Washington: The Justice Department faces a Friday deadline to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and wealthy financier known for his connections to some of the world’s most influential people, including Donald Trump, who as president had tried to keep the records sealed.

The files could provide the most detailed insight yet into nearly 20 years of federal investigations into Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women and underage girls.

Public demand has been intense, with many seeking answers on whether Epstein’s rich and powerful associates knew about — or participated in — the abuse. Epstein’s victims have also long questioned why federal authorities ended their initial investigation in 2008.

Trump signs bill requiring release

Bowling to political pressure from fellow Republicans, President Trump signed a bill on November 19 giving the Justice Department 30 days to release most of its files and communications relating to Epstein, including the investigation into his death in federal custody.

The Justice Department has not specified when during the day the records will be made public.

The law, passed with bipartisan support, allows redactions only concerning victims or ongoing investigations. It explicitly states that no records shall be withheld or redacted due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”

Investigation into political figures

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on November 14 that she had directed a top federal prosecutor to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump requested the inquiry, though he did not explain what crimes he wanted investigated. None of the men Trump mentioned on social media have been accused of sexual misconduct by Epstein’s victims.

In July, Trump dismissed some of his supporters as “weaklings” for falling for “the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.” Both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.

Trump later insisted that releasing the files was the best way to move past the Epstein matter, which he said had become a distraction.

Origins of the Epstein investigation

Investigations began in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2005, after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at Epstein’s mansion. The FBI joined the investigation, gathering testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.

Despite the evidence, prosecutors gave Epstein a deal allowing him to avoid federal prosecution. He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under 18 and served 18 months in jail.

Accusers and civil litigation

Epstein’s victims then pursued civil litigation to overturn the plea deal. Virginia Giuffre accused Epstein of arranging sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous men, including billionaires, academics, US politicians, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Prince Andrew.

All men denied the allegations. Prosecutors never filed charges connected to Giuffre’s claims, but her account fuelled conspiracy theories about government protection for the powerful. Giuffre died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.

New charges and Maxwell conviction

In 2019, federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein. He killed himself in jail a month later. Authorities then charged Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant, with recruiting underage girls.

Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. She was moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security camp in Texas after an interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued she should never have been tried or convicted.

The Justice Department in July said it had not found evidence to prosecute anyone else.

Public interest in Epstein’s network

Over nearly two decades, many records related to Epstein have been made public, including flight logs, address books, emails, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony, and deposition transcripts.

Public interest remains especially strong regarding Epstein’s ties to Trump, Mountbatten-Windsor, and Clinton. Trump was friends with Epstein for years before a falling-out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing, and inclusion in the files does not imply guilt.

Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre. Following the publication of her memoir after her death, King Charles III stripped him of his royal titles this year.