USA New Epstein documents published - and deleted again
According to media reports, the US government has published further documents on the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and then deleted them again shortly afterwards. The files, which are apparently part of the investigation files, were available for download on the Department of Justice website for several hours on Monday afternoon (local time), reported the "Washington Post" and "Politico". The files included thousands of government documents and emails as well as videos from the prison authorities.
23.12.2025, 12:03
SDA
The files, which the newspapers said they had access to, contained information about flights by US President Donald Trump on Epstein's plane, among other things. During one of these flights, only Trump, Epstein and a 20-year-old woman are said to have been on board. In addition, an exchange between prison officials about Epstein's mental state a few weeks before his death was published. The US government did not comment on the publication when asked by the newspapers.
Files already deleted beforehand
The Department of Justice had uploaded thousands of files to its website last Friday after massive pressure from the public and the US parliament. The release took place on the last day of a deadline that had been imposed on the Ministry. Shortly after publication, several files were temporarily deleted again. The reason was to protect victims, according to the ministry. Congress criticized the incomplete publication of the material and the redaction of many documents.
Why the Epstein files are so controversial
The Epstein case has long been a matter of public concern. For years, the multimillionaire from New York ran an abuse ring that victimized dozens of young women and minors. Epstein is also alleged to have abused underage girls himself for several years. He died in prison in 2019 at the age of 66.
The financier had excellent contacts in high society, which led to much speculation about the extent of the scandal. A month ago, a law was finally passed ordering the publication of the files, which Trump had long resisted. The US President knew Epstein well, as earlier photos show. However, there are currently no indications that the Republican is involved in the scandal.
