Justice Department Uncovers Over One Million Additional Epstein Documents, Delaying Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice announced on December 24 that it has uncovered more than one million additional documents related to the late Jeffrey Epstein, further delaying the release of files mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The newly discovered tranche of material, provided by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, has extended the review process well beyond the original deadline set by Congress.
Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019, was at the center of a sprawling sex trafficking investigation that implicated numerous high-profile figures. In November 2025, President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, requiring the DOJ to release all unclassified documents related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s cases within 30 days. However, the Justice Department has struggled to meet this deadline amid the sheer volume and sensitivity of the records.
“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 DOJ said in a social media statement. The department acknowledged that the “mass volume of material” could take several more weeks to process. The files include information that must be carefully redacted to protect victim identities and to avoid jeopardizing ongoing investigations or litigation.
The DOJ has been posting tens of thousands of pages on a public website since late November, but critics have expressed frustration over what they describe as excessive redactions and the delayed timeline. Senate Judiciary Committee members and other lawmakers have called for greater accountability and transparency, accusing the department of failing to comply fully with the law’s intent.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained on NBC’s Meet the Press that the department is bound by “well-settled law” that requires protecting sensitive information, which justifies the delay. The transparency bill explicitly allows withholding information that could endanger victims, compromise national defense or foreign policy, or interfere with active investigations.
The FBI and the Southern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, which have been involved in prosecuting Epstein-related cases, provided the additional documents only days after the original deadline passed. This sudden influx of files has complicated the DOJ’s efforts to meet the statutory requirements.
Legal experts note that the volume of documents reflects the complexity of Epstein’s network and the breadth of the investigations. The Justice Department’s ongoing review is critical to balancing public interest in disclosure with the need to protect privacy and legal processes.
For more information on the Justice Department’s transparency efforts, visit the Department of Justice official website. The FBI’s role in the investigation and document review can be explored through the Federal Bureau of Investigation portal. Additionally, the Southern District of New York maintains updates on related prosecutions at its official site.
As the review continues, the DOJ has pledged to comply fully with federal law and President Trump’s directive to release the files. However, the latest developments suggest that the public will have to wait several more weeks before gaining full access to the documents. The ongoing scrutiny surrounding the Epstein files underscores the challenges of transparency in high-profile federal investigations, especially when sensitive victim information and national security concerns are involved.
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