Newly released Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein have revealed that one of his victims was nine years ancient, and that a senior official in a foreign government was allegedly involved in his sex trafficking network, according to statements made by members of Congress who reviewed the documents on Monday.
Representatives Jamie Raskin, Thomas Massie, and Ro Khanna were granted access to unredacted versions of roughly three million Epstein-related files at a secure reading room within the Department of Justice. The review followed the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November, which President Donald Trump signed into law, mandating the release of all unclassified records pertaining to Epstein and his associates.
Raskin described finding references to victims as young as nine years old within the files. “I saw a mention of a nine-year-old girl today. I indicate, this is just preposterous and scandalous,” he said.
Massie indicated the presence of an individual “pretty high up in a foreign government” connected to Epstein’s network. He also noted that six individuals, including at least one U.S. Citizen and one foreigner, had been redacted from the files without explanation. “There are six men, some of them with their photographs, that have been redacted, and there’s no explanation why those people were redacted,” Massie stated. He suggested he may publicly reveal their identities through a committee hearing, citing the protections afforded by the Speech and Debate Clause.
Khanna echoed Massie’s concerns regarding the redactions, stating, “That’s really concerning.” He added that the redacted individuals included at least one person described as a “well known retired CEO” and a “Sultan,” according to a post on social media by Massie.
The redactions have renewed accusations that the Trump Administration improperly shielded powerful figures from scrutiny. Lawmakers and advocates had previously criticized the administration for failing to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, arguing that the initial release of documents was excessively redacted.
The Justice Department has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the specific redactions identified by the lawmakers. Massie indicated he intends to pursue further disclosure of the redacted names, potentially through a public forum protected by legislative privilege.
