The FBI spent months rushing to prepare a massive collection of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as pressure mounted for their public release, newly released emails show.
According to emails obtained by Bloomberg, preparations accelerated after Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the start of “Phase 1” of the release process, which was criticized internally for its rocky rollout.
Highlights
- The FBI rushed to prepare 300+ GB of Epstein records after AG Pam Bondi announced the Phase 1 release amid public pressure.
- About 1,000 FBI agents worked nights and weekends on redacting sensitive Epstein files in a massive transparency project.
- The FBI logged 4,737 overtime hours between January and July, spending $851K in March alone to review and redact files.
The files ordered for release make up a vast collection of more than 300 gigabytes of digital records and physical evidence gathered during the federal investigation into Epstein.
There was a massive FBI effort to redact files after Pam Bondi announced Phase 1 of their release
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FBI Director Kash Patel ordered roughly 1,000 agents to assist the bureau’s Freedom of Information Act staff at a facility in Winchester, Virginia, where they were trained to review and redact the sensitive records, Bloomberg FOIA files reported.
Personnel from the New York and Washington field offices joined FOIA specialists for the effort.
The records describe the training agents received for what the bureau labeled the “Epstein Transparency Project,” at times also called the “Special Redaction Project.”
According to Bloomberg, the instruction included video lessons and PowerPoint presentations detailing how to process and shield information in the files.
Emails cited by the outlet show how intensive the assignment became, with agents called in on nights and weekends to work on redacting the files.
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Staff from divisions including counterintelligence and international operations logged 4,737 hours of overtime between January and July.
More than 70% of that time was recorded in March as employees worked through the Epstein documents. Between March 17 and March 22 alone, the FBI spent a total of $851,344 on overtime.
The emails also outlined the types of material under review, with agents reportedly tasked with examining and redacting physical documents, as well as examining videos connected to Epstein.
This included photos from search warrant operations, street-level surveillance footage, and aerial recordings taken during FBI searches, as well as footage from the night Epstein died in jail.
Several internal messages described how the work was organized into phases.
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A March 10 exchange showed FBI lawyers and information management staff discussing existing FOIA requests, the digitization of “physical files,” and the government’s stated commitment to transparency, according to Bloomberg.
By late March, emails detailed updates to review guidelines and instructions for personnel to “stand by” as more files were added to Phase 1.
A March 24 message informed staff that Phase 1 was complete and Phase 2 was nearly finished under new Justice Department criteria.
“Phase 2 review of the new criteria provided by DOJ was approximately 75.2% complete,” the email said, as per Bloomberg.
“Upon completion of Phase 2,” the Information Management Division “will provide a copy of all see-through redaction files for DOJ review.”
The DOJ has since been ordered to hand over the Epstein files to Congress
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Bloomberg noted that Patel asked for updates on all remaining reviews on April 15.
On May 2, a member of the New York field office sent a document titled ‘Epstein Overview FINAL’ summarizing their work, though that attachment was withheld from Bloomberg by the FBI.
The bureau also withheld more than 161 pages of material overall, citing ongoing law-enforcement matters and other FOIA exemptions.
With the Justice Department now required to release the Epstein files, the public is expected to see at least part of the extensive collection the FBI spent months racing to prepare.
Last week, Donald Trump signed a bill to release the long-sought files after initially spending months opposing a bipartisan petition that was gaining momentum in the House.
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A bipartisan petition led by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie had gained the 218 signatures needed to force a vote when Trump ordered the GOP to support the measure.
The House then passed the bill 427-1 and the Senate advanced it by unanimous consent.
The DOJ is now required to provide Congress with all “unclassified records, documents, communications, investigative materials” and classified records tied to Epstein within 30 days.
However, the bill contains several exceptions that have raised alarm, including loopholes for the DOJ to withhold files it deems to invade personal privacy, jeopardize active federal investigations, or identify victims.
It has raised concerns that when the files are released after months of public pressure, they could be heavily redacted, especially given that Trump has ordered Bondi to investigate Epstein’s links to prominent Democrats.