The Epstein Files: What Was Released, What Was Hidden, and What's Happening Right Now

What Are the Epstein Files? Start Here.

Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy financier who ran an international sex trafficking operation for decades, abusing hundreds of women and girls. He was arrested in 2019 and died in federal custody that same year. For years, survivors, journalists, and members of Congress demanded that the government release all files related to the investigation — including the names of powerful people who may have been involved. In late 2025, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release everything. What happened next has shocked the country.

The Law: Congress Voted 427–1 to Release Everything

In November 2025, the House of Representatives voted 427–1 to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119–38, H.R. 4405). The law required the DOJ to publicly release all Epstein-related files within 30 days and explicitly banned redactions made to protect anyone's reputation or avoid political embarrassment. President Trump signed it into law on November 19, 2025. It was one of the most lopsided votes in recent congressional history.

"The Attorney General shall release all documents and records in possession of the Department of Justice relating to Jeffrey Epstein."

— Epstein Files Transparency Act, Public Law 119–38 ↗

What the DOJ Actually Did

In late January 2026, the DOJ published over 3.5 million pages, with the formal announcement on February 1, 2026. But investigators and lawmakers quickly found major problems. The DOJ redacted approximately 200,000 pages, citing victim privacy and legal privilege — categories the law was specifically written to prevent from being used as shields. House Judiciary Democrats said the DOJ had released "only about half" of the relevant files.

The Trump Files: What Was Hidden

In February 2026, an NPR investigation found that the DOJ had withheld or removed dozens of pages specifically related to sexual abuse accusations against President Donald Trump. This included more than 50 pages from an FBI interview with a woman who accused Trump of sexually abusing her when she was a minor. The DOJ also temporarily removed a photograph showing Trump from the public database — only restoring it after public outcry. In March 2026, the DOJ admitted to "coding errors" and released the previously withheld Trump-related files.

"The Justice Department has withheld some Epstein files related to allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor."

— NPR Investigation, February 24, 2026 ↗

Pam Bondi: Fired, Then Defied a Subpoena

Attorney General Pam Bondi was fired by President Trump in April 2026. Reporting indicated her dismissal was partly due to her handling of the Epstein files, as the administration faced growing backlash for stonewalling the release. After being fired, Bondi refused to appear for a scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee, defying a lawful congressional subpoena and prompting threats of contempt charges.

Ghislaine Maxwell: Every Appeal Has Failed

Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five federal counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence at FCI Tallahassee in Florida. Maxwell has pursued every available legal avenue to challenge her conviction — and every one has failed.

With direct appeals exhausted, Maxwell filed a § 2255 habeas corpus petition — a separate legal process that allows a convicted person to challenge their imprisonment on constitutional grounds. On April 20, 2026, federal prosecutors filed a letter to the district court (Docket Entry 856, Case No. 1:20-cr-00330) confirming receipt of her amended petition. The government requested additional time to respond, citing the volume of Epstein Files materials they must review. The contents of the amended filing have not been made public. Federal courts grant § 2255 petitions rarely — Maxwell's conviction has already survived multiple rounds of appellate review.

New Mexico: The Zorro Ranch Investigation

Epstein's Zorro Ranch — a 7,500-acre private estate in Santa Fe County, New Mexico — was purchased by Epstein from former New Mexico Governor Bruce King in 1993. According to federal court documents, the ranch, which has its own airstrip and helipad, was a site of sex trafficking. Maxwell was convicted in part for crimes that occurred there.

In 2026, New Mexico launched the most aggressive state-level investigation into Epstein's activities to date. On February 16, 2026, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Resolution 1, creating a bipartisan Special Investigatory Subcommittee — widely known as the "Epstein Truth Commission."

The $2 million budget is funded entirely from a 2023 settlement between New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and several financial services companies that failed to identify abuses at the ranch. No taxpayer money is being used. The NM DOJ has not released findings from the March search as of April 22, 2026.

The Survivors: Still Fighting for Justice

The women and girls Epstein abused are at the center of this story. Their courage in coming forward made prosecutions possible. But the DOJ's handling of the file release caused additional harm: a Wall Street Journal review found that the release inadvertently exposed the unredacted names of at least 43 victims, including more than 24 who were minors at the time of the abuse. The DOJ was forced to temporarily pull thousands of documents offline.

Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent survivors and advocates, provided detailed testimony about being trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to numerous powerful men. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025. Her posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl, was published in October 2025. Other survivors including Jennifer Araoz, Annie Farmer, and Maria Farmer have also shared their stories publicly, and their testimonies were instrumental in the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Money: Banks That Enabled Epstein

Epstein's trafficking operation required enormous amounts of money — and major banks processed thousands of suspicious transactions for him over nearly two decades. Three of the largest banks in America have now paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements to Epstein's victims.

A November 2025 Senate Finance Committee analysis found that JPMorgan Chase executives had tuned out compliance officers who flagged Epstein's suspicious activity. After Epstein's death, the bank filed retroactive suspicious activity reports covering almost $1.3 billion in thousands of transactions dating back to 2003 — meaning they knew something was wrong but did nothing for years.

Leslie Wexner, Leon Black, and the DEA Investigation

Retail billionaire Leslie Wexner gave Epstein full power of attorney in the late 1980s and 1990s, allowing him to manage finances, buy property, and serve as a trustee of the Wexner Foundation. This relationship gave Epstein the credibility to present himself as a high-level financier. Wexner was among the previously redacted individuals named by members of Congress after they reviewed unredacted files.

Billionaire Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, paid Epstein approximately $158 million between 2012 and 2017 — after Epstein's 2008 conviction — ostensibly for tax and estate planning. A recently uncovered 2015 DEA memorandum also revealed that Epstein and 14 associates were targets of a major investigation called "Operation Chain Reaction" for possible drug trafficking and money laundering. That investigation was shut down without any charges ever being filed.

What We Still Don't Know

What You Can Do Right Now