A review by the Associated Press of newly released federal records concludes that the FBI gathered substantial evidence showing that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused underage girls, but did not find proof that he operated a broader sex trafficking ring involving other powerful individuals.
The AP analysis examined millions of pages of documents released by the Department of Justice, along with video and photographic evidence recovered from Epstein’s properties in New York, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to the review, investigators determined there was insufficient evidence to support federal charges against anyone beyond Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
While multiple accusers told investigators that other men also abused them, the FBI concluded the available evidence did not meet the threshold for federal prosecution. In several cases, allegations involving other individuals were referred to local law enforcement. An internal FBI email from July 2025 stated that “four or five” accusers had made such claims, but that there was not enough evidence to bring federal charges.
An internal FBI memo from 2019 documented a review of Epstein’s financial records, including payments to entities connected to high-profile individuals. According to the AP, investigators found no links between those payments and criminal activity. A prosecutor also wrote in 2025 that videos and photographs seized from Epstein’s homes showed no proof of victims being abused and did not implicate others in his crimes.
The AP reported that one victim publicly claimed Epstein “lent her” to wealthy associates, but FBI records show investigators were unable to verify that claim, and no other victims made similar allegations.
Federal prosecutors have confirmed that Epstein sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, one of his most prominent accusers. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting an underage girl, served time, and was arrested again in 2019 before his death later that year. Giuffre died by suicide late last year.
The release of the records follows the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law in November 2025 and requires the Department of Justice to make all unclassified Epstein-related records public.
On Monday, members of Congress are scheduled to begin reviewing more than 3 million unredacted Epstein documents at the Department of Justice. Lawmakers must provide advance notice to view the files in person and are prohibited from making electronic copies or receiving assistance from staff. The review is expected to inform future congressional hearings examining the handling of the Epstein investigation and allegations of trafficking and interference.
Also on Monday, Ghislaine Maxwell is set to testify virtually before the House Oversight Committee from her prison cell in Texas. Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s crimes. According to committee leadership, her attorneys have indicated that she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during the testimony.
