The US Department of Justice has released a massive collection of files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking the largest disclosure of Epstein-related material since a law requiring their release took effect last year.
The trove, made public on Friday, includes roughly three million pages of documents, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos.
The release comes six weeks after the department missed a deadline set by legislation signed by President Donald Trump, which required all Epstein-related records to be disclosed.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the publication concludes an extensive review process aimed at ensuring transparency and meeting legal obligations to the public.
The documents contain information about Epstein’s time in custody, including a psychological evaluation and details surrounding his death in jail, as well as investigative records related to Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime associate who was convicted of assisting in the trafficking of underage girls.
The files also include emails between Epstein and prominent individuals. Many of the records date back more than a decade and shed light on his relationships during periods of legal scrutiny.
Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl under a widely criticized plea deal. He died in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Donald Trump is mentioned hundreds of times in newly released files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to documents made public this week. Trump previously acknowledged having a friendship with Epstein but has said it ended years before Epstein’s arrest. He has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sex crimes and has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims.
Among the documents is a list compiled by the FBI in 2023 summarising allegations made via its National Threat Operations Center tip line. Many of the claims appear to be unverified and were submitted without supporting evidence. The list includes numerous allegations of sexual abuse involving Trump, Epstein and other high-profile individuals.
In response to the release, both the White House and the US Justice Department cited a statement included with the documents. The Justice Department said some materials contain “untrue and sensationalist claims” submitted shortly before the 2020 election, adding that the allegations are “unfounded and false” and would have been acted upon if credible.
The files also include previously undisclosed email correspondence between Epstein and tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk has said in the past that Epstein invited him to the financier’s private island, but that he declined. The emails show Musk discussed potential travel to the island on multiple occasions, including in 2012, when he asked Epstein what day would host the “wildest party” there.
In other messages, Epstein asked Musk about helicopter transport to the island, with Musk replying that only he and his then-wife, actress Talulah Riley, would attend. In a Christmas Day email from 2012, Musk wrote that he wanted to “let loose” after an exhausting year and was seeking an active party environment rather than a “peaceful island experience.”
Emails from late 2013 also discuss possible dates and logistics for a visit. There is no evidence that Musk ever travelled to Epstein’s island. The BBC has contacted representatives for Musk for comment.
Separately, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has strongly denied claims contained in the documents, which his spokesperson described as “absolutely absurd and completely false.” The allegations appear in two emails dated July 2013, drafted from Epstein’s own email account and sent back to the same address. It is unclear whether the messages were ever sent to Gates.
One email is written as a mock resignation letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and includes claims about Gates’ alleged sexual behaviour. Another complains about Gates ending a relationship with Epstein and makes further accusations, including an alleged attempt to conceal a sexually transmitted infection.
A spokesperson for Gates said the documents demonstrate Epstein’s anger over the lack of an ongoing relationship and accused him of attempting to defame Gates. Epstein, who died in jail in 2019, has previously been described by investigators as a serial manipulator who sought influence through powerful individuals.
