Justice Department Requests Release of Epstein Files to Comply with Law
The US Justice Department has formally asked a federal court for permission to release sealed files related to the prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former associate of financier Jeffrey Epstein who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking charges. The move comes as part of an effort to comply with the law requiring government agencies to release documents related to disgraced individuals.
In a letter to District Court Judge Paul A. Engelmeyer, who presided over Maxwell's trial and sentencing, the Justice Department sought to modify a protective order that prevents some records from being released. These records include financial statements, travel records, subpoena returns, files from "related civil litigations," immigration documents, and photographs of properties and locations.
However, Attorney General plans to withhold or redact any records with personal information from victims, including sensitive details such as bank statements, phone records, driver's licenses, birth certificates, and school records. This decision was made after the Justice Department previously requested that all grand jury records related to both Epstein and Maxwell be unsealed.
The government did not provide a comprehensive list of documents under the protective order but provided examples of the types of records that might be released, such as financial statements, credit reports, airline passenger logs, and materials from search warrants. The Justice Department also sought to release arrest records, booking records, police files, and material related to Epstein's estate.
It remains to be seen how much information will be revealed about Epstein's activities, including his sex trafficking operations, which have long been a topic of controversy.
The US Justice Department has formally asked a federal court for permission to release sealed files related to the prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former associate of financier Jeffrey Epstein who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking charges. The move comes as part of an effort to comply with the law requiring government agencies to release documents related to disgraced individuals.
In a letter to District Court Judge Paul A. Engelmeyer, who presided over Maxwell's trial and sentencing, the Justice Department sought to modify a protective order that prevents some records from being released. These records include financial statements, travel records, subpoena returns, files from "related civil litigations," immigration documents, and photographs of properties and locations.
However, Attorney General plans to withhold or redact any records with personal information from victims, including sensitive details such as bank statements, phone records, driver's licenses, birth certificates, and school records. This decision was made after the Justice Department previously requested that all grand jury records related to both Epstein and Maxwell be unsealed.
The government did not provide a comprehensive list of documents under the protective order but provided examples of the types of records that might be released, such as financial statements, credit reports, airline passenger logs, and materials from search warrants. The Justice Department also sought to release arrest records, booking records, police files, and material related to Epstein's estate.
It remains to be seen how much information will be revealed about Epstein's activities, including his sex trafficking operations, which have long been a topic of controversy.