World News
Epstein Files : ‘Christmas Eve News Dump’: DOJ Finds Over a Million New Epstein Files, Fueling Cover-Up Allegations
The US Justice Department says it uncovered more than a million additional Jeffrey Epstein–related documents, delaying a congressionally mandated release and triggering sharp criticism from lawmakers who allege a cover-up.
The US Justice Department said on Wednesday it may need “a few more weeks” to release all records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after discovering more than a million additional potentially relevant documents — a development that has reignited accusations of a cover-up and further delayed compliance with a congressional deadline.
The announcement, made on Christmas Eve, came just hours after a bipartisan group of US senators urged the department’s watchdog to investigate why the deadline mandated by law last Friday was missed. In a letter to Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume, the lawmakers said Epstein’s victims “deserve full disclosure” and the reassurance of an independent audit.
In a social media post, the Justice Department said federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI had “uncovered over a million more documents” that could be connected to the Epstein case. The revelation raised eyebrows, as department officials had earlier indicated that they had already conducted an exhaustive review of Epstein-related materials.
In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi said a “truckload of evidence” had been produced after she ordered the FBI to hand over all Epstein files, following information that the New York field office held thousands of pages of documents. However, in July, the FBI and Justice Department issued an unsigned memo stating that an “exhaustive review” had found no additional evidence suitable for release — a position that now appears to have shifted dramatically.
The department did not specify when it became aware of the newly discovered files.
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress that Manhattan prosecutors already possessed more than 3.6 million records from investigations into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, though many were duplicates of material previously provided by the FBI.
The Justice Department said its lawyers are working “around the clock” to review the newly identified documents and redact victims’ names and identifying details, as required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, enacted last month.
“We will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department said, adding that the sheer volume of material could delay disclosure by several weeks.
The announcement intensified scrutiny of the department’s handling of the Epstein files. Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of the authors of the transparency law, alleged that the Justice Department had violated the law by missing the deadline and making improper redactions.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California said lawmakers would continue to apply pressure, noting that the latest disclosure came only after Congress threatened contempt proceedings.
Calling the move a “Christmas Eve news dump,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused former President Donald Trump of orchestrating a “massive cover-up,” asking what the administration was “hiding — and why.”
The White House defended the Justice Department, saying Attorney General Bondi and her team were doing a “great job” implementing the administration’s agenda.
Since Friday, the Justice Department has released several batches of Epstein-related records, many of which were already public or heavily redacted. Some newly released materials include grand jury testimony from FBI agents describing interviews with girls and young women who said they were paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.
Other documents include a 2020 note from a federal prosecutor suggesting Trump had flown on Epstein’s private plane more often than previously known, and emails involving Ghislaine Maxwell and a person identified only as “A,” widely believed to be Britain’s Prince Andrew.
The senators’ call for an inspector general audit follows a resolution introduced by Schumer that would allow the Senate to pursue legal action to force compliance with the disclosure law. In their letter, lawmakers said full transparency is essential to identifying those who enabled or participated in Epstein’s crimes and to restoring public trust.
