The Justice Department said Wednesday that it has received a new batch of records — more than 1 million documents — “potentially” related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, requiring additional time to process them before they can be released.
The Justice Department said it “may take a few more weeks” to review the files submitted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
“The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have discovered more than 1 million additional documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case,” the Justice Department said. He said on his X account Wednesday afternoon.
“The Department of Justice has received these documents from the SDNY and the FBI to review for release, in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, existing laws, and judicial orders. We have attorneys working around the clock to review and make legally required amendments to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible. Due to the large volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks.”
Spokesmen for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment on the contents of the documents and why they were not previously disclosed. An FBI spokesman declined to comment.
Epstein died in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in the Southern District of New York. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner, He was indicted in July 2020 on federal sex trafficking charges. She was convicted in December 2021 in New York and is serving a prison sentence The prison sentence is 20 years.
The Justice Department publicly released thousands of pages of the Epstein files on Friday, the legal deadline for the release of all files as outlined in the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month. Another tranche was issued on Tuesday.
After the first push, Justice Department officials said they needed more time to review their files and redact text and photos related to Epstein’s victims. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that he expects all of Epstein’s files to be available online by January 2.
“The reason we are continuing to review the documents and continuing our process is simply to protect the victims,” Blanche told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
“We go through a very systematic process where hundreds of attorneys go through every single document and make sure that the names of the victims and any information from the victims are protected and redacted, which is exactly what [Epstein Files] He added that the transparency law is expected.
As of Wednesday, the Justice Department had released about 40,000 documents related to Epstein, according to an NBC News analysis.
It is unclear why more files related to Epstein in the FBI’s possession were submitted to the Justice Department.
Attorney General Pam Bondi this year He told FBI Director Kash Patel “To turn over the complete and complete Epstein files to my office” by February 28, 2025. The directive came after Bondi said she had “repeatedly confirmed by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” only to discover on February 26 that “the FBI’s New York field office was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.”
News that the Department of Justice recently obtained more than 1 million documents comes nearly six months after the Department of Justice and the FBI made the announcement in a memo General, unsigned memorandum They “conducted a comprehensive review of the investigation’s assets related to Jeffrey Epstein.”
The files disclosed so far included several documents that mentioned President Donald Trump, including one suggesting he flew on Epstein’s private plane more times than previously known.
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has denied doing anything inappropriate. The president said he cut ties with Epstein sometime in the early 2000s because he was a “creep.”
The Justice Department said Tuesday In a post on X The documents that were published included “incorrect and sensational allegations” about Trump.
Some members of Congress criticized the delay in releasing all of the Epstein files.
Reps. Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, and Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, who led bipartisan efforts in Congress this year to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, have promised to hold those responsible accountable for obstruction, impeachment or contempt charges.
On Wednesday, after the Justice Department said more Epstein files had been found, Khanna said his threat to Massey to pursue contempt charges helped lead to the Justice Department’s announcement.
“Representative Thomas Massie and I will continue to keep the pressure on. After saying we are in contempt, the Department of Justice is now finding millions more documents to release,” the California congressman said. books.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded to the Justice Department’s announcement of a longer timeline for releasing the files by accusing them of a “cover-up.”
“The news of a million additional dossiers on Christmas Eve only proves what we already know: Trump is involved in a massive cover-up. The question Americans deserve to answer is simple: What are they hiding — and why? Justice delayed is justice denied. Release the dossiers. Follow the law,” Schumer said. he wrote in a post on X.
Schumer this week introduced a resolution that would direct the Senate to “initiate legal action against the Department of Justice” for not releasing the full Epstein files by last Friday.
Congress is scheduled to return to session in the first full week of January.