More than a dozen newly-released Jeffrey Epstein files vanished from Justice Department website
At least 16 documents linked to former financier Jeffrey Epstein were removed from the Justice Department’s public portal just 24 hours after the agency released a massive trove of records, according to sources on Capitol Hill.
The files vanished from the department’s website a day after the release, which included hundreds of thousands of documents and previously unseen photographs. The disappeared documents—over a dozen in total—contained images of nude paintings, a desk covered with framed photos, and a stack of pictures in an open drawer.
Among the shots on the desk were photos of former President Bill Clinton, Pope Benedict XVI, and other public figures. In the open drawer the only photo that could still be seen was that of former President Donald Trump posing with Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and First Lady Melania Trump at an event, a picture the House Oversight Committee later identified as “file 468.”
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted a graphic on X (formerly Twitter) that read, “What else is being covered up?” and shared a thumbnail of the missing Trump photo. “We need transparency for the American public,” the committee’s tweet added. Neither Trump nor Clinton have faced criminal charges related to Epstein.
The Justice Department has yet to respond to a request for comment. It remains unclear why the files disappeared, though officials noted that they would continue to release remaining records over time, in line with a bipartisan law that required the agency to hand over all “unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” regarding Epstein.
The Friday release, prompted by the law, also unveiled a range of new material: photographs of Epstein with high‑profile politicians and celebrities—including, for instance, a half‑naked Clinton portrait, pictures of former Prince Andrew, Mick Jagger, and Michael Jackson.
Thousands of images of Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted sex‑trafficking partner, were also included. The following day, the DOJ made additional documents public, including grand jury records from the 1990s investigations that culminated in Epstein’s 18‑month plea deal.
Epstein, who died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, was awaiting trial on federal sex‑trafficking charges. Public attention sharpened after a July joint memo from the FBI and DOJ concluded he had taken his own life and did not maintain the rumored “client list” of wealthy men he allegedly trafficked girls for.
While the Justice Department said the remaining files will be released gradually, the sudden removal of the 16 documents has prompted criticism from Democrats who demand a fuller explanation. The post‑release handling of the Epstein archive remains under scrutiny as lawmakers and the public seek a clearer view of the evidence.
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