The US Department of Justice released its latest - and largest - tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files on Tuesday. The 11,000-plus documents continue a stream of released information that began on Friday, the deadline mandated in a new law that required the department to publicly release all of its investigative files into the deceased paedophile and financier.
Many of the documents released on Tuesday are redacted with names and information blacked out, including names of people who the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case. The justice department is facing criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle over the amount of redactions, which the law specifically states can only be done to protect the identity of victims or active criminal investigations.
President Donald Trump's name appeared more in these new documents than in previous releases. Many were media clippings that mention him, but one notable email from a federal prosecutor indicated Trump flew on Epstein's jet.
The justice department said some files contain untrue and sensationalist claims about Trump. Being mentioned in the Epstein files does not indicate wrongdoing. The BBC has requested comment from individuals named in our reporting.
Email exchange between 'A' and Ghislaine Maxwell about 'girls'
Of the thousands of pages included in this latest release, one 2001 email sent by a person identified as A stands out. The message, to Epstein's accomplice and close associate Ghislaine Maxwell, says that A is at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.
A then asks Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for sex trafficking of minors and other offences: Have you found me some new inappropriate friends? In another email sent later that day, Maxwell writes back: So sorry to disappoint you, however the truth must be told. I have only been able to find appropriate friends.
The A email was sent from the address abx17@dial.pipex.com, with the sender's name shown as The Invisible Man.
FBI email lists out 10 alleged co-conspirators to Epstein
Among the documents released are emails appearing to be sent between FBI personnel in 2019 that mention 10 possible co-conspirators of Epstein. The emails said six of the 10 co-conspirators had been served with subpoenas. This included three in Florida, one in Boston, one in New York City, and one in Connecticut.
Four subpoenas were yet to be served when the emails were sent, including to one wealthy businessman in Ohio. An email says, I do not know about Ohio contacting Wexner.
The email is presumably referring to Former Victoria's Secret CEO Les Wexner, who had a public friendship with Epstein. In 2019, Wexner said he was embarrassed by his ties to the financier. Lawyers for Wexner told BBC News that the assistant U.S. attorney in charge of the Epstein investigation stated at the time that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target.
Possible co-conspirators in Epstein's crimes are a major focus for his victims, and for several lawmakers who have demanded more transparency from the DOJ. There's 10 co-conspirators potentially that we knew nothing about that the DOJ had been investigating, Democrat Congressman Suhas Subramanyam told BBC News on Tuesday.
Justice Department says Epstein letter to Larry Nassar is a fake
A letter included in the released batch of documents got a lot of attention online. But, according to the justice department, it is fake. The handwritten letter and envelope appeared to show Epstein writing to Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who is serving decades in prison for sexually abusing young female athletes. The justice department on Tuesday called the letter a fake, noting several irregularities with the note and the envelope that held it.
Trump's travels aboard Epstein's private jet
Trump's name appears more in these files than in other batches of documents released by the justice department. Notably, in a January 2020 email, a federal prosecutor in New York wrote that newly received flight records reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported.
Trump was previously married to Marla Maples, Tiffany's mother, from 1993 to 1999.
But throughout the files released on Tuesday, many of the other mentions of Trump's name are simply in press clippings mentioning him, his campaigns, and other news moments. Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in regards to Epstein.
Fake video of Epstein included
Among one of the odder entries in Tuesday's document drop was a fake video showing an Epstein-like figure in a prison cell. The fake video's inclusion in this release gives a glimpse of the questions that federal authorities have received from the general public.
