The U.S. Justice Department has released a massive new tranche of records tied to the investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, reopening scrutiny of his connections with influential political, business and public figures.
More than 3 million documents disclosed
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department published more than 3 million pages of documents, over 2,000 videos and approximately 180,000 images. The materials were posted on the department’s website and include records that were withheld from an earlier release in December.
Correspondence with high-profile figures included
The newly released files contain documents referencing Epstein’s interactions with a range of prominent individuals. Among the names appearing in the records are Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, entrepreneur Elon Musk, U.S. President Donald Trump, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
The documents include email exchanges discussing potential visits to Epstein’s private Caribbean islands. It remains unclear whether those visits ever took place.
Released under Epstein Files Transparency Act
The disclosure was made under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation passed following months of public and political pressure calling for greater transparency around Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Lawmakers previously criticized the Justice Department for a limited initial release, prompting demands for broader disclosure.
References to Trump and Clinton
The records contain thousands of references to Trump, largely consisting of shared news articles, political commentary and unverified tips submitted to federal hotlines. Officials noted that none of Epstein’s known victims have publicly accused either Trump or Clinton of wrongdoing.
Epstein investigation remains under scrutiny
Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department described Friday’s release as the largest disclosure to date in the long-running investigation, which continues to draw intense public interest.
