The Justice Department has reviewed "several million" pages of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and expects to release the materials "in the near term," officials said in a court filing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton told federal judges Tuesday that the department has made "substantial progress" reviewing Epstein-related records but cannot yet provide a firm release date, CNN and NBC News reported.
The disclosure comes amid mounting public and congressional pressure to fully unseal the long-sought files.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender accused of trafficking and abusing dozens of underage girls, died by suicide in a federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
His case has remained a lightning rod for controversy, fueled by unanswered questions about powerful associates and the government's handling of his earlier prosecution.
In their letter to U.S. District Judges Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer, DOJ officials said the department has reviewed millions of pages of documents, along with audio and video recordings, and is continuing an extensive redaction process to protect victim identities.
The files span decades and include materials from the FBI's investigations in Florida and New York.
"The Department is not able to provide a specific date at this time," the officials wrote, citing the need for quality control checks and careful document management to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act while safeguarding victims.
That law, passed by Congress in November with overwhelming bipartisan support, required the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files by mid-December 2025.
Critics note that the department has already missed that deadline, releasing just over 12,000 documents so far — less than 1% of the estimated total — while more than 2 million records remain under review.
CNN previously reported that the DOJ scrambled to meet the mandate, asking career prosecutors to volunteer over holiday periods to help with redactions.
A July FBI memo said investigators uncovered more than 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence connected to Epstein.
Public frustration with the slow pace of disclosure is growing.
A recent CNN poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government is intentionally withholding information about the Epstein case.
Only a small minority said they believe authorities are making a full effort to release all available information.
Conservatives and transparency advocates argue the skepticism is justified, pointing to Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal in Florida, which shielded him from federal prosecution despite credible allegations of widespread abuse.
That agreement, approved under the Obama-era Justice Department, allowed Epstein to serve about a year in a county jail while avoiding more serious charges.
While DOJ officials insist the delay is about protecting victims, critics counter that the public has waited years for answers and accountability, particularly regarding Epstein’s connections to wealthy and politically influential figures.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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