TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - At least 16 files related to Jeffrey Epstein abruptly vanished from the public website of the U.S. Department of Justice within a day of their release, fueling anger and speculation over what was removed and why the public was not informed.
As reported by France24, the missing files included a photograph reportedly featuring former President Donald Trump, sparking questions about the partial release.
The files, available on Friday but inaccessible by Saturday, also contained a painting of a naked woman and a photograph showing a series of images along a cabinet and inside a drawer. Among these was a picture of Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Department of Justice did not provide an explanation for the disappearance but stated in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue to be reviewed and edited in accordance with the law as a precaution as we obtain additional information.”
Online, the sudden removal intensified long-standing intrigue over Epstein and his connections to influential figures. Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing Trump photograph, questioning the transparency of the release. “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public,” they wrote.
Senator Dick Durbin noted last summer that Trump’s then-Attorney General, Pam Bondi, had “pressed the FBI to devote about 1,000 personnel” to a 24-hour review of roughly 100,000 records related to Epstein, flagging every record mentioning President Trump.
Gaps in Disclosure
The partial release has left significant gaps in public understanding of Epstein’s crimes. Tens of thousands of pages were published, yet many key records—including FBI interviews with victims and internal Department of Justice memos on prosecutorial decisions—were heavily redacted or entirely missing.
A 119-page document labeled “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations leading to charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was completely censored.
The released files offer glimpses into Epstein’s extensive social network, including connections with Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and other wealthy and influential figures. Some files contain dozens of censored images showing nude or partially clothed individuals, including previously unseen photographs of Prince Andrew and Clinton. However, very few images of Trump were included.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told ABC News there was no attempt to withhold records to protect Trump. Still, critics argue the release “fails miserably to comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” which mandates publication of government case files, except when restricted by legal considerations or to protect victims’ privacy.
Victims’ Anger
Epstein’s victims expressed frustration at the partial release. Jess Michaels, who spent hours searching the documents for statements submitted to the FBI, said, “I can’t find any of those. Is this the best that the government can do? Even an act of Congress isn’t getting us justice.”
Marina Lacerda, who accused Epstein of beginning sexual abuse when she was 14, told Al Jazeera, “All of us are infuriated by this. It’s another slap in the face. We expected way more.”
Lacerda had been a key witness in the 2019 investigation that led to federal sex trafficking charges against Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York prison while awaiting trial.
Limited Transparency, Ongoing Questions
The Department of Justice has acknowledged the records released so far represent only a fraction of the millions of documents related to Epstein’s case.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Manhattan federal prosecutors hold more than 3.6 million records from the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein and Maxwell, though many are duplicates from FBI filings.
The new records often lack context and are heavily redacted. For instance, handwritten notes in the documents reference sexual arrangements with vague phrases such as “I have a female for him” or “[redacted] has a girl for tonight.”
While images of Clinton, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chris Tucker, and Kevin Spacey were included, captions and explanations were missing, leaving much unclear about the context of these relationships.
Grand Jury Testimonies and DOJ Decisions
The release also included transcripts of grand jury testimonies for the first time. Victims described being paid for sexual acts with Epstein as teenagers, some as young as 14. Others testified about being recruited to bring additional girls into the network.
Interviews with Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who oversaw the Epstein case, reveal concerns over whether juries would believe the accusers and whether federal prosecutors should pursue charges given the legal boundaries between sex trafficking and state-level solicitation cases. Acosta later served as Labor Secretary in the Trump administration.
The Department of Justice plans to continue releasing records gradually, citing the need to redact victims’ names and other identifying information.
Critics argue that without full transparency, the public may never see the complete scope of Epstein’s crimes or the decision-making that allowed him to evade harsher federal prosecution for years.
The partial release has reignited questions about accountability for high-profile figures linked to Epstein and highlighted the ongoing tension between victims seeking justice and the limitations of official disclosures.
Read: Victims, US Lawmakers Protest Partial Release of Jeffrey Epstein Case Files
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