Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing roughly 5.2 million pages of records related to Jeffrey Epstein, a massive undertaking that is expected to delay the public release of the files beyond a congressional deadline, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.
The records show the DOJ has enlisted about 400 attorneys from four divisions — including the Criminal Division, National Security Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan — to assist with the review process, which is scheduled to run from January 5 through January 23. Lawyers participating in the effort are expected to spend several hours per day reviewing up to 1,000 documents daily, with incentives such as telework options and time-off awards offered to encourage participation.
Congress passed a bipartisan transparency law last month requiring the release of all Epstein-related files by December 19, with limited redactions to protect victims. The Trump administration ordered the DOJ to comply with the statute, but the newly disclosed volume of material makes meeting that deadline impossible, according to the document.
The Justice Department acknowledged last week that it uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially linked to Epstein, further complicating the process. Initial disclosures have been heavily redacted, drawing criticism from some lawmakers who say the releases have failed to provide meaningful transparency.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died by alleged suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. DOJ officials say the delay is necessary to ensure legally required redactions are made before the remaining records are released.
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