Epstein files

The Epstein files are a partially released collection of millions of documents, images, videos, and emails detailing the activities of American financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including his social circle of public figures, politicians, and celebrities. The files include documents collected as evidence in the criminal cases against Epstein and his associates, stored as over 300 gigabytes of data, alongside other media, in the FBI's Sentinel case management system. They include Epstein's contact book, flight logs of his planes, and court documents. Many of the records and files belong to Epstein's estate, which is run by lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn. In November 2025, the U . House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and the U . Senate unanimously approved it, with President Donald Trump signing the bill into law the next day. The following month, the U . Department of Justice released a relatively small number of files, leading to criticism from both major parties in the US. Trump had previously floated the idea of releasing the files during his 2024 presidential campaign; he later said that controversies surrounding the files were fabricated by members of the Democratic Party. In January 2026, an additional 3 million pages were released, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. While the Department of Justice acknowledged that a total of 6 million pages might qualify as files required to be released, it stated that the January 30 release would be the final one, and that it had met its legal obligations. The released files mentioned a number of public figures, and led to increased scrutiny of their activities. Individuals whose names have shown up frequently in the files include: Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff, accountant Richard Kahn, Donald Trump and his wife Melania, lawyer Darren Indyke, sex trafficker and socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and modeling agent and alleged sex trafficker Jean-Luc Brunel. As of February 2026, three people have had criminal investigations launched into them due to their ties to Epstein, with one resulting in criminal charges and the others resulting in arrests thus far: former Norwegian prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland, who has been charged with aggravated corruption; Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor; and British politician Peter Mandelson.

Tables

Major public releases and leaks of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents (2024–2026) · Chronology of releases and disclosures

January 2024

Date

January 2024

Source / Tranche

Court-ordered unsealing in civil litigation)

Type

Court release

Description

Unsealing of depositions, filings, and related materials from prior civil defamation litigation involving Ghislaine Maxwell.

Volume

Varied by order; no single aggregate count available

Notes

Materials released pursuant to federal court orders.

August 27, 2025

Date

August 27, 2025

Source / Tranche

Distributed Denial of Secrets – Ehud Barak email cache (via Handala)

Type

Independent leak archive (hacked material)

Description

Publication of over 100,000 emails from the inbox of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, spanning 2007–2016, obtained by hacking group Handala and provided to DDoSecrets. The cache includes direct correspondence between Barak and Epstein, documenting their business relationship and social contacts including visits to Epstein's private island.

Volume

100,000+ emails (2007–2016)

Notes

Handala has been described as a pro-Palestinian hacking group with alleged ties to Iranian intelligence. The Epstein–Barak correspondence forms a subset of the broader cache. Not part of DOJ Transparency Act releases.

September 2, 2025

Date

September 2, 2025

Source / Tranche

U . House Oversight Committee document release

Type

Congressional release

Description

Pages of documents obtained from the Department of Justice and related entities released by the committee.

Volume

33,295 pages

Notes

Separate from DOJ's later staged "Data Sets" releases. Democrats on the committee noted approximately 3% were new material.

September 11, 2025

Date

September 11, 2025

Source / Tranche

Bloomberg News email cache

Type

Investigative journalism (independent acquisition)

Description

Publication and reporting based on emails from a Yahoo account associated with Epstein.

Volume

About 18,700 emails

Notes

Not part of DOJ Transparency Act releases.

November 14, 2025

Date

November 14, 2025

Source / Tranche

Distributed Denial of Secrets – "Epstein Files" consolidated archive

Type

Independent leak archive

Description

Consolidated public archive that bundled previously scattered official releases (FBI, Interpol, DOJ, Bureau of Prisons, congressional records, and court documents), together with leaked Barak–Epstein emails (previously posted in August 2025) and files released by the DOJ and then subsequently withdrawn. About 18,000 additional unredacted emails hel

Volume

439 GB

Notes

It is unclear how much of this release was new.

November 26, 2025

Date

November 26, 2025

Source / Tranche

Distributed Denial of Secrets – "Epstein Emails"

Type

Independent leak

Description

Public release of emails from a Yahoo account reported to be associated with Epstein.

Volume

About 18,700 emails and 2,200 attachments

Notes

Sourced independently from Bloomberg's cache; DDoSecrets states their submitter was not Bloomberg's source, with slight data variations confirming two separate exfiltrations of the same Yahoo account at different times.

December 19, 2025

Date

December 19, 2025

Source / Tranche

DOJ "Data Sets 1–8"

Type

Executive branch release (Transparency Act)

Description

Initial release of documents pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, across eight data sets including investigative files, photographs, and court materials.

Volume

Approximately 12,285 items (~125,575 pages) posted as of the statutory deadline, per a DOJ letter to federal court.

Notes

Heavily redacted in places; over 500 pages entirely blacked out. Sixteen files were removed from the DOJ webpage within a day of initial posting.

January 30, 2026

Date

January 30, 2026

Source / Tranche

DOJ "Data Sets 9–12"

Type

Executive branch release (Transparency Act; final major tranche)

Description

Final major publication under the Transparency Act, including investigative files, financial records, images, and videos.

Volume

Over 3 million additional pages; 180,000 images; 2,000 videos. Combined with prior releases: ~3 million pages total. DOJ identified ~6 million total responsive pages.

Notes

DOJ described this as full compliance with statutory requirements. Critics noted DOJ identified approximately 6 million total responsive pages, leaving roughly half unreleased or withheld.

March 5, 2026

Date

March 5, 2026

Source / Tranche

DOJ sixth release (previously removed files)

Type

Executive branch release

Description

Approximately 50,000 files previously removed from the DOJ website were re-released following additional review by the DOJ and FBI.

Volume

~50,000 files

Notes

Released after the DOJ's January 30 declaration of full compliance with the Transparency Act.

Date	Source / Tranche	Type	Description	Volume	Notes
January 2024	Court-ordered unsealing in civil litigation)	Court release	Unsealing of depositions, filings, and related materials from prior civil defamation litigation involving Ghislaine Maxwell.	Varied by order; no single aggregate count available	Materials released pursuant to federal court orders.
August 27, 2025	Distributed Denial of Secrets – Ehud Barak email cache (via Handala)	Independent leak archive (hacked material)	Publication of over 100,000 emails from the inbox of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, spanning 2007–2016, obtained by hacking group Handala and provided to DDoSecrets. The cache includes direct correspondence between Barak and Epstein, documenting their business relationship and social contacts including visits to Epstein's private island.	100,000+ emails (2007–2016)	Handala has been described as a pro-Palestinian hacking group with alleged ties to Iranian intelligence. The Epstein–Barak correspondence forms a subset of the broader cache. Not part of DOJ Transparency Act releases.
September 2, 2025	U . House Oversight Committee document release	Congressional release	Pages of documents obtained from the Department of Justice and related entities released by the committee.	33,295 pages	Separate from DOJ's later staged "Data Sets" releases. Democrats on the committee noted approximately 3% were new material.
September 11, 2025	Bloomberg News email cache	Investigative journalism (independent acquisition)	Publication and reporting based on emails from a Yahoo account associated with Epstein.	About 18,700 emails	Not part of DOJ Transparency Act releases.
November 14, 2025	Distributed Denial of Secrets – "Epstein Files" consolidated archive	Independent leak archive	Consolidated public archive that bundled previously scattered official releases (FBI, Interpol, DOJ, Bureau of Prisons, congressional records, and court documents), together with leaked Barak–Epstein emails (previously posted in August 2025) and files released by the DOJ and then subsequently withdrawn. About 18,000 additional unredacted emails hel	439 GB	It is unclear how much of this release was new.
November 26, 2025	Distributed Denial of Secrets – "Epstein Emails"	Independent leak	Public release of emails from a Yahoo account reported to be associated with Epstein.	About 18,700 emails and 2,200 attachments	Sourced independently from Bloomberg's cache; DDoSecrets states their submitter was not Bloomberg's source, with slight data variations confirming two separate exfiltrations of the same Yahoo account at different times.
December 19, 2025	DOJ "Data Sets 1–8"	Executive branch release (Transparency Act)	Initial release of documents pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, across eight data sets including investigative files, photographs, and court materials.	Approximately 12,285 items (~125,575 pages) posted as of the statutory deadline, per a DOJ letter to federal court.	Heavily redacted in places; over 500 pages entirely blacked out. Sixteen files were removed from the DOJ webpage within a day of initial posting.
January 30, 2026	DOJ "Data Sets 9–12"	Executive branch release (Transparency Act; final major tranche)	Final major publication under the Transparency Act, including investigative files, financial records, images, and videos.	Over 3 million additional pages; 180,000 images; 2,000 videos. Combined with prior releases: ~3 million pages total. DOJ identified ~6 million total responsive pages.	DOJ described this as full compliance with statutory requirements. Critics noted DOJ identified approximately 6 million total responsive pages, leaving roughly half unreleased or withheld.
March 5, 2026	DOJ sixth release (previously removed files)	Executive branch release	Approximately 50,000 files previously removed from the DOJ website were re-released following additional review by the DOJ and FBI.	~50,000 files	Released after the DOJ's January 30 declaration of full compliance with the Transparency Act.