Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday released declassified files related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Department of Justice said in a news release this is the first phase in the release of documents related to Epstein, who died by suicide in federal custody in New York in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges for sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of underage girls by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for money.
"This Department of Justice is following through on President [Donald] Trump's commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators," Bondi said in the news release. "The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein's extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability."
Epstein often socialized with celebrities, royalty, and powerful politicians across the world, including on a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands; but his client list has never been disclosed. Ghislaine Maxwell, who recruited young girls for Epstein, was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and conspiracy for helping him procure girls, but no client names were revealed during her trial. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Among the documents released was an evidence list that disclosed various computers, cellphones, and other items such as massage tables, sex toys, and various compact discs, including one titled "girl pics nude book 4" and another titled "Women Old Photos Box."
It was not known whether the evidence came from Epstein's or Maxwell's case or from another investigation. Other documents included Epstein's contacts book, with addresses and phone numbers redacted; flight logs from Epstein's private plane that were disclosed during Maxwell's trial; and a redacted list of 254 masseuses.
"The FBI is entering a new era — one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice," FBI Director Kash Patel said in the news release. "There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued.
"If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be."
In the contact book, under "important email addresses," there was an entry for "Secret Service personnel" escorting former Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak "on J. Epstein planes."
Another entry in that category listed Jean-Luc Brunel, the co-founder of French modeling agency Karin Models who reportedly died by suicide in a Paris jail cell in 2022 after he had been held for more than a year while being investigated on suspicion of the rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation. The listing noted "Jean-Luc Brunel 'scout' for young females — Karin Models."
It is not known when the DOJ will be releasing its next batch of documents, but Bondi said earlier Thursday in a letter to Patel that she learned from a source that thousands of documents were being held at the FBI's New York field office and demanded they be turned over to the DOJ by 8 a.m. Friday.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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