The US Department of Justice has announced the discovery of over a million new documents potentially related to the case of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This announcement has sparked a new wave of criticism of the department and the administration of President Donald Trump, as the publication of the materials has been delayed.
According to an official statement from the Justice Department released on 24 December, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have transferred more than a million additional files to the department for review and possible declassification.
‘The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have discovered over a million additional documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case,’ the statement said.
The discovery of a new set of files means that the full publication will be delayed by ‘several weeks.’ The Justice Department explained that additional time is needed for review and redaction to protect the privacy of victims and comply with court rules.
The department has already released several batches of documents — thousands of pages, including photographs, flight logs and witness statements — but many of them have been heavily redacted.
The announcement sparked a sharp reaction from politicians on both sides of the aisle.
Democrats, such as Congressman Robert Garcia, accused the Trump administration of a ‘massive cover-up’ and called for the resignation of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Republicans, including the bill’s authors Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, also expressed dissatisfaction with the delays, emphasising the need for full transparency.
Epstein’s victims and their representatives called the situation a ‘slap in the face’ and demanded an independent audit.
Senators sent a request to the Justice Department’s inspector general demanding an investigation into the reasons for the delays.
The Justice Department promised to continue publishing the documents ‘on a phased basis’ and assured that it would fully comply with the requirements of the law and President Trump’s instructions.
Experts suggest that the new documents may shed light on Epstein’s connections with influential figures, but their content is still unknown.
The case of Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, remains one of the most scandalous in modern US history.