DOJ releases Epstein files as Americans face download delays
New material includes photos linking Epstein to Clinton and Maxwell, a reference to Trump, and worldwide travel records, with widespread redactions; access was hampered by technical issues.
The Department of Justice released a large batch of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 sex-trafficking investigation on Friday, but a substantial portion of Americans could not download them because the DOJ's website redirected users to a clogged online queue that ultimately displayed invalid-queue messages. The release came roughly an hour past the court-mandated deadline to unseal the materials and followed expectations that the full trove would be made public in stages.
The newly public files span hundreds of pages and include travel logs, internal communications, and photographs collected during Epstein's world travels, with stops reported in Moscow, Copenhagen, and Paris among others. The department did not provide context for many of the images, and a large portion of the photos were heavily redacted to conceal identities of alleged victims or other sensitive details. Dozens of the released images depict nude or partially clothed young women, which federal officials blocked from public view; others are redacted to prevent identification.
Among the material are photographs showing Epstein with public figures, including former President Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell. The documents also include images that tie Clinton to Maxwell and, in some entries, Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted on related charges in recent years. A separate image shows what appears to be President Donald Trump’s name in Epstein's contact book, though the entry is redacted or unclear in the released files. A photo of a novelty check for $22,500, signed by