Marrakech – The US Justice Department on Friday released its largest batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents to date, comprising over three million pages, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos related to the convicted sex offender’s case.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the release fulfilled the department’s obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed in November. The law mandated all Epstein-related documents be made public by December 19, though the department missed this deadline.
Among the most disturbing revelations, the documents contain unverified allegations against “George Bush 1” in a complaint made to the NYPD Detective Bureau Child Exploitation. It remains unclear whether this refers to former President George H.W. Bush.
Elon Musk among high-profile correspondents
An email correspondence recording a purported Epstein victim’s account states “Thanks M, I didn’t realize Bush raped him too. Ok.” The document describes alleged ritualistic abuse on a yacht, claiming the victim “witnessed babies being dismembered” and “was also raped by George Bush 1.” However, authorities noted the purported victim “offered NO supporting or corroborating evidence or witnesses that could be contacted.”
The documents reveal extensive correspondence between Epstein and several prominent figures. Email exchanges show tech billionaire Elon Musk coordinated multiple planned visits to Epstein’s Caribbean island between 2012 and 2014. In one 2012 email, Musk asked Epstein which time would feature the “wildest party” on the island.
Documents lay bare that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his wife, Nili Priel, stayed multiple times at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York apartment. Email exchanges from May 2017 show Priel coordinating directly with Epstein to vacate the residence during a trip to Harvard University and arranging for its cleaning.
Barak has said he first met Epstein in 2003 and maintained contact with him even after Epstein became a registered sex offender following a 2008 plea deal.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also planned a 2012 island visit, according to the files. This contradicts his previous statements that he severed ties with Epstein around 2005. When contacted Friday, Lutnick told reporters he “spent zero time” with Epstein before hanging up.
Filmmaker Mira Nair, mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, attended a 2009 after-party hosted by Ghislaine Maxwell at her townhouse. Publicist Peggy Siegal’s email to Epstein described the event following the film “Amelia,” which Nair directed, with attendees including Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos. The correspondence indicates no wrongdoing.
The documents contain numerous unverified allegations about President Trump submitted to the FBI before the 2020 election. Trump’s name appears in at least 4,500 documents, though most are news articles or secondhand tips without corroborating evidence. The Justice Department stressed these claims are “unfounded and false.”
Email chains reveal Epstein and Maxwell strategized in 2011 about responding to accusations from Virginia Giuffre, who worked at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The emails show them discussing potentially involving Trump in disputing her account.
‘Persuade, induce, and entice’ victims
The files include disturbing allegations from Epstein victims. One FBI memo describes a victim who confided in Epstein about previous abuse when she was 14, only to be sexually abused by him as well. The victim reported feeling “taken advantage of” but also “happy because she had a bunch of money” from paid massages.
A draft indictment from the 2000s would have charged Epstein alongside three unnamed co-conspirators described as “employed” by Epstein. The document alleges they conspired to “persuade, induce, and entice individuals who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in prostitution.” Only Maxwell was ultimately charged.
The documents contain emails Epstein apparently drafted about Bill Gates in 2013, making unsubstantiated claims about extramarital relationships. A Gates Foundation spokesperson called the allegations “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
British figures also appear prominently. Emails between Epstein and “The Duke” – believed to be Prince Andrew – discuss dinner at Buckingham Palace and an offer to introduce him to a 26-year-old Russian woman. Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, called Epstein a “spectacular and special friend” in 2009 correspondence.
The files show Epstein sent £10,000 to Lord Peter Mandelson’s husband in 2009 for an osteopathy course. Mandelson, recently appointed UK ambassador to the US, was later dismissed when his supportive messages to Epstein emerged.
Victims’ rights attorney Gloria Allred criticized the release for failing to properly redact survivors’ names and photographs. She described numerous instances where victims who never spoke publicly were identified, calling the situation “an absolute mess.”
The documents also unearth Epstein’s relationship with former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, now Goldman Sachs general counsel. Records show Epstein sent her expensive gifts including Hermès bags, $10,000 in gift cards, and “1 million amex points.”
Blanche indicated this would be the final major Epstein files release. He acknowledged the documents likely won’t satisfy public demand for information about potential co-conspirators, stating officials would prosecute any identified perpetrators if evidence existed.
The release comes amid ongoing questions about accountability in the Epstein case, particularly given his controversial 2008 plea deal that avoided serious federal charges before his 2019 death in jail while awaiting trial.
