16 released Epstein files disappear from DOJ website

發佈日期: 2025-12-21 22:28

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At least 16 files disappeared from the US Justice Department's public website for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, including a photograph showing President Donald Trump.

This less than a day after they were posted amid the release of thousands of files related to the case.

They were on the Justice Department's website on Friday. By Saturday, they were gone. 16 files have disappeared.

Missing were images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photos along a sideboard and in drawers. One of these pictures features Donald Trump.

The Justice Department did not explain why the files were removed nor whether it was intentional.

Earlier, a partial release of photos showed a number of celebrity names, including former president Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, the former Prince Andrew and others.

None of the pictures showed any wrongdoing. Democrats from the House Oversight Committee wrote on X: "What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American people."

Concerns are raised that the tens of thousands of files made public in the much-awaited release offered little new insight into Epstein's crimes and how he managed to avoid prosecution for years.

Meanwhile, the release of documents -- the result of a vote in Congress to make the files public -- shows that the FBI was alerted to Epstein's activities as early as 1996.

That was when an artist working for Epstein in New York, Maria Farmer, went to the agency asking them to investigate him for child pornography.

Farmer's lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, said the FBI could have stopped Epstein almost 30 years ago.

"We've spent many years trying to get her records through Freedom of Information Act requests, which are the classic way to get them," said Freeman. "And we've never seen anything before corroborati her 1996 report, but we just saw it yesterday for the first time in 30 years, which is remarkable, remarkable, really remarkable."

"Maria Farmer did exactly what she has said for 30 years that she did. She reported Epstein to the authorities, to the federal authorities, to the FBI. And as far as we can tell, and I wish I knew Kristen (reporter), I wish had more information out of the files or otherwise, it looks like the government did absolutely nothing."

Freeman added that the DOJ has not handled the release well, with major redactions and documents that survivors and their lawyers are still waiting for.