DOJ Discovers Over One Million Additional Epstein-Related Documents, Delaying Release

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday the discovery of over one million additional documents potentially related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. This development is expected to delay the release of these files, which were initially mandated to be made public by December 19 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

In a statement, the DOJ indicated that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI uncovered the new materials. The department emphasized that legal teams are working diligently to review and redact sensitive information to protect victims, stating that the process may take a few more weeks due to the volume of material.

The delay has drawn criticism from lawmakers. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) expressed concern over the DOJ's failure to meet the deadline, calling it "an insult to the brave women who are asking for one, simple thing: justice."

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in November, requires the DOJ to release all unclassified records related to Epstein by December 19. The law aims to provide transparency regarding Epstein's activities and associations.

The DOJ has released some documents, but the process has been criticized for being slow and heavily redacted. The discovery of additional documents adds complexity to the release process, and the department has not provided a specific timeline for when the files will be fully available to the public.