More than a dozen files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have mysteriously vanished from the Justice Department's website just a day after the agency made public a long-anticipated and extensive release of documents and photographs, with no explanation from the Department of Justice, according to reports.
At least 16 files — part of the thousands of files released on Friday — were removed without any explanation from the Justice Department, drawing criticism from Democrats on Capitol Hill. Among the missing materials are photos of nude female artwork, as well as a photo showing a desk covered with framed pictures and additional photographs stacked inside an open drawer, according to lawmakers.
Vanished Without a Trace
The photographs that could be seen on the desk included images of former President Bill Clinton, Pope Benedict XVI, and several other notable figures. Inside the open drawer, a previously released photo shows President Trump posing at an event alongside Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and First Lady Melania Trump.
According to a social media post by Democrats on X discussing the allegedly missing materials, that image was identified as "file 468."
"What else is being covered up?" Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted on X Saturday afternoon, along with a picture of the missing file that included the photo of Trump.
Neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
"We need transparency for the American public."
It remains unclear why the files were removed from the federal website.
The Justice Department released hundreds of thousands of records tied to the disgraced billionaire on Friday, after Trump signed a bipartisan law that required the agency to hand over all "unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials."
Shocking Photos
The release revealed a wave of startling, previously unseen photographs showing Epstein alongside prominent politicians and A-list celebrities, including Andrew Mountbatten Windsor — formerly Prince Andrew — Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and others. Among the photos was one showing a partially unclothed Bill Clinton.
Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and convicted accomplice in his sex-trafficking operation, also appeared in thousands of photos included in the sweeping disclosure.
More records were made public on Saturday, including grand jury materials from the government's infamous case against Epstein in West Palm Beach more than two decades ago. That case ultimately ended in a highly criticized plea deal that saw him serve just 18 months behind bars.
Epstein died in August 2019 while being held in a Manhattan jail, where he was awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
Public attention around the case has surged again after the FBI and Justice Department released a joint memo in July stating that Epstein died by suicide and did not maintain a secret "client list" of powerful men to whom he trafficked underage girls — a finding that runs counter to years of widespread speculation.
Even though Congress set a Friday deadline for the complete release of the Epstein files, the Justice Department said the remaining records will be disclosed gradually over time.
