WASHINGTON — The US Department of Justice has released more than 11,000 additional documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, drawing bipartisan criticism over extensive redactions that lawmakers say violate the Epstein Files Transparency Act’s broad disclosure mandate. Many apparent potential “co‑conspirators” remain blacked out, even though 2019 FBI emails reference 10 such individuals, while Ghislaine Maxwell and billionaire Leslie Wexner are left unredacted; Wexner’s lawyers maintain he was never a target and fully cooperated.​

FBI emails from July 2019 show agents seeking updates on “10 co‑conspirators,” including efforts to locate and subpoena them and a reference to “a wealthy businessman in Ohio.” Other records describe memos drafted after Epstein’s August 2019 death laying out possible charges for co‑conspirators, but those memos are missing from the release, and only Epstein and Maxwell were ever charged. Lawmakers and survivors say the heavy redactions and withheld materials appear to shield powerful figures and may break the law’s requirement for a full, timely release.​

This batch contains many more references to President Donald Trump than previous releases, including a 2020 email from a federal prosecutor stating that flight logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s jet multiple times in the 1990s, sometimes with Ghislaine Maxwell, Marla Maples and his children.

A 2021 subpoena sought Mar‑a‑Lago employment records regarding a redacted individual, while the files also contain unverified tips sent to the FBI mentioning Trump, with no clear evidence of follow‑up. The DOJ has issued an unusual statement calling some allegations in the documents “untrue and sensationalist” and stressing that inclusion in the files does not imply wrongdoing; Trump has denied any misconduct.​​

Among the more sensational items is a handwritten letter purportedly from “J. Epstein” to imprisoned sports doctor Larry Nassar that praises Trump and crudely references shared “interests,” which the DOJ now says is “FAKE,” citing handwriting discrepancies, a Virginia postmark three days after Epstein’s death, and an incorrect jail return address and format.

Authorities similarly flagged a 3D‑generated fake video depicting an Epstein‑like figure in a jail cell, first posted online and later emailed to investigators, noting that no authentic video exists from inside Epstein’s cell on the day he died. Officials say these hoaxes underscore that not all material in the cache reflects verified facts, even when released under the transparency law.​​

The DOJ’s approach has fueled bipartisan anger, with critics pointing to heavy redactions, missing documents, and the department’s failure to meet the statutory deadline for full release.

Lawmakers and legal experts also question the DOJ’s unusually forceful defense of Trump, contrasting it with more neutral language about Bill Clinton in earlier batches, as well as technical missteps like briefly pulling some files and temporarily removing an image of Trump before restoring it. Survivors and members of Congress argue that the pattern of partial, staggered releases and opaque redactions continues to obscure potential accomplices and undermines public trust in the investigation.

The US Department of Justice has released over 11,000 new Jeffrey Epstein case documents, prompting bipartisan criticism for heavy redactions that lawmakers say defy a law requiring broad transparency.

Many names of apparent potential “co-conspirators” are blacked out, though 2019 FBI emails reference 10 such individuals and leave Ghislaine Maxwell and Les Wexner unredacted. Wexner’s lawyers say he was never a target and fully cooperated.​

President Donald Trump’s name appears more often than in previous batches, including in a 2020 email from a federal prosecutor stating that flight logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s jet multiple times between 1993 and 1996, sometimes with Ghislaine Maxwell, Marla Maples and his children. The Justice Department says some material contains “false and sensational” claims about Trump and stresses that inclusion in the files does not imply wrongdoing; Trump has denied any misconduct.​

The release also features eccentric and discredited items. A widely shared handwritten letter apparently from Epstein to imprisoned sports doctor Larry Nassar was officially deemed fake after handwriting, address and postmark irregularities were identified, including a date three days after Epstein’s death.

Another entry is a 3D‑generated fake video showing an Epstein-like figure in a cell, first posted on YouTube and later emailed to investigators by a member of the public; authorities say no video exists from inside Epstein’s cell on the day he died.​

Emails in the cache further highlight scrutiny of possible accomplices, a major concern for victims and lawmakers pressing the DOJ over what they see as excessive secrecy.​ — Agencies