The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday (Dec 24) that it has uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, significantly expanding the scope of revised records for disclosure.
The ministry said the newly found material is being reviewed and redacted before publication.
Missed deadline under the new transparency law
The discovery comes after the Justice Department missed a Dec. 19 deadline mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was passed almost unanimously by Congress last month and signed into law by President Donald Trump. The law requires the release of all Epstein-related documents in the government’s possession.
DOJ cites victim protection for delay
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the delay was due to the need to carefully review the identities of Epstein’s victims. In a statement posted on X, the Justice Department said lawyers were working “around the clock” to review the documents and make legally required edits, adding that the process could take “several more weeks” due to the sheer volume of material.
Congressional scrutiny is intensifying
The Christmas Eve announcement came under mounting pressure from lawmakers. A group of 12 U.S. senators — 11 Democrats and one Republican — called on the Justice Department’s watchdog to investigate the failure to meet the deadline. In a letter to Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume, the senators said Epstein’s victims “deserve full disclosure” and called for an independent audit.
Lawmakers blame DOJ for breach
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a key author of the transparency law, accused the Justice Department of violating the law by missing the deadline and making “illegal adjustments.” Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California said he and Massie would continue to pressure the department, noting that the other documents were released only after lawmakers threatened to hold them in contempt.
Gradual release draws criticism
The DOJ began releasing Epstein-related records last week, with additional batches following over the weekend and Tuesday. However, the department did not provide a clear timetable for future disclosures.
Previously released entries largely redacted
Many of the documents released so far – including photographs, call recordings, interview transcripts and court filings – were either already publicly available or heavily redacted, often lacking sufficient context.
High profile links in released files
Among the documents is a January 2020 memo from federal prosecutors alleging that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet more often than previously known. Emails between Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell and a person who signed herself “A” were also released, with references suggesting the writer may have been Britain’s former Prince Andrew. One message reads: “How’s LA? Have you found me any new inappropriate friends?”
