A limited number of files from the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released, including photos, court records and other investigative materials. However, it does not appear that all documents in the Justice Department’s possession have been made public, and many of the records that were released are heavily redacted.
Scripps News is reviewing the documents released by the Department of Justice to examine what they reveal about Epstein’s network, his associates, his financial ties and whether anyone knew about his alleged crimes.
You can view the documents, which include images of notable individuals, by following this link.
Disclaimer: Being pictured with or around Epstein does not indicate that the individual knew of or was involved in his crimes.
UPDATES
7:00 p.m.
Jennifer Freeman, an attorney for Maria Farmer, who says she was sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in the 1990s, said the release of the files marked a day of both triumph and tragedy.
Freeman said Farmer felt vindicated because the documents show she reported Epstein and Maxwell in 1995. She said that represents a form of justice, in that no one can now claim Farmer was lying all these years. However, Freeman added that more accountability is still needed.
6:45 p.m.
A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton addressed the release of the files after Clinton appeared in numerous photos.
“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 from what comes next, or from what they’ll try to hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be. Susie Wiles said Donald Trump was wrong about Bill Clinton.
There are two types of people. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We’re in the first. No amount of stalling by the people in the second group will change that.
Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats.” — Angel Ureña, Clinton spokesperson
6:30 p.m.
Sarah Ferguson, former Duchess of York, is seen in images with females whose faces have been redacted.
6:20 p.m.
In a letter obtained by Scripps News from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to Congress, he attempted to explain the redactions.
“The review team consisted of more than 200 Department attorneys working to determine whether materials were responsive under the Act and, if so, whether redactions or withholding was required. The review had multiple levels.”
6:00 p.m.
President Donald Trump is sparingly mentioned or seen in any of the files. The president and Epstein were known to have a friendly relationship in the 1990s before a falling out in the early 2000s. The president has denied knowing about any of Epstein’s crimes.
A photo of Trump appears in a desk. Other notable figures also appear in pictures on the desk, including Pope John Paul II and former President Bill Clinton.
5:40 p.m.
Democrats are calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress due to the numerous redactions and missing files.
Ro Khanna, who sponsored the bill to force the release of the files, said Friday’s document release does not comply with the law.
The DOJ’s document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law authored by @RepThomasMassie and me.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) December 19, 2025
One document, 119 pages of Grand Jury testimony, was completely redacted.
I explain what is missing and what the survivors and their lawyers are still… pic.twitter.com/Wg1xFIM2vE
5:20 p.m.
Images from an apparent scrapbook show Epstein and females who are redacted.
5:10 p.m.
Epstein appears in a photo with Michael Jackson.
5:00 p.m.
Maria Farmer, who said she was sexually abused by Epstein and Maxwell in the 1990s, released a statement about the release of the files.
“This is a moment for which I have waited three decades, over half of my life. When I was ignored and hung up on by the FBI in 1996, my world turned upside down and I felt frozen in time. I have faced death threats, ridicule and mockery by some of the most powerful people on earth. When my FBI reports are finally made available, I am hopeful that I will be able to pick up where I left off at age 26. I am also hopeful that this will be an important step for many survivors and to hold the government accountable for their grotesque law enforcement failure, one of the largest in U.S. history.”
4:50 p.m.
Former President Bill Clinton is also in the trove of pictures. It’s long known that Clinton was friendly at one time with Epstein, but he has denied knowing about his crimes. Scripps News has reached out to Clinton about the documents and is awaiting a response.
In one image, Clinton is seen with what appears to be Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.
4:40 p.m.
Numerous pictures show Jeffrey Epstein along with his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
4:38 p.m.
A message on the DOJ website warns that the search functionality has limitations.
“Due to technical limitations and the format of certain materials (e.g., handwritten text), portions of these documents may not be electronically searchable or may produce unreliable search results.”
4:20 p.m.
White House responds to release of Epstein file:
“The Trump Administration is the most transparent in history. By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have. And while President Trump is delivering on his promises, Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries and Stacey Plaskett have yet to explain why they were soliciting money and meetings from Epstein after he was a convicted sex offender. The American people deserve answers.”
Check back for updates as Scripps News continues reviewing the so-called Epstein files for new findings.
How We Got Here
The release of the Epstein files is an effort to comply with a law Congress passed in November requiring the DOJ to disclose records involving Epstein.
Lawmakers forced the bipartisan measure to the House floor through a discharge petition after encountering resistance from Republican leadership. Trump signed the bill once it passed both chambers with near-unanimous support.
In the early days of his second term, Trump and his allies had signaled support for releasing the files. But the president later took a more defiant tone after an FBI and DOJ joint memo in July said a review had found no “incriminating client list,” no evidence of blackmail involving prominent individuals and no grounds to charge any third parties.
The memo fueled speculation that the Trump administration wasn’t being transparent enough.
While Trump has not been implicated in any crimes, he is named in documents involving Epstein. In a separate House Oversight Committee review of Epstein-related materials, the president is shown in photos with the financier and several unidentified women. Other prominent figures also appear in Epstein-related images, including former President Bill Clinton, billionaire Bill Gates, former Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon, Prince Andrew and filmmaker Woody Allen.
Being named or pictured alongside Epstein does not imply anyone knew about his alleged criminal behavior. Numerous figures in his orbit, including Trump and Clinton, have said they eventually distanced themselves from him as more information about his conduct became public.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 of sex-trafficking and other charges for recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein.
