The United States Justice Department has acknowledged that more than a million additional documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case have been uncovered, with processing expected to take 'a few more weeks'. In a statement on X, the department said it had received the material from federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI, and that lawyers are 'working around the clock' to review and redact the files to protect victims.
The update comes after criticism over the missed 19 December deadline for full disclosure under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Axios reported that around 750,000 records have been reviewed so far, with approximately 700,000 still to be examined, though many may be duplicates. A justice department official said: 'This will end soon. The conspiracy theories won't.'
Pressure has mounted from lawmakers Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who have threatened contempt hearings against Attorney General Pam Bondi over the delay. Meanwhile, the justice department office in Florida has asked career prosecutors to volunteer over the coming days to assist with redactions, according to CNN. An internal email acknowledged that the 'timing could not be worse' as the holidays approach.
The third release of files on Tuesday included 30,000 records from investigations into Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. Among the materials were emails referencing Donald Trump, including one from a federal prosecutor stating that Trump had flown on Epstein's private jet 'many more times than previously reported', including a flight where the only listed passengers were Epstein, Trump and a 'then-20-year-old'.
The release also contained false documents, such as a fake letter to Larry Nassar and a fabricated video of Epstein's death. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche warned against sensationalism, stating, 'We produce documents, and sometimes this can result in releasing fake or false documents because they simply are in our possession because the law requires this.'
