The U.S. Department of Justice has outlined the scope of materials released under the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, offering Congress a broad overview of investigative records connected to financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In a letter dated Feb. 14 to the leadership of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, the department stated it had released all records in its possession related to Epstein and Maxwell, with limited redactions permitted under the law. The correspondence was signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and sent to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Jamie Raskin.
The transparency law required the Justice Department to provide a summary of released and withheld materials within 15 days of completing disclosures. That summary includes categories of documents made public, the legal basis for any redactions and a list of government officials and politically exposed persons referenced in the files.
Broad Categories of Records
According to the department’s six-page report, nine categories of materials were released. These include records tied to investigations and prosecutions of Epstein and Maxwell, flight logs and travel records associated with Epstein-linked aircraft and vessels, and internal Justice Department communications concerning charging decisions.
Documents related to Epstein’s detention and death were also disclosed, along with materials involving immunity agreements, plea negotiations and any communications concerning the destruction or alteration of investigative records.
The department cited court filings from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in the prosecutions of Epstein and Maxwell as part of its compliance with the law.
Limited Withholdings and Privacy Protections
Officials stated that redactions were made primarily to protect victims’ personally identifiable information and medical data, remove child sexual abuse material and safeguard legal privileges such as attorney-client and deliberative-process protections.
The department emphasized that no records were withheld or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity.” Additional redactions were applied to avoid jeopardizing active federal investigations and to withhold graphic depictions of death or physical injury.
Although the law allowed for the withholding of classified national security information, the department said it did not use that authority in this instance. Unredacted versions of the materials are available for in-person review by members of Congress.
Officials also noted that the department consulted extensively with victims and their legal representatives during the review process.
List of Public Figures Included
As required by statute, the report includes a list of government officials and other politically exposed persons whose names appear in the released materials. The department clarified that inclusion on the list does not imply wrongdoing and that names may appear in a variety of contexts, including references in communications or news articles contained in investigative files.
Among those listed are current and former U.S. presidents Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
International and business figures named include Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, entrepreneur Elon Musk and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
The department said the term “politically exposed persons” was not defined in the statute and that individuals appear in varying contexts, from direct communications with Epstein or Maxwell to references found in media clippings included in investigative files.
Officials added that any omissions from the list were unintentional and reflected the “volume and speed” of the review process.
Congressional Reaction
Rep. Ro Khanna, who sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, criticized the Justice Department’s presentation of the list on social media platform X. He argued that the disclosure lacks sufficient clarity about the context in which individuals were mentioned.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and died in custody while awaiting trial. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and related offenses.
The transparency law was enacted following years of public scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s network of associations and the government’s earlier handling of his case. The Justice Department’s latest report represents a procedural step in fulfilling the law’s disclosure requirements, though debate continues over the scope and interpretation of the released materials.
