The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has informed a federal court that its review of documents connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is far from complete, with millions of files still to be examined. This admission raises the prospect of further significant disclosures in the high-profile case that has captured global attention.
Massive Scale of the Document Review
In a formal letter submitted to a judge on Monday (local time), the Justice Department disclosed that more than two million documents remain under active scrutiny. Officials stated the files are "in various phases of review." The scale of the task is underscored by the fact that only a tiny fraction of the material has been made public so far.
To date, approximately 12,285 documents comprising over 125,000 pages have been released. The DOJ's letter notes this represents less than one percent of the total volume of materials currently being examined by investigators.
Substantial Resources and Newly Found Files
The department has committed significant manpower to the effort, stating that more than 400 attorneys will be involved in the review process in the coming weeks. They will be assisted by at least 100 FBI employees who have received special training in handling sensitive information related to victims.
In a surprising revelation, the DOJ also disclosed that on December 24 last year, it identified an additional one million files that were not part of the initial review scope. While some may be duplicates, officials confirmed all require proper processing and deduplication, adding to the workload.
Missed Deadlines and Political Fallout
This letter was filed more than two weeks after the DOJ missed a crucial court-mandated deadline. The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the full release of Epstein-related records by December 19, 2025. Although the department began disclosing records from the decades-long investigation in December 2025, it failed to meet this legal deadline.
The delays have ignited political controversy. President Donald Trump has faced sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers over the handling of the document release. The Trump administration has defended its approach, emphasizing the necessity to protect the identities and privacy of victims involved in the case.
The DOJ's update concludes with a stark assessment: "Substantial work remains to be done," indicating the public may have to wait considerably longer for full transparency in the Epstein affair.
