] Lawyer and law professorAlan Dershowitz said in an interview withSean Spicer on March 19, 2025, that he knew the names of individuals on such a list and unreleased files relating to Epstein, adding that "I know why they're being suppressed. I know who's suppressing them" and that he was "bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can't disclose what I know."[83][28] Dershowitz had been part of the legal team that negotiated anon-prosecution agreement for Epstein in 2006.[28]
In May, Bondi informed Trump that his name appeared in the Epstein files. She also said that the files contained "unverified hearsay" about Trump and others,child pornography and identifying information on Epstein's victims. As such, officials advised that the files should not be disclosed. White House Communications DirectorSteven Cheung denied reports that Trump was advised not to release the files, and Bondi said that "As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings".[66][67] Shortly thereafter, Bondi canceled her appearance at CPAC's International Summit Against Human Trafficking, citing a torn cornea.[84] According toPolitico, "[f]ollowing the reported briefing in May, Trump appears to have sought to narrow the government's public disclosures to avoid releasing information."[85] On May 18, Patel and Deputy FBI DirectorDan Bongino told Fox News that Epstein had died by suicide.[86] On June 6, theJoe Rogan Experience aired an interview with Kash Patel, who said of the Epstein matter, "We've reviewed all the information, and the American public is going to get as much as we can release. He killed himself. ... Do you really think I wouldn't give that [video evidence] to you, if it existed?"[87]
On July 6, 2025,Axios reported that theDepartment of Justice and FBI had concluded in a two-page memo that no evidence existed that Epstein kept a "client list", blackmailed prominent individuals, or was murdered; the memo also affirmed the medical examiner's finding that Epsteindied by suicide.[61][88] The DOJ publicly released the memo on July 7, stating it "did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties" and would not release further Epstein-related documents.[89][63][90] When asked what Bondi had meant in February when she said Epstein material was "on her desk",White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Bondi had been referring to "the entirety of all of the paperwork" related to Epstein's crimes rather than any specific client list; Bondi offered a similar clarification at a cabinet meeting the following day.[91][92][93]
The administration's position drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Democratic representatives challenged the findings,[65] while right-wing activists and influencers—including theHodgetwins,Alex Jones,Rogan O'Handley, andLiz Wheeler—expressed skepticism.[27][61] Bondi faced particular criticism from many in theMAGA movement.[94][95][96] PodcasterJoe Rogan called the administration's reversal a "line in the sand", particularly for supporters who had backed Trump based on promised transparency.[97][98] At a July 9 White House meeting that included Bondi, Dan Bongino, Kash Patel, and chief of staffSusie Wiles, Bongino and Patel were reportedly confronted over the memo; Bongino subsequently considered resigning.[99][100] On August 18, Bondi and Patel announced that Missouri Attorney GeneralAndrew Bailey would share the deputy FBI director role with Bongino, with Bailey sworn in on September 15.[101] Some figures supported the administration's account that further disclosure was unnecessary, including Epstein's former attorneyDavid Schoen, who had helped negotiate a 2008 plea deal.[102]
Donald Trump @realDonaldTrumpTheir new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker. [...] Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!
July 16, 2025[68]
Beginning in mid-July, Trump characterized the Epstein files asfalsified documents created by political opponents including the Biden administration,Barack Obama, andHillary Clinton.[103][68] On July 16, the Justice Department firedMaurene Comey, the federal prosecutor who had prosecuted Epstein; she is the daughter ofJames Comey, whom Trump had fired as FBI Director in 2017.[104] On July 17, the dayThe Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had written a letter included ina book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday 22 years earlier, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had instructed Bondi to seek court approval to release "any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony", calling the ongoing attention a "SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats".[105] Bondi replied that she was "ready to move the court tomorrow".[106] Legal observers noted the transcripts were not expected to contain significant new information.[107] The following day, Trump sued theJournal—including two reporters, ownerRupert Murdoch, and parent companiesDow Jones andNews Corp—fordefamation andlibel.[69] On July 21, the White House removed aJournal reporter from the press pool for Trump's Scotland trip.[108]
The Justice Department's requests to unseal grand jury materials were denied by federal judges. On July 23, JudgeRobin Rosenberg ruled she could not grant a request for Florida grand jury documents based solely on "extensive public interest" outside of a legal proceeding, ordering instead that a new case be opened.[109] Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys opposed disclosure, calling it "a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy" given Maxwell's remaining "legal options" and "due process rights".[110] On August 8, the DOJ expanded its request to include grand juryexhibits in both the Maxwell and Epstein cases.[111] JudgePaul Engelmayer denied the Maxwell request on August 11, ruling that the administration's "entire premise—that the Maxwell grand jury materials would bring to light meaningful new information about Epstein's and Maxwell's crimes, or the Government's investigation into them—is demonstrably false"; he characterized the government's public explanations as "disingenuous".[112][113] Judge Richard Berman later denied a similar request for Epstein case materials.[114]
Deputy Attorney GeneralTodd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell on July 24 and 25 at the U.S. attorney's office in Tallahassee.[115][116] The Justice Department released the interview transcript and audio recording on August 22.[117][118] Maxwell, having been sentenced to 20 years, was incarcerated atFCI Tallahassee at the time of the interviews.[119] She was given limited immunity in the interviews, meaning that her answers to her interviewers' questions cannot be used against her.[120] Blanche is Trump's personal lawyer and his political appointee. The previous year, Blanche had referred to Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, as a "friend".[121]
Maxwell told Blanche: "I certainly never witnessed the President in any of — I don't recall ever seeing him in his [Epstein's] house, for instance. I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody."[122] CNN noted that Maxwell lied about her own crimes and the crimes of Epstein in the interview, and that she appeared to be attempting to flatter Trump with statements such as "I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming the president now" and "I like him, and I've always liked him."[123] Regarding Maxwell's credibility during the two-day interview, Blanche told CNN on September 17 it would be "impossible" for him to assess it, since "to determine whether a witness is credible takes weeks and weeks and weeks". He added: "It's really up to the American people to determine if they believe that her answers were credible".[124]George Conway remarked that "Todd Blanche's questioning of Ghislaine Maxwell was either (a) completely incompetent; or (b) intentionally crafted not to elicit facts incriminating Trump." Blanche responded: "When I interviewed Maxwell, law enforcement didn't have the materialsEpstein's estate hid for years and only just provided to Congress."[125]
On July 25, when a CNN reporter asked Trump whether he planned to pardon Maxwell, he answered noncommittally: "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about."[126] On August 1, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed that, following the interview, Maxwell was transferred[127][128] toFederal Prison Camp, Bryan, inBryan, Texas,[129] a minimum security facility with dormitory-style housing generally considered less unpleasant than other federal prisons.[130][131] In November, she was reportedly receiving special privileges and planning to apply for commutation of her sentence; the whistleblower was fired from the prison.[132][133]Annie Farmer, who has made accusations against Epstein and Maxwell, told CNN's Kaitlan Collins: "Even learning that the DOJ would be meeting with her [Maxwell] was extremely disturbing. ... with this prison transfer, I think it again feels like she is getting preferential treatment ... and it's really worrying to us about what might be coming next."[134] On August 23, Giuffre's family responded to the transcript of the Maxwell–Blanche interview, telling CBS that Maxwell's statements were "in direct contradiction" with her "conviction for child sex trafficking" and that Blanche had "never challenged [her] about her court-proven lies". The family said that the Justice Department had thereby communicated "that child sex trafficking is acceptable and will be rewarded".[135]
On September 4, 2025, political activistJames O'Keefe, founder of the far-right groupProject Veritas, posted a secret recording with DOJ acting Deputy Chief of Special Operations Joseph Schnitt. In the recording, Schnitt acknowledges the existence of the Epstein files, saying there are "thousands and thousands of pages of files" and that "they'll redact every Republican or conservative person in those files, leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files". Schnitt stated that Maxwell's transfer to a minimum-security prison was "against [Federal Bureau of Prisons] policy because she's a convicted sex offender" and that "they're offering her something to keep her mouth shut". He also described Bondi as "a yes person" and that she "wants whatever Trump wants".[136][137] In response to the recording, Schnitt stated that he had no idea he was being recorded, and said he met the undercover O'Keefe reporter on Hinge. He said his comments were based on what he "learned in the media" and not from the DOJ.[136] In response, the DOJ asserted Schnitt's statements were false, saying that "Joseph Schnitt had no role in the Department's internal review of Epstein materials" and posted aniPhone screenshot of an email Schnitt sent to his superiors describing the recordings as happening over two dates in August 2025.[137] As late as November 14, 2025, Trump continued to assert that the files were falsified documents created by political opponents, including the Biden administration, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton, referring to the matter as a "Democrat hoax".[138]
On November 18, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives approved Epstein Files Transparency Act in a 427–1 vote. Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) cast the only dissenting vote.[139] Later the same day, the Senate unanimously voted to pass the same version of the bill, sending it to Trump's desk.[139][140] The bill was formally transmitted from the Senate chamber to the president's desk on the morning of November 19, 2025.[141]
Victims of Epstein and their advocates pressed Congress to compel disclosure of federal records.Virginia Giuffre's brothers, Sky Roberts and Danny Wilson, and Giuffre's sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, told reporters in July 2025 that they wanted relevant documents to be released. Amanda Roberts added that Giuffre also said she wanted documents to be released, and that Virginia would have been in favor of "transparency and justice". Virginia Giuffre died by suicide earlier in the year.[142] On September 3, 2025, survivors spoke publicly outside theU.S. Capitol, demanding that Attorney General Bondi release all the files.[143] Frustrated with decades of lack of accountability, some survivors announced plans to compile their own internal list of Epstein's associates if officials continued to withhold information.[144] A month later, accuser Annie Farmer told CNN that creating and releasing their own list was "not the most effective way of us moving forward as a group".[145] In July, Democratic representativesJamie Raskin and 15 colleagues sent a letter to Bondi accusing the Justice Department of withholding documents to protect Trump.[146] RepresentativesRo Khanna andMarc Veasey introduced separate measures to force the House to vote on requiring release of all Epstein-related records held by the Justice Department.[147] Khanna's measure failed 211–210 along party lines.[148]
TheHouse Oversight Committee subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell in July[149] and issued subpoenas for documents to Bill Clinton, former Justice Department officials, and the Justice Department itself in August.[150] The committee demanded that the Justice Department provide the Epstein files by August 19; on August 18, officials informed the committee they would begin providing records on August 22.[151] Beginning in September, the committee released batches of documents it had received from the Justice Department and, in response to a subpoena, from the Epstein estate. These releases included portions of Epstein's contact records, correspondence, and photographs. FBI Director Kash Patel testified before theSenate Judiciary Committee on September 16 and theHouse Judiciary Committee the following day.[152][153] Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 7 and the House Judiciary Committee on October 9.[154][155]
In September 2025, RepresentativeThomas Massie (R-KY) andRo Khanna (D-CA) pursued adischarge petition to force the House to vote on legislation requiring the Justice Department to release the files. Trump and Republican leaders launched a pressure campaign against the effort, with one anonymous official calling signing the petition a "very hostile act to the administration".[156] Despite administration opposition, several Republicans broke with party leadership to sign the petition.Nancy Mace,Lauren Boebert, andMarjorie Taylor Greene joined Massie within days.[157][158] The remaining 214 signatures came from Democrats, with the final signatures provided byJames Walkinshaw andAdelita Grijalva after they won special elections to Congress in late September.[159][160] As the petition neared completion, Trump summoned Representative Lauren Boebert to the White House; press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the meeting had taken place.[161]
On October 8, RepresentativeEric Swalwell stated that "a lot of House Republicans" had privately told him they did not intend to keep defending Trump on the issue, with one saying "this Epstein bomb is about to drop."[162] Representative Khanna predicted that 40–50 Republicans might vote for release, and Massie similarly anticipated that Republican support could "snowball".[163] Upon receiving the final signature on November 12, House SpeakerMike Johnson announced the full House would vote the following week on releasing the Epstein files.[164] Trump's advisors privately informed him that he had lost the issue and that release of the files appeared inevitable.[165] On November 16, Trump publicly reversed his stance, writing onTruth Social that "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files."[166] Epstein's brother,Mark Epstein, stated on November 17 that "a pretty good source" had told him there was "a facility in Winchester, Virginia, where they're scrubbing the files to take Republican names out", which he said explained the sudden shift in tone about the release.[167][168][better source needed]
On November 18, 2025, the House voted 217–210 to approve a procedural rule that killed the discharge petition but guaranteed a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.[139] Later that day, the House passed the act in a 427–1 vote; RepresentativeClay Higgins (R-LA) cast the only dissenting vote.[139][9] The Senateunanimously approved the bill the same day.[140][10] The bill was formally transmitted to the president's desk on the morning of November 19.[141] Trump signed the act later that day without reporters present.[70][71][11] The act required the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files by December 19, 2025.
In February 2026, members of the United States Congress were granted access to review unredacted case files related to Jeffrey Epstein at secure federal facilities operated by the Department of Justice. The access followed the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act and ongoing congressional oversight of the law's implementation. Lawmakers were allowed to examine the documents on site under controlled conditions but were not permitted to remove, copy, or reproduce the materials. The review was part of continued congressional efforts to monitor the disclosure and handling of Epstein-related records.[169][170][171] Several lawmakers criticized the handling of the files, with Representative Jamie Raskin accusing the Department of Justice of obscuring information through unexplained redactions after reviewing the materials.[172]
Documents related to Epstein and his associates became public through a combination of court-ordered unsealings, congressional releases, Justice Department disclosures, journalistic investigations, and inadvertent leaks. Court documents from the Ghislaine Maxwell defamation case were unsealed in January 2024, though they contained little information not already publicly known.[173] In September 2025,Bloomberg News independently obtained 18,000 emails from Epstein's personal account.[174] Following passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice released files in stages: an initial batch on the act's December 19 deadline, which drew bipartisan criticism for extensive redactions and failure to meet the law's requirements,[175][176] followed by over 3 million pages on January 30, 2026.[12]Separately, the House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of pages it obtained from the Justice Department andthe Epstein estate beginning in September 2025. The Justice Department stated that its January 30 release brought it into full compliance with the act,[16] but lawmakers including RepresentativeRo Khanna disputed this, noting that the department had identified over 6 million pages as potentially responsive, yet released only half that amount.[15][177]
In December 2023, New York judge Loretta Preska ordered the unsealing of documents from the 2015 defamation case against Ghislaine Maxwell, with a January 1, 2024, deadline for appeals.[178] The court documents released in January 2024 contained little information not already publicly known.[173] Individuals mentioned includedAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor, former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, formerNew Mexico governorBill Richardson, lawyerAlan Dershowitz, singerMichael Jackson, and physicistStephen Hawking; most were mentioned in passing and not accused of wrongdoing.[3][179] The court documents unsealed in January 2024 contained little information that had not already been public knowledge.[173] Most were mentioned in passing and not accused of any wrongdoing.[3][179] Model scoutJean-Luc Brunel, accused of sexual abuse by one of Epstein's victims,[179] had died by suicide in 2022 inParis, France, while under investigation for the rape and sex trafficking of minors.[180]
In September 2025,Bloomberg News independently obtained approximately 18,700 emails from one of Epstein's personalYahoo accounts, spanning from 2002 through 2022.[174] The outlet used cryptographic verification, metadata analysis, and corroboration with external sources to authenticate the cache; four independent experts reviewed the methodology and found no meaningful evidence of fabrication.[174] The account was most active from October 2005 through August 2008, with significant gaps after Epstein's incarceration.[181]
The emails documented Epstein's relationships with academics atHarvard University and other institutions. Correspondence showed researchers, including psychologistStephen Kosslyn and geneticistGeorge Church, proposing Epstein-funded projects such as a "pleasure genome initiative" exploring neural correlates of pleasure and a genetics-and-brain laboratory to study "far-out ideas such as life extension".[181] Developmental psychologistHoward Gardner toldBloomberg he had "never had the slightest knowledge or even intimation of the darker sides" and wished he "had asked more questions".[181]
The cache revealed aspects of Epstein's legal defense strategy during his 2006 indictment. Notes taken by a research assistant toAlan Dershowitz recorded Dershowitz characterizing accusers as "self-described prostitutes" who "don't feel harmed" during a February 2006 meeting with prosecutors.[181] Dershowitz told Bloomberg the memos were "privileged lawyer client communications" and that he "was acting as any responsible lawyer should: making the case for my client".[181]
The emails contained draft public apology letters prepared for Epstein by crisis strategist Merrie Spaeth, a formerReagan administration media relations director, in February 2008. Spaeth coached Epstein on communication techniques, including how to answer questions "without being trapped by the parameters" and provided lists of "Good Words" and "Bad Words" for interviews.[181] Though Epstein expressed interest in one draft referencing philosopherWilliam James and describing introspection during an "hour of terror", he never issued a broad public apology.[181] Spaeth told Bloomberg she "ultimately terminated the engagement because of my discomfort with it".[181]
Beginning in September 2025, the House Oversight Committee released batches of documents it had received from the Justice Department and, in response to a subpoena, from the Epstein estate.[182] On September 2, the committee released 33,295 pages of Epstein files, though most of the information was already publicly known or available.[182] The Epstein estate began sending files to the committee on September 8, including a bound album of birthday greetings Epstein received for his 50th birthday.[183] On September 26, committee Democrats released six pages showing that Epstein had meetings with financierPeter Thiel,Elon Musk, andSteve Bannon.[184]
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On October 17, the committee released 8,500 pages from the Epstein estate. These showed that Matthew Menchel, the chief criminal prosecutor at the Miami U.S. Attorney's office who was behind Epstein's 2007 plea deal, had apparently personal meetings with Epstein in 2011, 2013, and 2017.[185] On November 12, committee Democrats released three Epstein emails pertaining to Trump, including a 2011 exchange with Maxwell in which Epstein referred to Trump as "the dog that hasn't barked" because Trump had "spent hours at my house" with a victim.[186][187] Hours later, committee Republicans released 20,000 additional pages from Epstein's estate; Trump was mentioned over a thousand times, though none of Epstein's emails were sent directly to Trump or his staff.[188][189] On November 14,Zeteo published a searchable version of the 26,039 documents.[190]
In December, the committee released images from Epstein's estate. On December 3, it released photos and videos from Epstein's private island, including one showing first names written on a telephone's speed dial.[191] On December 12, it released photos of people including Trump, Bill Clinton, Steve Bannon, Bill Gates, andRichard Branson.[192] On December 18, it released additional photos includingNoam Chomsky and Bill Gates.[193]
The Justice Department released an initial batch of heavily redacted files on December 19, 2025, the deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.[175] The release drew bipartisan criticism for failing to meet the law's requirements, with over 500 pages entirely blacked out.[176][51] Less than a day after the release, sixteen files disappeared from the public webpage without explanation.[194] Faulty redaction techniques in the digital files allowed members of the public to recover blacked-out content, revealing information officials had intended to withhold, including details about the trafficking ring's members and methods.[48][49] By early January 2026, less than one percent of the files had been publicly released, according to a DOJ letter to U.S. District judge Paul A. Engelmayer.[195]
On January 30, 2026, the Justice Department released over 3 million pages of documents, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos related to Epstein.[12][37] Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the release brought the department into compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and would be the final major release.[16][35] Federal prosecutors had initially identified six million pages as potentially responsive to the disclosure law, but the DOJ released only half that amount, stating officials had erred on the side of "over-collection".[35] RepresentativeRo Khanna and other Democratic lawmakers disputed the compliance claim and accused the department of violating the law by withholding "the FBI 302 victim interview statements, a draft indictment and prosecution memorandum prepared during the 2007 Florida investigation, and hundreds of thousands of emails and files from Epstein's computers."[15][177]
Blanche stated the White House "had nothing to do" with vetting the documents and that names of powerful men associated with Epstein were not redacted.[35][196] The DOJ noted that the release may contain "fake or falsely submitted" material, and in its accompanying statement described certain claims against President Trump as "unfounded and false".[12] The department withheld approximately 200,000 pages under various legal privileges, as well aschild sexual abuse material or material identifying victims.[196][35] The redactions were required to be qualified under the act, and to date, no such qualification has been released alongside the files.[197] The DOJ has admitted some failures to redact information related to victim's identities, and have reported remedying some released files.[198] Similarly, the DOJ has admitted to redacting the names of individuals who seem to not fall under the qualification of the Act, after congressmembers were given access to view the unredacted files on a government server.[199] After the DOJ announced it would allow individual representatives to view files on the server, pressure from Thomas Massie on why certain names were redacted caused the DOJ to unredact the name ofLes Wexner, a prominent businessman listed as a co-conspirator on FBI documents.[200][201]
The Epstein list is a purported document within this body that contains the names of high-profile clients to whom Epsteintrafficked young girls.[citation needed] Epstein cultivated a social circle of public figures that included politicians and celebrities, fuelingclaims suggesting that he maintained such a list to blackmail these associates—and that his 2019 death wasnot a suicide (as officially reported) but a murder to protect his clients.[citation needed] Claims surrounding the existence of a client list first surfaced in the immediate aftermath of Epstein's death, later reaching heightened prominence in 2025 following anow-deleted tweet from formerWhite House senior advisor andDepartment of Government Efficiency associateElon Musk alleging that United States president Donald Trump was "in the Epstein files".[202] TheTrump administration's DOJ released amemo on July 7, 2025,[64] which stated the list did not exist and "no credible evidence [was] found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties." The memo was met withskepticism from political commentators across the political spectrum, such asAlex Jones[203] andJohn Oliver.[204] The same memo also affirmed that Epstein's death was a suicide.[64]
"Epstein's black book" or "Epstein's little black book" refers to a 97-page book of names, phone numbers, emails, and home addresses a former employee took from Epstein's home in 2005 and later tried to sell.Gawker published a redacted version in 2015, and an unredacted version was released on8chan in 2019.[205][206][207][208] A second book of contacts, sometimes referred to as "Epstein's other little black book", was published byBusiness Insider in 2021, and is dated October 1997.[209] According to investigative reporterJulie K. Brown, Epstein's then-girlfriendGhislaine Maxwell compiled the directory, which included celebrities as well as Epstein's gardeners, hairdresser, barbers, and electrician. Brown said that "the so-called list is really a red herring" and that "every time Epstein or Maxwell met somebody important, they would get their contact information, and they would put it in this file ... So it was pretty clear that this was not a black book in the sense that these were all his clients. It was just a phone directory."[210][211]
The release of the documents has resulted in numerous resignations, investigations, and formal inquiries worldwide related to figures and organizations implicated in the Epstein files.Miroslav Lajčák, a national security adviser to the prime minister of SlovakiaRobert Fico and a formerpresident of the United Nations General Assembly, resigned on January 31, 2026, following a joint statement from opposition politicians calling for his departure and mounting pressure from the media; Fico agreed to and accepted the resignation.[30] Lajčák explained that his interactions with Jeffrey Epstein were strictly professional and social, characterizing them as a necessary part of his diplomatic duties in New York, where Epstein was a well-connected figure who "opened many doors". Lajčák claimed he cannot recall any messages or conversations with Epstein about girls.[212] Lajčák acknowledged that the communication was a "mistake" and "unacceptable" stating: "When I read those messages today, I feel like a fool. It was a private conversation. At the very least, I made a poor judgment. I am paying the price for it."[213]
On February 1, 2026, British peerPeter Mandelson resigned his membership of theLabour Party to avoid causing it "further embarrassment" for being linked in the files.[214][215] On February 3, Mandelson announced his resignation from theHouse of Lords, effective on the next day;[216] the day of his announcement, theMetropolitan Police announced they would formally launch a criminal investigation into Mandelson.[217]Downing Street Chief of StaffMorgan McSweeney would also resign after taking "full responsibility" for advising Mandelson's appointment.[218] On February 1, 2026, theUS–Ireland Alliance decided to rename a scholarship that had been known as the "George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program" based on allegations, which Mitchell denied, that he along with Epstein and Maxwell abused Virginia Giuffre.[219][220] The disclosures revived questions about whether the former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, should cooperate with U.S. authorities. British Prime MinisterKeir Starmer suggested on February 1 that Mountbatten-Windsor should tell American investigators what he knows about Epstein's activities.[30] Mountbatten-Windsor had not responded to a request from members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee for a "transcribed interview" about his "long-standing friendship" with Epstein.[30]
On February 2, 2026, Joanna Rubinstein resigned from her position as the chair of Sweden for UNHCR, a national partner of theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The files revealed that Rubinstein had visited Epstein's private island in 2012, a visit she later confirmed while stating she was unaware of the full extent of his crimes at the time. The Swedish UNHCR board stated they had no prior knowledge of these events and accepted her departure to protect the organization's reputation.[221] Also on February 2, protests were held outside ofGracie Mansion after the files revealed thatMira Nair, the mother of New York City MayorZohran Mamdani, had been in contact with Epstein'sGhislaine Maxwell per an email from 2009.[222] During the protest, some protesters shouted "shame!" into a megaphone[223] while others were heard shouting, "you lied to us."[224]
A group of Epstein accusers released a statement criticizing the disclosure, saying the documents made it too easy to identify victims while "Epstein's enablers continue to benefit from secrecy."[30] RepresentativeJamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called for lawmakers to be allowed to review unredacted versions of the files to assess whether redactions were lawful.[30] RepresentativeRobert Garcia of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee stated that the Justice Department had defied the committee's August 5 subpoena.[196] Unlike the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which permits redactions, the subpoena required Attorney General Pam Bondi to release the full, unredacted Epstein files to the committee, including any classified materials and information tied to ongoing investigations.[196] Deputy Attorney General Blanche stated on February 2, 2026, that there would be no additional prosecutions related to Epstein. Blanche said that there was "a lot of correspondence. There's a lot of emails. There's a lot of photographs", but added that the materials did not "allow us necessarily to prosecute somebody."[225] Representative Khanna indicated that he and Representative Massie would consider contempt or impeachment proceedings against senior officials if compliance with the transparency law did not improve.[225] The House was expected to vote on holding Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt for refusing a subpoena to testify; attorneys for the Clintons called the subpoenas "invalid and legally unenforceable".[225] David A. Ross resigned as chair of theSchool of Visual Arts.[226]
The documents included a draft statement from the US Department of Justice noting Epstein's death on August 9, the day before his actual death. When questioned, the DOJ said it was an "unfortunate typo."[227]
Several countries announced investigations following revelations that their nationals may have been victimized by Epstein or his associates. On February 3, 2026, Turkish prosecutors reviewed newly released Epstein files as part of an investigation into allegations that he trafficked Turkish children. The Ankara Public Prosecutor's Office had launched the inquiry in December 2025 after oppositionIyi Party MP Turhan Çömez highlighted a reference in the files, which reportedly alleged that Epstein transported minor girls from Turkey, the Czech Republic, Asia, and other countries.[228]
Also on February 3,Lithuanian presidentGitanas Nausėda called for a law enforcement investigation into potential human trafficking, which Lithuanian prosecutors subsequently announced, after the country's media reported that the names of several Lithuanian models and arts figures are in the files.[229] On February 5, the president ofLatvia,Edgars Rinkēvičs, called for an investigation after the Latvian public broadcaster reported the Epstein documents included passport data and travel details for several Latvian women; theLatvian State Police announced an investigation involving prosecutors and the Organised Crime Bureau into "the possible recruitment of Latvian nationals for sexual exploitation in the United States".[230] On February 6, 2026, Norway reportedly planned to open an inquiry, backed by parliament, into itsforeign ministry, after several officials appeared in the files, including former foreign ministersThorbjoern Jagland andBoerge Brende, and diplomatMona Juul and her husbandTerje Rød-Larsen.[231]
A December 2025 Reuters poll found that 23% of Americans approved of Trump's handling of the Epstein case.[232] A January 2026 CNN poll found that 49% of Americans were dissatisfied with how much of the Epstein files "the federal government has released so far", while 6% were satisfied; two-thirds of respondents said the government was deliberately withholding information.[233] In Russia, theKremlin has pointed to various revelations in the files as supposed proof of the West's moral decline; Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswomanMaria Zakharova said, "Now we know how the Western elite treat children, including their own."[234] However, the documents also revealed that Epstein had befriendedSergei Belyakov in 2014.[234] Significant global coverage of the Epstein files has continued through the early months of 2026. With both reporting and opinion articles released by news agencies such asAl Jazeera,[235]BBC,[236] andLe Monde,[237] there is significant global interest in the case. Given the nature of the crimes either committed by or for which they were accused, the relationship with either Maxwell and Epstein has been met with public discontent among voters in other countries, most notably Europe and the United Kingdom.[238]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)[Total running time, 24:10 min.]
President Trump's Justice Department and FBI have concluded they have no evidence that convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein blackmailed powerful figures, kept a 'client list' or was murdered, according to a memo detailing the findings obtained by Axios.
None of it appeared to be enough to outweigh the pressure from Mr. Trump and Republican leaders, who have moved quickly to squelch legislation that would require the Justice Department to quickly and completely release what it uncovered about Mr. Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. (...) The White House, for its part, has made its opposition to Mr. Massie's bill clear.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, confirmed that the meeting had taken place...
Protesters were seen shouting "shame" and "you lied to us", adding that they supported him but was betrayed.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
