At least 16 files disappeared from a public Justice Department webpage containing documents related to Jeffrey Epstein less than a day after they were posted. The removals happened without any explanation or public notice.
The files were available Friday but were gone by Saturday. Among them were images of paintings depicting nude women and photographs arranged on furniture and inside drawers. One image showed a photograph of Donald Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
No explanation, growing speculation
The U.S. Department of Justice did not respond to questions about why the files were removed. In a post on X, the department said that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”
Online, the unexplained disappearance fueled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image with the Trump photograph, asking publicly, “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
A release that raised more questions
The episode added to concerns surrounding the Justice Department’s long-anticipated document release. Tens of thousands of pages were made public, but they offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years.
Some of the most closely watched materials were missing, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos about charging decisions. Those records could have helped explain how prosecutors viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.
Gaps in the records
The disclosures, required under a recent law passed by Congress, barely referenced several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew. The omissions renewed questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and how much the release truly advanced accountability.
There were some new details. The documents included insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon a federal investigation in the 2000s and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.
Much of the release consisted of images of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with photographs of celebrities and politicians.
Images of public figures, little context
The records included a series of never-before-seen photographs of former President Bill Clinton and far fewer images of Trump. Both men have acknowledged past associations with Epstein and later distanced themselves. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and there was no indication the photos played a role in the criminal cases.
Trump’s Republican allies highlighted the Clinton images, including photos with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. Other images showed Epstein with Chris Tucker, Kevin Spacey, and journalist Walter Cronkite. None of the photos included captions or explanations.
Rolling releases and frustration
Although Congress set a Friday deadline for the records to be made public, the Justice Department said it would release documents on a rolling basis. Officials cited the time needed to obscure survivors’ names and identifying details. The department has not said when additional records will be released.
That approach angered some Epstein accusers and members of Congress who pushed for the law. Instead of ending a yearslong fight for transparency, the release marked the start of an open-ended wait.
“I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein sexually abused her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.
Redactions and limited context
Federal prosecutors charged Epstein with sex trafficking in 2019, but he died by suicide in jail after his arrest.
The newly released documents represent only a fraction of the records the government holds. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan prosecutors had more than 3.6 million records from investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, many of them duplicates of FBI material.
While many documents had appeared before in court filings or congressional releases, this was the first time they were collected in one searchable public location. New materials were often heavily redacted or lacked context. One 119-page document labeled “Grand Jury-NY” was completely blacked out.
Evidence of a strong case
The most substantive records suggested federal prosecutors had a strong case against Epstein in 2007 but chose not to bring charges.
Grand jury transcripts released for the first time included testimony from FBI agents describing interviews with girls and young women who said they were paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14.
One witness described being sexually assaulted after resisting Epstein during a massage. Another testified that Epstein hired her at 16 and later paid her to recruit other girls.
“For every girl that I brought to the table he would give me $200,” she said, adding that she told underage girls to lie about their age.
Decisions under scrutiny
The documents also included a transcript of a later Justice Department interview with Alexander Acosta, the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case. Acosta said concerns about jury credibility and the line between sex trafficking and prostitution influenced the decision not to prosecute federally.
“I’m not saying it was the right view,” he said, adding that public attitudes toward survivors have since changed.
“There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” Acosta said.
Survivors react
Attorney Jennifer Freeman, who represents accuser Maria Farmer, said the release left her client feeling vindicated.
“It’s a triumph and a tragedy,” Freeman said. “It looks like the government did absolutely nothing. Horrible things have happened and if they investigated in even the smallest way, they could have stopped him.”
