Attorney General Pam Bondi Releases First Batch of Jeffrey Epstein Documents, Promises Further Transparency
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday released the first wave of government documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose case has long been shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories. However, the initial batch of files, made available on the Justice Department’s website, largely contained information already in the public domain, disappointing some who had hoped for new revelations about Epstein’s extensive network of high-profile associates.
The documents, part of what the Justice Department is calling “Phase I” of the Epstein files, included flight logs from Epstein’s private jet, a heavily redacted address book, and an inventory of over 150 pieces of evidence, such as nude photographs, massage tables, and sex-related objects. While the files named several well-known individuals including pop icon Michael Jackson, supermodel Naomi Campbell, actor Alec Baldwin, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo they did not provide any significant new details about Epstein’s crimes or his connections to powerful figures.
The release comes after Bondi learned that the FBI’s New York Field Office had withheld thousands of pages of documents related to the Epstein investigation. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Bondi demanded that the agency turn over all remaining files by 8:00 AM EST on Friday and ordered an immediate investigation into why her earlier requests for the documents were not fulfilled. “Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of the files,” Bondi wrote. “You will deliver to me a comprehensive report of your findings and proposed personnel action within 14 days.”
Patel, in a post on X vowed to ensure full transparency. “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned,” he wrote. “If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them.”
The initial document release, however, fell short of expectations for many, including some Republican lawmakers. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who leads a House Republican task force on government transparency, expressed frustration, stating, “This is not what we or the American people asked for and a complete disappointment.” Conservative commentator Glenn Beck echoed the sentiment, calling the files “a total joke.”
Epstein, who was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial. His case has drawn widespread attention due to his connections to influential figures, including royalty, politicians, and celebrities. His former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating Epstein’s crimes and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
