December 21, 2025 | 06:49 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual crimes voiced their anger on Saturday following the long-awaited release of case records against the disgraced financier.
According to CNA, frustration arose from the extensive redactions across pages and photographs, leaving many victims feeling that crucial details were withheld.
The materials released by the U.S. Department of Justice included photographs of former President Bill Clinton and other prominent figures within Epstein’s social circle, such as singer Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.
However, the partial removal of most documents and the controlled timing of their release by officials in former President Donald Trump’s administration have led to allegations of an attempted cover-up involving high-profile individuals.
On Saturday, Democratic lawmakers demanded explanations after an image reportedly containing Trump was no longer visible in the DOJ’s online release.
“If they're taking this down, just imagine how much more they're trying to hide,” said senior Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer. “This could be one of the biggest cover-ups in American history.”
Among the heavily redacted materials, a 119-page document labeled Grand Jury-NY was entirely censored. Epstein victim Jess Michaels recounted spending hours sifting through the released documents to locate statements and communications from other victims she had submitted to the FBI.
“I can't find any of those,” she told CNN. “IIs this the best that the government can do? Even an act of Congress isn't getting us justice.”
Despite the redactions, the documents offer glimpses into Epstein’s extensive social network and close relationships with wealthy and influential individuals, including Trump, who was previously associated with Epstein.
Some files contain dozens of censored images, showing nude or partially clothed individuals. Newly released photographs depict Prince Andrew reclining with five women, while others show Clinton lounging in a hot tub—some parts blacked out—and swimming alongside a dark-haired woman believed to be Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Privacy and Political Backlash
As Trump allies questioned the handling of images depicting Clinton, his spokesperson stated that the White House “hasn't been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton. This is about shielding themselves.”
The documents also include handwritten notes with phrases like “I have a female for him" and "[redacted] has girl for tonight,” indicating the coordination of sexual encounters
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a longtime advocate for full transparency, criticized the release, saying it “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law,” which mandates that government case files be released on Fridays except when restricted by legal considerations or to protect victims’ privacy.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told ABC News that there was no effort “to withhold anything” to protect Trump.
Trump, who died in 2019, had spent months attempting to block the release of files tied to Epstein, who was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died in a New York prison.
Ultimately, the Republican president bowed to mounting pressure from Congress, including members of his own party, and last month signed a law requiring the publication of such material.
Trump, who socialized in the same Palm Beach and New York party circuit as Epstein during the 1990s, severed ties years before Epstein’s arrest and has faced no wrongdoing charges in connection to the case.
Nonetheless, his right-wing base has remained fixated on Epstein, fueling conspiracy theories accusing the financier of running a global sex trafficking network for the elite.
Conviction and Ongoing Justice
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, remains the only person convicted in connection to his crimes. She is serving a 20-year sentence for recruiting underage girls for Epstein, whose death was ruled a suicide.
The release of the heavily redacted files underscores ongoing tensions between victims seeking justice and the limitations of official disclosures, leaving many to question whether the full scope of Epstein’s connections will ever be revealed.
Read: New Epstein Estate Images Released Ahead of Deadline
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