The Federal Bureau of Investigation devoted extensive resources and over $850,000 in overtime payments during March alone to prepare the controversial Epstein files for public release, only to have the disclosure abruptly halted by President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to newly obtained documents.
Massive FBI Operation
Under the direction of FBI Director Kash Patel, approximately 1,000 FBI agents were assigned to review and redact documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Internal communications from March, recently acquired by Bloomberg, reveal that personnel across multiple departments coordinated intensively on the project.
The scale of the operation became starkly evident when examining the overtime costs. Between March 17 and March 22 alone, FBI agents accumulated more than $850,000 in overtime payments, representing over 3,000 hours of additional work. This substantial expenditure occurred as officials raced to prepare both "Phase 1" enhancements and the complete "Phase 2" of the Epstein files for public disclosure.
The Road to Blocked Disclosure
By March 24, FBI personnel had advanced preparations for "Phase 2" to what they described as "final delivery" status for the Department of Justice. The process appeared complete around May 2, when New York-based FBI agents sent the "Epstein Overview FINAL" to the Information Management Division.
Documents reviewed by investigators included surveillance photographs captured by the Justice Department during its Epstein investigation and the notorious video footage from the hallway outside Epstein's jail cell preceding his death. The comprehensive review encompassed sensitive materials that had generated significant public interest.
However, in a dramatic reversal, "Phase 2" was never released. By July, the Department of Justice issued an official memo stating that "no further disclosures" were justified following what they described as a thorough examination of the Epstein files. This decision emerged despite Bondi's previous assurance in February that Epstein's client list was "sitting on my desk right now to review."
Political Fallout and Public Interest
The blocked release created immediate political consequences, with Democrats accusing President Trump of participating in a cover-up to protect himself and other prominent figures. Trump responded defensively, characterising the Epstein files as a "Democrat hoax" designed to damage him politically.
This stance represented a significant departure from his 2024 presidential campaign promise to release the files publicly. The Justice Department and FBI maintained that Epstein had not maintained a formal "client list" and reaffirmed their conclusion that Epstein died by suicide rather than foul play.
Public interest remains undiminished, particularly given Epstein's operation of a sophisticated sex-trafficking network that allegedly involved minors. Numerous high-profile individuals have faced accusations of involvement or awareness of Epstein's criminal activities, though Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintains he severed ties with Epstein in the 2000s.
The government now faces renewed pressure for disclosure following Congressional legislation passed last month that could compel the release of additional documents. While President Trump has indicated he doesn't "care" what documents Congress wants released, the ultimate decision rests with the Justice Department regarding what information will see public light.
