Stories of History / 83. The declassified documents of the Epstein case

One of the reasons for the rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk was a recent post by the Tesla boss on X in which he declared that the name of the American president is contained in the still classified Jeffrey Epstein files, which concern the case of the financier who committed suicide in prison in New York while awaiting trial for sexual crimes. Attorney General Pamela Bondi had made public, last February 2025, only a first part of the declassified documents on the case. Storie di Storia delves into the story through the publication of a report by the United States Department of Justice from a few years ago that reconstructs Epstein's story. Enjoy the read.

THE STORY

THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN CASE

On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), declassified and released the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the sexual exploitation of more than 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida and elsewhere. The first phase of the declassified files largely contains documents that have been previously disclosed, but have never been officially made public by the U.S. government.

“The Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The first phase of the files released today shed light on Epstein’s vast network and begin to provide the public with long-overdue accountability.”

“The FBI is entering a new era, one characterized by integrity, accountability, and a relentless pursuit of justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, no unturned stones, and anyone within the FBI, past or present, who impedes this process will be swiftly prosecuted. If there are gaps, we will find them. If documents are hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the Department of Justice to be fully evaluated and transparently released to the American people, as it should be. We took an oath to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be kept.” Attorney General Bondi requested all files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In response, the Department received approximately 200 pages of documents, but the Attorney General was later informed of the existence of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein that had not previously been released. The Attorney General has asked the FBI to turn over the remaining documents to the Department by 8:00 a.m. on February 28 and has directed FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate why the request for all documents has not been complied with.

The Department remains committed to transparency and intends to make the remaining documents public after reviewing and redacting them to protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.

THE LETTER

Office of the Attorney General

Washington DC

February, 27, 2025

Dear Director Patel,

Before she took office, I requested all of Jeffrey Epstein's complete case files. In response to that request, I received approximately 200 pages of documents, which consisted primarily of flight logs, Epstein's contact list, and a list of the victims' names and phone numbers.

I have repeatedly asked if this is the complete set of documents requested and have been repeatedly assured by the FBI that we have received the complete set of documents. Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI New York Field Office was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein. Despite my repeated requests, the FBI has never disclosed the existence of these files. When you and I spoke yesterday, you were as surprised as I was to learn this new information.

By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will release the complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained. There will be no omissions or limitations on my access or yours. The Department of Justice will ensure that any public disclosure of these files is related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained.

There will be no omissions or limitations on my or your access. The Department of Justice will ensure that any public disclosure of these files will be done in a manner that protects the privacy of victims and in accordance with the law, as I have done throughout my career as a prosecutor. I also direct you to conduct an immediate investigation into why my order to the FBI was not followed. You will provide me with a full report of your findings and proposed disciplinary action within 14 days.

I appreciate your immediate attention to this important matter. I know we are both committed to transparency with the American people, and I look forward to working with you to serve our President and our country, and with you to serve our President and our country.

Sincerely,

Pamela Blonde

Attorney General

THE REPORT

Jeffrey Epstein and his interactions with

the victims during the investigation

Department of Justice, Office of Professional Responsibility (November 2020)

The Department of Justice's (Department) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigated allegations that, in 2007-2008, prosecutors in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (USAO) improperly resolved a federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's criminal conduct by negotiating and entering into a federal non-prosecution agreement (NPA). The NPA was intended to end a federal investigation into allegations of Epstein's illegal sexual activity with young girls. The OPR also investigated whether USAO prosecutors committed professional misconduct by failing to consult with victims of Epstein's crimes before signing the NPA or by providing them with misleading information about the status of the federal investigation after signing.

Overview of the facts

The Palm Beach (Florida) Police Department (PBPD) began investigating Jeffrey Epstein in 2005, after the parents of a 14-year-old girl reported that Epstein had paid her for a massage. Epstein was a multimillionaire financier with residences in Palm Beach, New York City, and other locations in the United States and abroad. The investigation uncovered that Epstein used personal assistants to recruit girls to give him massages, and in many cases, those massages led to sexual activity. After the PBPD referred the case to the State Attorney's Office, a Palm Beach County grand jury indicted Epstein on July 19, 2006, for one count of solicitation for prostitution, in violation of Florida Statutes § 796.07.

However, because the PBPD chief and the detective assigned to the case were dissatisfied with the state attorney general's handling of the case and believed that the state grand jury indictment did not address the full extent of Epstein's conduct, they referred the matter to the FBI in West Palm Beach for a possible federal investigation. The FBI referred the matter to an assistant federal prosecutor (AUSA), who opened a case with the approval of his superior and with the knowledge of then-U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta. He worked with two FBI agents assigned to the case to develop a federal case against Epstein, and additional victims were discovered during the investigation. In May 2007, AUSA presented its superiors with a draft 60-count indictment outlining the charges against Epstein. It also provided a lengthy memorandum summarizing the evidence gathered to support the charges and addressing the legal issues surrounding the proposed charges.

For several weeks after the filing of the prosecution memorandum and proposed indictment, AUSA superiors reviewed the case to determine how to proceed. In a July 31, 2007 meeting with Epstein's attorneys, the USAO offered to close the investigation if Epstein pleaded guilty to the state charges, agreed to serve a minimum of two years in prison, registered as a sex offender, and agreed to a mechanism through which victims could obtain monetary compensation. The USAO subsequently engaged in additional meetings and communications with Epstein's legal team, ultimately negotiating the terms of a state-level resolution of the federal investigation, which culminated in the signing of the NPA on September 24, 2007.

The NPA required Epstein to plead guilty in state court to the then-pending indictment against him and to an additional criminal information charging him with a state crime that would require him to register as a sex offender, specifically, soliciting minors for prostitution, in violation of Florida Statutes § 796.03. The NPA required Epstein to make a binding recommendation that the state court sentence him to 18 months in county jail followed by 12 months of community control (home detention or “house arrest”). The NPA also included provisions designed to facilitate the recovery of monetary damages by victims from Epstein. In exchange, the USAO agreed to end its investigation into Epstein and waive federal prosecution in the Southern District of Florida against him, four co-conspirators, and “any potential co-conspirators.” Victims were not informed or consulted about a potential state resolution or the NPA prior to its signing.

The signing of the NPA, however, did not immediately lead to Epstein’s guilty plea and incarceration. For the next nine months, Epstein deployed his large team of top lawyers to try to modify the terms his team had negotiated and that he had approved, while also trying to invalidate the entire NPA by convincing senior Department officials that there was no federal interest at stake and that the matter should be left to the discretion of state law enforcement officials. Through repeated communications with the USAO and senior Department officials, defense attorneys fought the government’s interpretation of the NPA’s terms. They also sought and received review by the Department’s Criminal Division and then the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, primarily on the issue of federal jurisdiction over what the defense insisted was “essentially a state matter.” After reviewing the defense and USAO's submissions, the Office of the Deputy Attorney General informed defense counsel on June 23, 2008, that the Deputy Attorney General would not intervene in the matter. Epstein then agreed to fulfill his obligations under the NPA, and on June 30, 2008, he appeared in state court and pleaded guilty to the pending felony charge of solicitation of prostitution and, under the NPA, to a criminal information charging him with procuring minors for prostitution. At the joint request of the defendant and the prosecutor, and in accordance with the NPA, the court immediately sentenced Epstein to consecutive terms of 12 months' imprisonment on the solicitation charge and 6 months' imprisonment on the procuring charge, followed by 12 months of community control. Epstein began serving his sentence that same day, in a minimum security facility in Palm Beach County. A copy of the NPA has been filed under seal in state court.

On July 7, 2008, a victim, identified as “Jane Doe,” filed an emergency petition in federal court for the Southern District of Florida alleging that the government violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. § 3771, when it resolved the federal investigation into Epstein without consulting the victims, and seeking enforcement of her CVRA rights. In responding to the petition, the government, represented by USAO, disclosed the existence of the NPA, but did not turn it over to the petitioners until the court ordered it turned over pursuant to a protective order; the NPA itself remained sealed in federal district court. After initial depositions and hearings, the CVRA case remained inactive for nearly two years while the petitioners pursued civil suits against Epstein.

Soon after being incarcerated, Epstein applied for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's work release program, which approved his application. In October 2008, Epstein began working 12-hour days at the Florida Science Foundation, an entity Epstein had recently formed and which was based in the West Palm Beach office of one of Epstein's attorneys. Although the NPA carried an 18-month prison sentence, Epstein was granted "gain time," a reduction in time for good behavior, and actually served less than 13 months in prison. On July 22, 2009, Epstein was released and placed on a one-year term of home detention as a condition of community control, and registered as a sex offender with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. After victims and the media sued in Florida courts to obtain release of the copy of the NPA that had been filed under seal in the state court file, a state judge in September 2009 ordered it made public.

By mid-2010, Epstein had settled several civil lawsuits filed against him by victims seeking monetary damages, including the two petitioners in the CVRA lawsuit. During the course of the CVRA lawsuit, the petitioners sought information from the USAO, which produced a significant amount of documents, filed lengthy notices of privilege supporting its withholding of documents, and submitted affidavits from the AUSA and FBI agents who conducted the federal investigation. The USAO resisted attempts to unseal several documents, as did Epstein, who was granted leave to intervene in the litigation on certain matters. Nonetheless, the court ordered the release of many documents related to the USAO's settlement of the Epstein case. During the course of the litigation, the court issued numerous rulings interpreting the CVRA. After the unsuccessful attempts to resolve the case, the parties' cross-motions for summary judgment remained pending for more than a year.

In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Acosta to be Secretary of Labor. At his confirmation hearing in March 2017, Acosta was only briefly questioned about the Epstein case. On April 17, 2017, the Senate confirmed Acosta as Secretary of Labor.

In the decade since his release from prison, Epstein has continued to settle multiple civil lawsuits filed by many, but not all, of his victims. Otherwise, Epstein has been able to resume his lavish lifestyle, largely avoiding press attention. On November 28, 2018, however, the Miami Herald published an extensive investigation into state and federal criminal investigations launched more than 12 years earlier into allegations that Epstein coerced girls into engaging in sexual activity with him at his Palm Beach estate. The Miami Herald reported that in 2007, Acosta made an “extraordinary” deal with Epstein in the form of an NPA, which allowed Epstein to avoid federal prosecution and a potentially lengthy prison sentence by pleading guilty in state court to “two counts of prostitution.” According to the Miami Herald, the government also inoculated Epstein’s co-conspirators from prosecution and hid the terms of the NPA from Epstein’s victims. Through its reporting, which included interviews with eight victims and information from public documents, the paper painted a picture of federal and state prosecutors ignoring serious criminal conduct by a wealthy man with powerful and politically connected friends, granting him a “deal of a lifetime” that allowed him to both escape significant punishment for his past conduct and continue to abuse children. The Miami Herald’s reporting prompted public outrage and media scrutiny of the government’s actions.

On February 21, 2019, the district court granted the CVRA plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment, ruling that the government violated the CVRA by failing to notify victims of its intent to enter into the NPA. The court also found that letters the government sent to victims after the NPA was signed, describing the investigation as ongoing, “misled [sic] victims into believing that federal prosecution was still an option.” The court also noted the unfairness of USAO’s failure to communicate with victims while simultaneously engaging in “extensive negotiations” with Epstein’s counsel and assuring defense counsel that the NPA would not be “made public or filed with the court.” The court ordered the parties to file additional briefs on appropriate remedies. Following the court order, the Department recused USAO from the CVRA litigation and assigned the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia to handle the case on behalf of the government. Among the remedies sought by the petitioners, and opposed by the government, are the revocation of the NPA and the initiation of a federal criminal prosecution against Epstein.

On July 2, 2019, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York obtained a federal grand jury indictment charging Epstein with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. According to the indictment, from 2002 to 2005, Epstein created a large network of underage victims in both New York and Florida, whom he sexually abused and exploited. Epstein was arrested on these charges on July 6, 2019. In seeking Epstein's pretrial detention, prosecutors said that officers who searched Epstein's Manhattan residence found thousands of nude and semi-nude photos of women, including at least one believed to be a minor. The court ordered Epstein detained pending trial, and he was remanded into the custody of the Bureau of Prisons and held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, following the Miami Herald report in November 2018, the media and Congress have increasingly focused on Acosta as the government official responsible for the NPA. On July 10, 2019, Acosta held a televised press conference to defend his and the USAO’s actions. Acosta stated that the Palm Beach U.S. Attorney’s Office “was prepared to let Epstein walk free with no jail time, nothing.” According to Acosta, because USAO prosecutors found this outcome unacceptable, his office pursued a difficult and challenging case and won a Secretary of Labor. In a brief oral statement, Acosta explained that the continued media focus on his handling of the Epstein investigation rather than the economy is unfair to the Department of Labor.

On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found hanged in his cell and later pronounced dead.

Following Epstein’s death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed a nolle prosequi to dismiss the pending indictment against Epstein. On August 27, 2019, the district court held a hearing at which more than a dozen of Epstein’s victims—including victims of the Florida conduct that was addressed through the NPA—spoke about the impact of Epstein’s crimes. On August 29, 2019, the court dismissed Epstein’s indictment. After Epstein’s death, the federal district court in Florida overseeing the CVRA litigation denied the petitioners their requested remedies and dismissed the case as frivolous. Among its findings, the court concluded that while the government violated the CVRA, it had asserted “legitimate and legally arguable positions throughout this litigation” and therefore did not act in bad faith. The court also noted that it expected the government to “honour its representation to provide its employees with training on the CVRA and the proper treatment of crime victims,” as well as honour its promise to meet with victims.

On September 30, 2019, CVRA petitioner “Jane Doe 1” filed a writ petition in her own name with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, seeking review of the district court’s order denying all of the relief sought. In its response brief, the government argued that “as a matter of law, the statutory obligations under the CVRA do not apply before the government indicts a case” and therefore “the CVRA was not activated in the [Southern District of Florida] because no criminal charges were filed.” However, at oral argument, the government admitted that the USAO had not been “completely transparent” with petitioner and had “erred in misleading her into believing that the case was pending when in fact the NPA had been signed.” On April 14, 2020, a divided panel of the Court of Appeals dismissed the petition, ruling that CVRA rights do not apply until a defendant has been criminally charged.

On 7 August 2020, the Court granted the motion for reconsideration in court and reversed the panel opinion; as of the date of this report, a hearing schedule has been published, with oral argument scheduled for 3 December 2020. (…).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REPORTS

Book : Filthy Rich , by James Patterson, John Connolly and Tim Malloy, Chiarelettere, 2020

A dramatically true story told by the world king of thrillers. A scandal that has overwhelmed a financial giant and the international establishment, uncovering a tangle of sex and power, blackmail and violence. It was 2016 when James Patterson brought the Epstein affair to the fore, reconstructing the story that had involved the magnate and his large circle of friends. Four years later, the writer returns to the case following disconcerting developments, the latest of which is the mysterious death of the protagonist. Money can do a lot, even gagging victims and buying the executioner's immunity. When the first edition of this book was released in America, the billionaire almost succeeded, obtaining a paltry sentence that left him ample freedom to continue his golden existence and perpetrate abuse against young girls lured for a few dollars. But when new accusations nail him and confine him to the isolation of a cell, and other victims take courage, his world trembles, the entourage dissociates: if he speaks, it will be the end. On the morning of August 10, 2019, the guards find him with his neck wrapped in a sheet. The guards who were supposed to watch over him seem to have fallen asleep. It is suicide, the archiving will say.

Mini series : Jeffrey Epstein: Money, Power and Perversion . A film by Lisa Bryant. Format TV Series, Original title Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, USA 2020.

Through victims’ accounts, this docuseries explains how convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth and power to perpetrate his abuse.