Federal Judge Orders DOJ to Release Additional Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein Files

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Justice to release additional unredacted records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or explain why the information should remain withheld.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled that the Department of Justice must, by July 2, either disclose less-redacted versions of certain documents or provide legal justification for keeping the information concealed.

The ruling requires the department to identify the senders and recipients of certain emails and reveal the names of alleged co-conspirators referenced in a draft indictment unless it can justify the redactions. Judge Sullivan also ordered the DOJ to publish a log explaining every redaction made in the released records.

The order stems from a lawsuit filed by independent journalist Katie Phang, who argued that the department failed to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The judge concluded the plaintiff demonstrated harm caused by the lack of transparency.

Among the materials affected by the ruling are underlying FBI interview notes involving allegations made against President Donald Trump. The allegations were previously reported as uncorroborated, and Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

The Department of Justice has maintained that it has complied with the law while continuing to withhold millions of additional pages it says are either duplicates, contain explicit material, or fall outside the scope of the transparency law.