DOJ uncovers more than 1 million additional documents in Epstein review
Justice Department says release may take weeks as lawyers review material for legally required redactions.
The US Justice Department has said that it has identified more than one million additional documents that may be relevant to the case of disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, the department said officials at the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI informed it that the newly uncovered material could be linked to the long-running Epstein investigation.
The documents have been transferred to the Justice Department for review as part of its obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law on November 19, as well as existing federal statutes and court orders.
"We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible. Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks," the department said.
The statement added that the review was being carried out in line with directions from Donald Trump to release Epstein-related files.
Lawmakers criticise delay
Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, described the withholding of the documents as "outrageous" and "illegal."
"The White House is openly engaged in a cover-up protecting Epstein's co-conspirators and the powerful men who abused women and girls," Garcia said in a statement.
He called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress under oath and urged potential whistleblowers to come forward.
"Oversight Democrats also want to hear from whistleblowers or anyone at the DOJ who can assist us in bringing justice for the survivors. You are protected by the law," he said.
Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, in a death ruled a suicide.
He previously pleaded guilty in a Florida court in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution, a conviction critics have described as a "sweetheart deal."
Victims have alleged Epstein operated a wide-ranging sex trafficking network involving wealthy and influential figures.
His case remains politically charged in the United States, with continued calls for full transparency over his associates and any individuals who may have facilitated his crimes.