Unexplained removal of Epstein files deepens doubts over DOJ transparency

The US Justice Department has quietly removed at least 16 files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from its public website, less than a day after posting them, raising fresh questions about transparency and accountability in one of the most closely watched criminal cases in recent history.

The files, accessible on Friday but missing by Saturday, vanished without any public notice or explanation. The Justice Department has not identified the files by name or clarified whether their removal was accidental or deliberate. A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Among the missing records were images from Epstein’s properties, including photographs of nude paintings and a striking image showing photographs arranged along a credenza and inside drawers. One drawer contained a photograph of former President Donald Trump standing alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

The unexplained takedown quickly fuelled speculation online. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee highlighted the missing Trump-related image in a post on X, asking, “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

The episode has deepened criticism surrounding the Justice Department’s long-awaited release of Epstein-related documents, mandated by a recent law passed by Congress. While the release included tens of thousands of pages, it offered limited new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years.

Crucially absent were FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos analysing charging decisions records that could have explained why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge. The disclosures also barely mention several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew.

Federal prosecutors charged Epstein with sex trafficking in 2019, but he died by suicide in jail before trial. Despite a congressional deadline, the Justice Department has said further records will be released on a rolling basis, citing the need to protect survivors’ identities.

For Epstein’s accusers and lawmakers alike, the missing files and incomplete disclosures have only prolonged a years-long struggle for answers.