In an unprecedented move toward governmental transparency, the U.S. Justice Department has unveiled millions of previously confidential documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Friday’s disclosure—the largest to date—which includes over 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images posted to the department’s official website.
The release comes in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, enacted following months of intense public and political pressure. This legislative measure mandates full disclosure of government files concerning the deceased financier and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
Among the disclosed materials are correspondence and records involving high-profile figures across political and business spheres. Documents reference Britain’s Prince Andrew (now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) hundreds of times, including in Epstein’s private emails and guest lists for his dinners. The files also reveal communications between Epstein and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who twice discussed potential visits to Epstein’s Caribbean island, Little Saint James.
Additional records show extensive text message exchanges between Epstein and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon during Trump’s first term, featuring discussions about politics and transportation arrangements. The documents also include an invitation to current Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his family to visit Epstein’s island in 2012.
The Justice Department emphasized its extensive review process, involving hundreds of lawyers who scrutinized approximately 6 million pages to redact sensitive information protecting victims’ identities and ongoing investigations. Blanche acknowledged public hunger for information while cautioning that the release might not satisfy all conspiracy theories surrounding the case.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His case has continued to generate intense public interest and speculation about potential cover-ups involving powerful associates.