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What To Know So Far About The Justice Department S Release Of Epstein

Bonisiwe Shabane
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what to know so far about the justice department s release of epstein

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:

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. Updated on: December 24, 2025 / 2:25 PM EST / CBS News The Justice Department said in a post on X Wednesday that it was informed by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI that "they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case." The Justice Department said it had received...

"We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible," the Justice Department said. DOJ said the process may take "a few more weeks" due to the volume of materials and said the department "will continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump's direction to release... Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Justice Department faced a Dec. 19 deadline to release all the unclassified materials it has on the investigation. After the initial tranche of documents was released on the day of the deadline, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the remaining files would be released on a rolling basis. 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...

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department began releasing more information about accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on Dec. 19, providing the latest revelations in two decades of state and federal criminal investigations into the high-flying financier who previously partied with two U.S. presidents. Those investigations along the way have left a lot of collateral damage, including the resignation of a Cabinet secretary. The case ended with Epstein’s mysterious death in 2019, which was ruled a suicide, while he was in jail awaiting trial on charges he recruited girls as young as 14 for sex at his... But the slow drip of leaks and government revelations continue to roil the political waters six years later.

President Donald Trump’s popularity suffers from photographic and email reminders of spending time with Epstein decades ago, before a falling out, despite not being accused of wrongdoing. Another former Cabinet secretary quit his business and educational posts because of the “shame” of email messages exchanged with Epstein years earlier. Raising expectations of fresh revelations, three federal judges approved the release of grand jury transcripts and other evidence from the Epstein case under a law Congress approved and Trump signed a month earlier. But the extent of what remains to be released is uncertain. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress in a Dec. 19 letter that DOJ had withheld and redacted “a limited amount of information” covered by legal privileges from the document release.

In an interview with Fox News, Blanche also said that more material would be released next week. 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...

Friday, 19 December, is the legal deadline for the US department of justice to release its files pertaining to its investigations into late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The words "Epstein files" have been haunting the administration of US President Donald Trump for months. Pressure was building from Trump's own supporters and from voices within his own Republican Party for more transparency on what the federal investigations into Epstein uncovered. After weeks of resisting release, Trump reversed course and urged Republicans to vote to open the Epstein files to public scrutiny. Both chambers of Congress - the legislative branch of US government - approved a measure that compelled the justice department to release all files, which was then signed off by Trump in November. That kick-started a 30-day deadline for the release of the files - except for those that relate to an active criminal investigation, identify victims of Epstein's abuse or invade their privacy, or contain images...

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This Story Contains Graphic And Disturbing Descriptions Of

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 — in...

The Department Of Justice Began Releasing Its Files On Friday

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 direct...

FOWLER: Well, On The Surface, It Sure Looked Like A

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... SIMO...

It's Not All The Files. And In The Grand Scheme

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 aga...

Most Of Those Are Photos Of Epstein's Estate And His

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 blac...