Federal officials in the US have identified over a million additional documents potentially connected to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which they intend to disclose in the forthcoming days and weeks, according to officials.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) was informed by the FBI and federal attorneys in New York regarding this discovery.
“Our lawyers are tirelessly reviewing and preparing the necessary legal redactions to safeguard victims, and we aim to make the documents available as soon as we can,” the DoJ stated on Wednesday.
The department indicated that it might require “a few more weeks” for the full release of all files. The DoJ has come under fire for not having made all Epstein files public by the mandated deadline of December 19 under a new law.
The agency committed to “fully adhere to federal law and President Trump’s instructions to publish the files”.
The announcement did not clarify how the FBI and the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York stumbled upon the additional documents. Epstein was facing charges related to the trafficking of minors for sexual purposes in the state when he tragically passed away while awaiting trial in a New York jail.
This news follows the justice department’s release of thousands of documents, many of which were heavily redacted, pertaining to their investigations into Epstein.
The department has been issuing the documents in segments, and senior officials have asserted that hundreds of thousands of documents are still pending release.
The disclosures were made possible following Congress’s passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act – which was enacted by US President Donald Trump – mandating the agency to publicly disclose all documents while safeguarding the identities of victims.
Numerous released documents, featuring videos, photos, emails, and investigative papers, have significant redactions, notably including the identities of individuals the FBI seems to identify as potential co-conspirators in the Epstein matter.
The justice department has been criticized by legislators from both parties concerning the volume of redactions, which, according to the law, are permissible only to protect the identities of victims and ongoing criminal investigations.
Following the announcement of the discovery of more documents, the leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, which has been probing the Epstein case, accused the White House of “illegally” withholding information.
“We witness lies, incompetence, missed deadlines, and illegal redactions every day,” Representative Robert Garcia expressed in a statement.
The law enacted by Congress and signed by Trump last month prohibits redactions of names and details that may be scandalous or inflict “reputational damage”.
It specifically requests the DoJ to provide internal communications and memos that elucidate who was investigated and the determinations made regarding whether to “charge, decline to charge, investigate, or forgo investigation into Epstein or his affiliates”.
Among the documents are emails that appear to have been exchanged between FBI staff in 2019, referencing 10 potential “co-conspirators” of Epstein.
The emails indicated that subpoenas had been served to six individuals within that group. This involved three from Florida, one from Boston, one from New York City, and one from Connecticut.
Identifying potential co-conspirators in Epstein’s offenses is a crucial priority for his victims and for several lawmakers who are calling for greater transparency from the justice department.
Earlier releases of Epstein-related documents revealed information that echoed across the Atlantic.
Peter Mandelson was dismissed as the UK’s envoy to the US after details surfaced about his association with the convicted pedophile and that he had told Epstein “I regard you highly”, the day before Epstein started serving time for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
Lord Mandelson expressed in a letter to staff that he “deeply regrets” the situation surrounding his exit from the UK embassy in Washington DC. He remarked that serving as ambassador had been “the privilege of my life” and he feels “utterly dreadful” about his past association with Epstein and the suffering of his victims.
In October, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost his royal title and was asked to vacate his Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, amidst intense examination of his connections to Epstein.
In the recent release of documents on Tuesday, a 2001 email sent by an individual referred to as “A” from “Balmoral” to Epstein’s confidante and associate Ghislaine Maxwell – who received a 20-year prison sentence in 2022 for trafficking minors and other crimes – inquired, “Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”
The BBC has reached out to Andrew’s representatives for a comment. He has consistently denied any misconduct, asserting that he did not “observe, witness or suspect any behavior that contributed to his [Epstein’s] arrest and conviction”.
“Ghislaine Maxwell (E-mail)” 
