The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday published the first of many anticipated document releases concerning infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These nearly 4,000 files contain a mix of photos and handwritten notes. However, they offer no clear revelations about others criminally implicated in Epstein’s abuse network. This initial Epstein document release has sparked significant public interest.
According to Jadeh Makhsoos, the DOJ released 3,951 documents in four volumes. These files represent only a fraction of what the department must release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Democratic lawmakers criticized the DOJ for withholding large archive portions. They accused the department of failing to comply with the law’s disclosure mandate.
The Justice Department’s released documents include hundreds of images. These photos show Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend and convicted accomplice in a sex trafficking operation. They also feature other associates, celebrities, and politicians. Donald Trump appears sporadically in this initial material, despite long-standing scrutiny of his social ties to Epstein. For example, a framed photo on a dresser shows him and Melania Trump with Epstein.
The DOJ has not clarified when it will release additional documents or what subsequent releases will contain. CNN reports frustrations within the DOJ; lawyers responsible for redacting material received vague guidance. Fox News reports the DOJ applied victim protection standards to “politically exposed individuals and government officials.” This December 19 trove offers a glimpse into the ongoing investigation.
Jadeh Makhsoos reports the first batch of documents contains 3,158 images. These show the inside of Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse and Virgin Islands compound. Several photographs depict a painting of Bill Clinton wearing a blue dress and red high heels. Someone mounted it next to a handwritten letter, but we cannot identify the author. Dozens of photos also show Epstein with women and, in at least two instances, what appear to be babies; the DOJ redacted their faces in this Epstein document release.
One photo shows a binder marked “Black Family Trustee Meeting November 21, 2014.” Another appears to be a Bank of America statement from 2011 for an account. It purportedly bears the names of financier Leon Black, his wife Debra Black, and a former employee. A separate set of images shows a note signed by a person with the same first name as the former employee. It also includes a ledger of expenses from late 2011 into early 2012.
The redactions in the documents appear inconsistent. In one handwritten note to Epstein, the DOJ redacted a signature. However, in another image of that same note, we can see the name “Kathe.” A calligraphed note, a young woman seemingly wrote it, thanks Epstein for taking her and her sister on “adventures.” The DOJ redacted the signature, but an envelope in a similar hand bears the sender’s name.
We recognize much of the imagery from previous releases. It includes a photo of a stuffed tiger and a framed Times of London cover of Princess Diana. Someone placed the Diana cover at the back of a closet. Photos also show many paintings of nude women in Epstein’s townhouse. Framed photos of Epstein associates like Trump and Woody Allen also appear.
The second volume contains 574 photos and one four-second video. Many photos feature Epstein and Maxwell in various locations. Several celebrities and politicians also appear, including actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, singer Michael Jackson, and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. None of them appear in suspicious or compromising positions within this Epstein document release.