DOJ identifies over one million new documents in Epstein case

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it has uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially relevant to the Jeffrey Epstein case and will require further time to complete the disclosure of files mandated by Congress.

In a post on X, the Department of Justice stated it obtained the documents from the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI. However, the department noted that processing the materials for public release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act could take “a few more weeks.”

The Department of Justice provided the following statement:

“Our attorneys are working day and night to review the materials and make the legally necessary redactions to protect victims. We will publish the documents as soon as possible. Due to the enormous volume of material, this process may take several more weeks. The Department remains committed to full compliance with federal laws and President Donald Trump’s instructions to release the files.”

The Department of Justice did not respond to requests for further details regarding the newly discovered files.

This announcement follows persistent criticism of the department’s delays in releasing the full scope of files concerning the Epstein case and his alleged co-conspirators.

Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in 2019, an event ruled a suicide. His accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking and related offenses.

The Department of Justice was compelled by Congress to release its records related to Epstein. Consequently, the department has begun releasing documents in batches, many of which contain extensive redactions.

These heavy redactions have sparked criticism from both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. Some have accused the department of withholding information to shield President Donald Trump and his associates.

Representatives Ro Khanna (Democrat) and Thomas Massie (Republican), the co-sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, appeared skeptical of the department’s Wednesday announcement.

Massie wrote on X, “Today the DOJ claims the Epstein-Maxwell file exceeds 1.7 million documents. And they still expect you to believe this only involved two criminal individuals.”

Khanna recalled that the Department of Justice had claimed the case was closed six months before the bipartisan bill was passed. He wrote, “Six months after @RepThomasMassie and my Epstein Transparency Act. ‘There are a million files.’”

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that more documents would be made public in the coming weeks, attributing the delay to the department’s commitment to protecting “each and every victim.”