Department of Justice
New Epstein files released — Here's the latest
The Justice Department has officially released documents on Jeffrey Epstein, the well-connected financier who killed himself in jail while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in 2019.
Friday's disclosure is the first of what are expected to be several rounds of document releases over the coming weeks as the DOJ scrambles to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in November.
The documents contain a trove of photos, some of which feature famous names such as former President Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and singer Diana Ross.
While a past relationship with Epstein is no indication of wrongdoing, his victims and other members of the public have pushed for the disclosure in hopes that the DOJ's records might shed light on those connections and law enforcement's handling of the case.
So what else do the latest Epstein files contain? Business Insider reporters have begun looking through the documents and photos and we'll be reporting out highlights as they're discovered.
Follow along for the latest:
Heavy redactions draw reactions
Some redactions to the files are drawing ire online.
"Breaking News: The Epstein Files," wrote Julie K. Brown, a journalist whose investigation at the Miami Herald led to the arrest of Epstein, alongside a screenshot of a fully redacted document.
Breaking News: The Epstein Files pic.twitter.com/9H7dmqWDTK
— julie k. brown (@jkbjournalist) December 19, 2025
Among the most heavily redacted content is an Epstein grand jury document that consists of 119 pages of nothing but black squares, and pictures in photo frames that are fully covered.
Ahead of the file release, the DOJ said in a statement that "all reasonable efforts have been made to review and redact personal information" about victims and other individuals.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what qualifies as information that requires redaction.
Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Ghislaine Maxwell
Department of Justice
Former President Bill Clinton shows up in a lot of these photos, including one alongside Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and actor Kevin Spacey.
Spacey wrote on X earlier this year that he welcomed the release of the files. "For those of us with nothing to fear, the
truth can't come soon enough," he wrote, adding, "I hate to make this about me — but the media already has."
Spacey had previously been tied to Epstein, including in the same Ghislaine Maxwell court documents as Michael Jackson. Spacey himself has faced sexual misconduct allegations, but has been cleared of charges in jury trials in New York and London.
Representatives for Spacey and Clinton did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The DOJ organized its disclosure from the Epstein Files Transparency Act into 4 data sets
The DOJ has been investigating Epstein for the better part of two decades, starting around 2006 after local police in Palm Beach, Florida, began looking into complaints that he was luring young girls to his mansion by promising them money for massages.
It's no wonder then that the agency has so much data that Friday's drop — despite being a partial release —was broken into four parts.
- Data Set 1
- Data Set 2
- Data Set 3
- Data Set 4
Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross are among those seen in released photos
DOJ
Former President Bill Clinton, pop star Michael Jackson, and singer Diana Ross are among the wealthy and powerful individuals included in the thousands of images released by the Justice Department.
Being featured in the photographs released, or having a tie to Epstein, is not an indication of wrongdoing, and it's unclear what the context of some of the photos might be. Clinton has long been connected to Epstein and took multiple trips on the disgraced financier's private plane.
In the newly released photos, Clinton is seen alongside Michael Jackson and singer Diana Ross. Another set of photos show the former president swimming and later relaxing in what appears to be a hot tub.
Jackson was also previously connected to Epstein, including a mention in court documents related to the prosecution of Epstein's co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Representatives for Clinton, Ross, and Jackson's estate did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The archive is a library of DOJ disclosures, court records, and FOIA request responses
https://www.justice.gov/epstein
The Epstein files archive is organized into sections and divided by topic: court records, DOJ dislcosures, Freedom of Information Act requests, and disclosures from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Although the library contains a search function, it has limited functionality as the site notes, which warns that the search results may be "unreliable" due to the format of the documents.
Many of the documents are so heavily redacted, it is difficult to discern the context of the files. Others are duplicates of previously released records. There are also many, many photos.
A note on the homepage indicates that, should additional responsive documents be identified in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, they will be added to the archive.
A taxidermied tiger, among other photos
Screenshot
Included among the photos were images of former President Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, and Michael Jackson at gatherings with Epstein. One collection of photos included a series of nude photographs, redacted so as not to be explicit.
Other images appear to be from Epstein's Manhattan home, including photos of his bedroom, risque wall art, what appeared to be an effigy hanging from the staircase, and a taxidermied tiger.
The White House issued this statement on the drop
"The Trump Administration is the most transparent in history. By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee's subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epstein's Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have. And while President Trump is delivering on his promises, Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries and Stacey Plaskett have yet to explain why they were soliciting money and meetings from Epstein after he was a convicted sex offender. The American people deserve answers." Abigail Jackson WH spokeswoman
Watch out! The DOJ has some content warnings about what you might see in the files
The DOJ added several warning notices about its Epstein documents. One advised that "certain portions of this library may not be appropriate for all readers" due to their descriptions of sexual assault.
Another warned that some people's personal information could be shared, and suggested that it was the fault of the legislation.
"In view of the Congressional deadline, all reasonable efforts have been made to review and redact personal information pertaining to victims, other private individuals, and protect sensitive materials from disclosure," the homepage reads. "That said, because of the volume of information involved, this website may nevertheless contain information that inadvertently includes non-public personally identifiable information or other sensitive content, to include matters of a sexual nature. In the event a member of the public identifies any information that should not have been posted, please notify us immediately at EFTA@usdoj.gov so we can take steps to correct the problem as soon as possible."
The DOJ used a Tickermaster-style queue system to access the files
Screenshot
To access the files, the DOJ established a Ticketmaster-style queue system. However, queue numbers were only valid for 10 minutes before expiring, resulting in the loss of your place in line.
"We are currently experiencing extremely high volume of search requests at this time," reads a display screen where viewers were forced to wait in line. "We have placed you in a waiting queue and we will process your search request as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience."
The Epstein files are out — here's what we know
The Department of Justice has released files on Jeffrey Epstein. You can find them here.
The big question is what they contain and whether they are searchable.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier Friday that the DOJ will not release its complete trove of documents on Friday as required by the legislation. He said to expect "several hundred thousand documents today," including photos, and the rest "over the next couple of weeks."
Friday's release should include photos
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee
In speaking to Fox News on Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said to expect at least some photos in Friday's batch of documents.
"I expect that we're going to release several hundred thousand documents today, and those documents will come in all different forms — photographs and other materials associated with the investigation into Mr. Epstein," Blanche said.
In recent weeks, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released new photos they obtained through subpoenas of Epstein's estate. We've seen titans of industry like Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Sergey Brin.
Sen. Adam Schiff responds to the predicted delay in releasing all files
Schiff responded to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who told Fox News on Friday morning that the DOJ would "release several hundred thousand documents today," but would fall short of releasing all files.
"The Epstein Files Transparency Act is clear: while protecting survivors, ALL of these records are required to be released today," Schiff wrote on Bluesky. "Not just some."
"The Trump administration can't move the goalposts. They're cemented in law," Schiff added.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law on November 19, states that the documents can be released no "later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act." According to the law, the attorney general needs to "make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice."
One thing we could see: Steve Bannon's footage of Epstein
In 2019, ahead of Epstein's arrest and suicide, Steve Bannon filmed what he said were 15 hours of interviews with Jeffrey Epstein.
That footage has remained under wraps. If the footage was on Epstein's hard drives, however, the DOJ might have obtained it when the FBI seized his electronic devices around the time of his arrest on sex-trafficking charges.
Recently released text messages between Epstein and Bannon have shed some light on the project, which was intended to be a promotional documentary to burnish Epstein's reputation.
Read that story here:Read full story
TickTock. When will the Epstein files come out?
Justice Department officials told multiple news outlets earlier today that the files will be released at 3 p.m. ET.
The DOJ has now missed that deadline. By law, it has until midnight tonight to release all of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Some things we could see in the Epstein files
While the specifics of what will be in the files released on Friday aren't clear, here is some of what is anticipated:
- Any deals between the government and Epstein associates, including non-prosecution agreements and sealed settlements.
- Records tied to Epstein's death in the Metropolitan Correctional Center, such as transcripts of interviews with people in neighboring cells the night he died.
- Records into what has widely been criticized as a "sweetheart deal" for Epstein by federal Florida prosecutors.
- Material surrounding calls victims say they made to the FBI as early as the 1990s about Epstein's conduct, which did not lead to any known law enforcement investigation.
- Additional flight records from Epstein's private jets.
DOJ says it is meeting "the initial deadline"
The Justice Department is pushing back on criticism that it is not meeting the statutory deadline, characterizing it as an "initial deadline" — though the law does not call it that.
"The Trump administration is providing levels of transparency that prior administrations never even contemplated," the Justice Department's office of public affairs wrote on X. "The initial deadline is being met as we work diligently to protect victims."
https://x.com/DOJSpox47/status/2002088420588540212?s=20
The White House initially opposed the transparency law until enough Republican lawmakers broke with GOP leadership to join House Democrats, forcing a vote on the bill. After it became clear Congress would move ahead anyway, Trump flipped his stance on the legislation.
The seized materials that form the heart of the "Epstein files"
Reuters
During Epstein's 2019 arrest, the FBI searched his Manhattan townhouse and his home in the US Virgin Islands. In the process, they obtained more than 70 computers, iPads, and hard drives, along with financial documents and binders full of CDs.
Those seized materials form the heart of the "Epstein files," which could shed even more light on the deepest, darkest secrets of the notorious pedophile.
How are these files expected to be different than previous Epstein-related releases?
By law, the Justice Department is required to publish "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" about Epstein and Maxwell.
Those could include more emails and text messages, as well as internal prosecutorial records. The Justice Department has overseen two different criminal investigations into Epstein's sexual abuse of teenage girls. The first took place in Florida and led to a widely criticized plea deal in 2008. The second was the Manhattan-based investigation, which led to Epstein's 2019 arrest and Maxwell's prosecution.
A pair of top House Democrats threaten legal action if there is any delay in release of files.
"We are now examining all legal options in the face of this violation of federal law," Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Robert Garcia of California said in a joint statement. "The survivors of this nightmare deserve justice, the co-conspirators must be held accountable, and the American people deserve complete transparency from DOJ."
Raskin and Garcia serve as the top Democrats on the powerful House Judiciary Committee and the Oversight Committee, respectively. Since Democrats control neither chamber of Congress, their power to force the immediate disclosure of the documents is more limited.
Don't expect the DOJ to release all of its Epstein files on Friday
Earlier today, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would not meet the legal deadline imposed by bipartisan legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law in November that requires the DOJ to release "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" regarding Epstein and his conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
"I expect that we're going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks, so today several hundred thousand and then over the next couple weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more," Blanche said during an interview on Fox News.
Other documents have been made public over the years through the federal prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's co-conspirator, was found guilty of sex trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Civil lawsuits involving Epstein, Maxwell, banks affiliated with Epstein, and the US Virgin Islands government have shaken loose even more details about his life. Various drips and drabs have also entered the public domain through Freedom of Information Act requests, government reports, and an inquiry from the Senate Finance Committee.
All of that may pale in comparison to what the Justice Department has in its possession.
Haven't we already seen a whole lot of 'Epstein files'?
Yes. In recent months, the House Oversight Committee has made public Epstein-related documents it obtained through subpoenas, including emails provided by his estate and never-before-seenphotos of some of Epstein's powerful acquaintances, including Trump, Bill Gates, Larry Summers, and Steve Bannon.
Those disclosures have already led to some fallout. Summers, a former Treasury Secretary, has been barred from the American Economic Association for life and is no longer teaching classes at Harvard University, pending an investigation.
Catch up on the key background details
Epstein killed himself in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He was known for rubbing elbows with powerful people — even after he was convicted of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008. Over the years, he has counted Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and other titans of finance, law, politics, and science among his acquaintances.
While a past relationship with Epstein is no indication of wrongdoing, his victims and other members of the public have pushed for the disclosure in hopes that the DOJ's records might shed light on those relationships and law enforcement's handling of the case.
Read the original article on Business Insider
