Epstein files set for release: What public should expect and what will still remain unseen | Explained

The law mandates the Justice Department to release “searchable and downloadable” copies of “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and Maxwell that are held by the department or the FBI.

It specifically calls for the disclosure of travel logs, materials linked to Epstein’s associates, immunity deals, corporate records, internal Justice Department communications, and documents tied to Epstein’s death.

What the files contain

According to CNN, more than 300 gigabytes of data sit inside the FBI’s electronic case management system, Sentinel. The archive includes photographs, videos, audio recordings, and written material.

The records stem from two FBI investigations. The first began in 2006 in Florida and ended with a controversial non-prosecution deal that allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges. He later served just 13 months in a Florida jail for state prostitution offences, spending much of that time on work release.

The second probe led to Epstein’s 2019 federal indictment in New York. CNN has reported that most of the files come from this later investigation, with additional material from the earlier Florida case.

What DOJ says it may release

Court filings show the Justice Department plans to release materials gathered through search warrants, including evidence from raids on Epstein’s properties in Florida, New York and his private island in the US Virgin Islands.

The list also includes FBI interview memos known as “302s,” financial and bank records, flight logs, internet data, school records, immigration documents, police files, civil deposition transcripts and forensic reports from seized electronic devices.

Federal judges have also allowed the release of grand jury materials from the Epstein indictment and the Maxwell trial. However, one judge noted that much of this material “was already a matter of public record” and “would not reveal new information of any consequence.”

What can still be withheld

The law bars redactions based on “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity,” including for “any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

However, Attorney General Pam Bondi can redact information that identifies victims, depicts child sexual abuse or physical abuse, threatens an active investigation, or involves classified material tied to national security or foreign policy.

CNN reported that thousands of nude and semi-nude photographs of young women seized from Epstein’s Manhattan home will not be released.

What will still remain unseen

The Justice Department’s records do not represent the full universe of Epstein-related material. Other documents held by Congress, Epstein’s estate, and private institutions may surface later.

Experts say more disclosures are likely even after Friday’s release.

What journalists and victims are watching for

Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown said she is looking for draft indictments that were never filed, tips from the public to the FBI, and internal communications among investigators.

Victims remain divided. Some support the release if identities are protected. Others have criticised past disclosures for exposing personal information.

“Transparency cannot come at the expense of the privacy, safety, and protection of sexual abuse and sex trafficking victims,” lawyers for victims wrote in a letter to the judge in the Maxwell case.

Judge Paul Engelmayer also criticised the Justice Department, saying it “has not treated them with the solicitude they deserve.”

The Justice Department says it has coordinated with known victims ahead of the release, though CNN reported that some survivors say they were never contacted.

As the files are unsealed, expectations remain high, but so do concerns that the most sensitive truths may still stay buried.