Justice Department begins releasing Epstein files as deadline hits

The US Justice Department on Friday began releasing a massive trove of records related to convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein, marking a long-awaited moment in a case that has roiled American politics and fuelled public distrust for years.

The release comes on the deadline set by Congress under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on November 19 after months of resistance and mounting pressure from lawmakers, including members of his own Republican Party. The law gave the department 30 days to publish most unclassified records and communications tied to Epstein, including material related to the investigation into his 2019 death in a New York jail while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the initial disclosure would run into the “several hundred thousand” documents, with several hundred thousand more expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Speaking to Fox News, Blanche said the files were being carefully reviewed and redacted to protect the identities of Epstein’s hundreds of victims and to avoid compromising any active investigations. He added that “no new charges” were imminent.

The total volume of documents released on Friday was not immediately clear. The records are expected to offer the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades of government investigations into Epstein’s abuse of young women and underage girls, as well as the decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal prosecution for years.