The Department of Justice seeks release of Epstein case records as legal battle intensifies

The Department of Justice on Wednesday asked a federal judge for permission to release records and notes related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In the letter, prosecutors requested that Judge Paul A. Engelmayer lift the protective order covering evidence provided to Ghislaine Maxwell’s defense team before her trial. The DOJ also asked that these materials be released pursuant to the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed recently by President Donald Trump.
Engelmayer is overseeing the case of Epstein’s longtime companion Maxwell.
“Summary, the Government is in the process of identifying potentially responsive materials the publication of which is called for under the Act, categorizing them and processing them for review, and reaching out to known victims and counsel to confer regarding the process and the content of redactions to ensure protection of victim identities,” the letter from the DOJ states.
Material currently under the protective order includes search warrant, financial and travel records, flight manifest, government and police reports, arrest record, booking photos, civil investigation depositions, Epstein estate documents, and third-party interview notes, including those from victims.
The Justice Department has also requested that the judges overseeing both the Maxwell and Epstein cases issue a prompt ruling on the release of grand jury transcripts involving law enforcement officers and other evidence subject to the protective order.
The department has emphasized that any released records will include redactions to protect victims’ identities.
According to prosecutors, they have heard from multiple attorneys representing survivors of Epstein and Maxwell who have raised concerns about the release process.
They added that the department is “simultaneously investigating counsel’s claims regarding the provenance and nature of documents provided to and ultimately released by Congress.”
Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence following her conviction on charges including conspiracy to entice a minor to travel for illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors for illegal sex acts, transporting a minor for illegal sex acts, and sex-trafficking conspiracy.
The continued scrutiny of Epstein’s network has fueled political debate, particularly among some in the MAGA movement who argue that justice for Epstein’s victims remains incomplete.
“These categories are based principally on the Government’s initial review of discovery letters and logs,” the DOJ added, noting that the list “is not entirely comprehensive because the Government’s review is ongoing.”