FBI warned about Epstein's alleged child-pornography ties in 1996, files show

Newly released Justice Department files show the FBI was warned in 1996 that Jeffrey Epstein was connected to child pornography and that he threatened to burn down a witness’s house. The complaint, filed on Sept. 3, 1996, was submitted by Maria Farmer, who had worked for Epstein to help purchase art. The batch of Epstein records, released Friday and Saturday under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, highlights a long gap between this warning and significant federal scrutiny of Epstein’s activities.

Farmer’s filing described a disturbing pattern that she later linked to Epstein’s wider circle. The document, which redacts Farmer’s name in the released portion, states that she was an art photographer whose sisters were 12 and 16 at the time. Epstein allegedly took or solicited photographs of young girls and stored or used them for his own purposes, and at one point he is said to have threatened to burn down Farmer’s house if she disclosed the photos. The complaint also notes Epstein’s interest in taking more pictures of young girls at swimming pools. The language in the public copy emphasizes Farmer’s claim that Epstein stole photos and negatives and may have sold them to potential buyers, but the section containing Maxwell or other confederates in Epstein’s orbit is not included in the released materials.

Farmer says she did not hear back from the FBI for nearly a decade after filing the complaint, a delay she has described as a key failure in the early stages of an investigation that would later gain wide attention for Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. The batch’s emphasis on Farmer’s complaint comes as investigators pursued a broader look at Epstein’s network, including his alleged accomplices, which has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent years.

Brad Edwards, a lawyer who has represented numerous Epstein victims, called for a full investigation into every government employee who knew about the document and allowed a narrative to be circulated that it did not exist. He told The New York Times that the episode was deeply troubling and deserving of accountability for those responsible for handling the complaint. The FBI’s handling of the Epstein investigation decades ago has long been questioned among victims’ advocates and some lawmakers.

Farmer has publicly claimed for years that she alerted the authorities to Epstein’s predatory behavior and that Maxwell—Epstein’s longtime associate—played a central role in enabling him. Her sister Annie Farmer later testified at Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, providing testimony about their experiences and the environment that allowed Epstein’s alleged illegal activities to persist for years. Annie Farmer’s participation in Maxwell’s trial has been cited by supporters as corroborating parts of the broader narrative about Epstein’s circle.

The documents released on Friday and Saturday fill in some details about the government’s early exposure to warnings about Epstein’s conduct but also underscore how little was publicly known at the time about the scope of his alleged crimes and his associates. The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the government to publish thousands of documents related to Epstein, though the release has drawn criticism for redactions that critics say hamper a full understanding of the case. Critics including Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican who co-authored the act, have argued that the administration should release all documents without excessive redactions to provide a complete historical record.

The release also rekindles questions about how the government handled sensitive information tied to Epstein before he became a global emblem of sexual abuse and exploitation. Maxwell’s trial and the surrounding prosecutions have kept the case in the public eye, with Annie Farmer’s testimony and other witnesses illustrating the alleged reach of Epstein’s network. The documents do not appear to name Maxwell in the specific complaint released, but the broader context remains clear: early warnings about Epstein’s conduct existed far earlier than the 2008 plea deal that many victims and observers say allowed him to avoid more serious federal charges for years.

In interviews and statements after the release, Farmer framed the disclosures as vindication after years of public skepticism about her account. “I’ve waited 30 years,” she told The New York Times, describing herself as “vindicated.” “They can’t call me a liar anymore.” She added that the released records still do not capture the full extent of her concerns about Epstein’s confidants and Maxwell’s role, and she expressed a desire for federal investigators to examine those connections more thoroughly. Her comments reflect a broader insistence among Epstein victims and advocates that more accountable documentation and outreach are necessary to address the harm caused by Epstein and his associates.

The sprawling scale of the Epstein files—and the ongoing questions about why warnings were not acted on promptly—has renewed calls for stronger oversight of federal investigators in high-profile sex-crime cases. The episode also highlights the enduring tension between the public’s right to know and ongoing redactions intended to protect privacy and sensitive information. Critics say the balance should not obscure crucial facts about early warnings and the agents who handled them.

As the Epstein case continues to echo through civil suits and investigations around the world, the newly released documents serve as a reminder that the full scope of Epstein’s activities may extend far beyond what was publicly known at the time, and that scrutiny of the system’s handling of tips and complaints remains essential for public accountability in high-profile cases.