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By Hannah Parry and Anna Commander
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A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to either unredact and release more records related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or provide a detailed explanation for why the redactions remain necessary. The order comes amid heightened scrutiny over the U.S. government's handling of millions of pages of investigative files related to the disgraced financier who was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting his sex-trafficking trial.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan's order issued Thursday directs acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to justify the department's continued withholding of portions of the records after lawmakers and victims' advocates questioned whether some redactions exceed what is legally permitted.
The DOJ has maintained that many of the redactions are intended to protect victims' identities, personal information and legally privileged material. Officials have also said that roughly half of the more than 6 million pages gathered during the Epstein investigation have not been released because they are duplicative, unrelated to Epstein or otherwise exempt from disclosure. Earlier this month, DOJ officials told CBS it "has released every document required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act."
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Newsweek reached out to the DOJ via email Thursday night for comment.
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What To Know
Earlier this year, the DOJ released over 3 million pages of files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act but withheld or heavily redacted portions of the material, citing attorney-client privilege, duplications and other legal exemptions. The releases sparked bipartisan criticism, with lawmakers and victims' advocates arguing that some redactions appeared to exceed what the law permits and calling for greater transparency.
The judge's order, reviewed by Newsweek on Thursday, follows mounting bipartisan criticism over heavily redacted documents released under the act. One email referencing a "torture video" became a focal point after Democratic Representative Ro Khanna and Republican Representative Thomas Massie questioned why the recipient's identity had been blacked out. Blanche later identified the recipient publicly as Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, arguing the redaction applied only to personally identifiable information contained in the email address rather than the individual's name.
The court ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed in April by independent journalist Katie Phang, who had asked the judge to order the release of unredacted files, arguing the redactions were a "brazen, shocking, and ongoing violation" of the federal law mandating release of the Epstein files.
The government was also ordered to list every redaction it has made to the files.
Read the order below:
Epstein-related-court-doc.pdf.PDF
Ghislaine Maxwell Argues New Files Cast Doubt on Her Conviction
Former Epstein associate Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, filed a new petition arguing that documents released under the transparency law contain newly discovered evidence that undermines her conviction, though federal prosecutors have called her claims legally meritless, Reuters reports.
Maxwell's filing centers on documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which she says show that attorneys representing Epstein's victims acted as de facto government agents before her prosecution, violating her due process rights. Federal prosecutors have urged the court to reject the petition, arguing that her claims lack legal merit, and that her conviction is "proper," per the news service.
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Bill Gates Testifies in Epstein Probe
Earlier this month, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates appeared voluntarily before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Epstein's network of associates and the federal government's handling of related records.
During his closed-door testimony, Gates said he met Epstein multiple times from 2011 to 2014 because he believed the financier could help connect the Gates Foundation with philanthropic supporters.
Gates also testified that Epstein appeared to possess information about his extramarital affairs and may have attempted to use it as leverage to maintain contact with him. He denied ever visiting Epstein's private island, ranch or Florida home, denied witnessing or knowing of any criminal conduct and said he ended the relationship after realizing Epstein could not deliver on his philanthropic promises.
Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein.
What Happens Next
The government was given a deadline of July 2 to comply with the order. The ruling adds fresh pressure on the Justice Department as it faces continued demands from lawmakers, survivors and transparency advocates seeking broader public access to the Epstein investigative files while ensuring victims' privacy is protected.
Lawmakers are also continuing to interview figures connected to Epstein, including longtime assistants, as part of their ongoing investigation.
Correction 06/25/26, 10:12 p.m.: A previous version of this article included an incorrect job title for Blanche.
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