Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are urging Congress to push forward legislation requiring Donald Trump’s administration to hand over key financial documents tied to Epstein’s network. They believe those records could finally reveal the full scope of how his long-running trafficking operation was funded.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), directs the Treasury Department to provide Senate investigators with Epstein-related banking records — materials they’ve been seeking for years.
“These records are essential to exposing how Epstein built and sustained a criminal enterprise across borders that abused countless women and girls,” attorneys for the survivors wrote in letters to lawmakers. They argued that Epstein and his associates have “hidden in the shadows” for decades, shielding the wealth that made the abuse possible.
Wyden’s inquiry has gained urgency under the Trump administration, which has tried to shut down further investigation, insisting there is “no basis” to release additional documents after the Justice Department claimed the case was effectively closed. Despite months of resistance, Congress recently passed a measure requiring the DOJ to release its “Epstein files.”
But the Treasury documents remain off-limits. Wyden’s office says Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has repeatedly refused to hand them over — and that’s exactly what the new bill seeks to change.
Survivors are asking the Senate to approve the legislation quickly. If it passes, Treasury would have 30 days to supply “suspicious activity reports” from Epstein-linked bank accounts — including those of alleged co-conspirators. These reports are routinely used to track potentially criminal financial activity.
The bill also covers a broader network: financial records connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, other high-profile Epstein associates, and the banks that handled their transactions. Treasury would additionally be required to provide a comprehensive report on all investigations involving institutions tied to Epstein.
Wyden has cited multiple concerns around Epstein’s finances, including JPMorgan Chase’s suspicious activity reports flagging millions in transactions from 2002 to 2016 — and more than $1.3 billion flagged only after Epstein’s 2019 arrest and subsequent death in jail. In 2023, JPMorgan paid $230 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the bank of enabling Epstein’s crimes.
“Congress acted to uncover Epstein files in the Justice Department,” Wyden said. “Now we need transparency from the Treasury.”
He emphasized that confidential banking records held by Treasury and the IRS could finally map out the financial structure that supported Epstein’s alleged trafficking operation across New York, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“These records would show who funded, enabled, and participated in Epstein’s network,” Wyden said — and survivors say there’s no more time to waste.
