The US Justice Department on Friday released a final and sweeping batch of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to complete disclosures required under a law passed in November designed to force the release of all documents related to Epstein.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release contains more than three million pages of documents, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images and was the last release under the legislation.
Blanche said the files have a large number of redactions, which are allowed under the law to protect the privacy of victims, as well as to hide materials associated with ongoing investigations. Some documents were also withheld based on legal privileges, such as attorney-client communications and internal work product.
The department will submit a report to Congress giving a summary of all redactions and withheld materials, as required. However, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer raised doubts that the release is in full compliance with the law.
The Justice Department admitted that some documents contain what it called “untrue and sensationalist claims” about President Donald Trump that were sent to the FBI ahead of the 2020 election. The department said the allegations are unfounded and would have acted if they were considered to be credible.
Trump, who was friendly with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before distancing himself. He has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Still, the controversy has lingered, particularly after Trump promised to release the files publicly during his 2024 presidential campaign. It’s not clear, however, how large a role he plays in the recently released materials.
Epstein committed suicide in NYC jail in 2019 before facing trial on sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s suicide sparked a heated swirl of conspiracy theories.
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