University of Kwazulu-Natal

What To Know About The Epstein Files Released By The Justice Departmen

Bonisiwe Shabane
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what to know about the epstein files released by the justice departmen

The Department of Justice began releasing its files on Friday on the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Many documents, which include interview transcripts and call logs, have been heavily redacted. The Justice Department has released files relating to the life, death and criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein - well, at least some of them. The law signed by President Trump last month had directed the DOJ to turn over the documents by Friday. NPR's Stephen Fowler has been reviewing the files and joins us. Stephen, thanks for being with us.

FOWLER: Well, on the surface, it sure looked like a lot. Justice.gov/epstein went live around 4 p.m. And there was a queue you had to wait in before accessing the page. The Epstein library contained well over 100,000 pages of court records, Freedom of Information Act files, memoranda from the Justice Department and videos from outside Epstein's federal prison cell, where he died by suicide... SIMON: Feels like there's more to the story. FOWLER: Well, yeah.

It's not all the files. And in the grand scheme of what was released, there aren't that many things that are actually new, Scott. Notably, there aren't many mentions of the president in this latest release. He was a longtime friend of Epstein before they had a falling out and has appeared in previously released files. Eighty percent of it comes from public court records from more than 50 cases against Epstein, his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and others. There's about 4,000 files, 8,500 pages, that fall under this new Transparency Act.

Most of those are photos of Epstein's estate and his travels with people like former President Bill Clinton, among others. And there's this previously undisclosed FBI report from 1996 - 30 years ago - that accused Epstein of child pornography crimes and allegedly threatened to burn the accuser's house down if she told anyone... Even then, there are hundreds of pages, just straight-up redacted black boxes all over things like grand jury information that do leave a lot of questions. EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains graphic and disturbing descriptions of sexual violence. The Justice Department’s release of thousands of documents and pictures related to investigations into Jeffrey Epstein on Friday was highly anticipated and provided a glimpse into the life of the late sex offender and... But while the partial release — DOJ has said it will continue to release more files — included some never-before-seen pictures, it revealed little that had not already been known.

Extensive redactions and files presented without context have raised further questions. And the fact that DOJ has not yet released all of the materials in its possession sparked bipartisan pushback from lawmakers, who have threatened consequences if the agency does not abide by the law... Here is what the release revealed, and what questions remain: Updated on: December 20, 2025 / 10:47 PM EST / CBS News At least 15 newly-released files have disappeared from the Justice Department's website containing documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, including one file that shows a photo of President Trump, CBS News has determined. CBS News downloaded the complete set of documents on Friday and compared it to what was available Saturday.

The Department of Justice has not responded to a request for comment about the discrepancy, and it's unclear why the files are missing a day after they were initially released. However, in a social media post to its X account Saturday night that seemed to touch on the issue, the DOJ wrote: "Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with... WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has released hundreds of thousands of documents dealing with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, often with what women who accused him of abuse call “abnormal” redactions. But the department said Dec. 24 the FBI "uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case” and said the process of reviewing them for release will take "a few more weeks." The department had... 19 deadline Congress set for the release of all the records.

Add it all up and it's so far been a dizzying whirlwind of information. Documents can sometimes offer false or unfiltered accusations. The department has warned the records contained “untrue and sensationalist” accusations against President Donald Trump from just before the 2020 election. The FBI labeled a purported note from Epstein to disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar a “fake" despite releasing it to the public. Key documents also remain under wraps. Lawmakers have called for the release of a 60-count indictment drafted against Epstein during a 2008 investigation that never led to federal charges and the 82-page prosecution memo about legal arguments in the case.

Even what is available in the documents often lacks context. Pictures don’t name who is portrayed, or when or where the shots were taken. Epstein hosted celebrities and business leaders at his properties, including a private Caribbean island but nobody other than his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, have been charged with abuse. The Justice Department released a second wave of files related to Jeffrey Epstein this week, providing a window into federal investigators’ examination of sexual abuse allegations lodged against the deceased financier by women and... A World Without Exploitation projection is seen on the wall of the National Gallery of Art calling on Congress to vote yes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act in Washington, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Sky Roberts, brother of prominent Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, speaks as his wife Amanda holds her photograph during a news conference as the House prepares to vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, at... 18, 2025. Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., listen at right.

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) NEW YORK (AP) — The clock is ticking for the U.S. government to open up its files on Jeffrey Epstein. After months of rancor and recriminations, Congress has passed and President Donald Trump has signed a law compelling the Justice Department to give the public everything it has on Epstein — and it has... On Wednesday, a judge ruled that secret grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case can be made public.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman was the third judge to reverse earlier decisions to keep Epstein-related case material under wraps. All three cited the new law that requires the government to open its files on both Epstein and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. Berman has cautioned that the materials slated for release are hardly revelatory. The DOJ released thousands of new Epstein files early on Tuesday.

Even as investigators took Jeffrey Epstein into custody in July 2019, they were already turning their attention to others in the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender's vast orbit who might also be involved... The fresh batch of files also add new details to the Epstein saga not previously known, including operational details that went into planning for his 2019 arrest; how some federal officials reacted to his... And the files included a 2020 heads up from a federal prosecutor that President Donald Trump had traveled with Epstein more than was previously known at the time. The latest DOJ disclosure under the Epstein Files Transparency Act includes more than 10,000 files totaling more than 10 gigabytes of material, ranging from internal government emails to investigative materials, to a blueprint of...

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