Washington

The US Department of Justice has made public a new set of documents connected to the investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, revealing photographs and records that place several well-known public figures — including former President Bill Clinton and pop star Michael Jackson — in social settings linked to Epstein, CNN reported.

The documents were released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act and contain extensive redactions, which the Justice Department said were necessary to safeguard victims and protect ongoing investigations.

While portions of the released material had surfaced earlier through court proceedings and public record requests, officials acknowledged that many documents are being disclosed publicly for the first time. The release includes thousands of pages and large datasets compiled from multiple sources.

Among the notable disclosures are photographs showing Bill Clinton swimming with Ghislaine Maxwell and sitting in a hot tub alongside an unidentified individual. Another image shows Michael Jackson posing with Epstein, while additional photographs capture Clinton and Jackson together in social settings.

Other prominent names appearing in the files include musician Mick Jagger, filmmaker Woody Allen, and philosopher Noam Chomsky, according to CNN.

The release prompted criticism from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who faulted Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for indicating that additional documents would be released at a later stage, despite the statutory deadline expiring on December 19.

Blanche had earlier told Fox News that the department is in possession of “several hundred thousand” documents, some of which were released on Wednesday, with further disclosures planned in the coming weeks. The legislation mandating the release was signed into law by President Donald Trump in November.

At approximately 4 p.m. local time, the Justice Department uploaded the initial tranche of files. Officials said the collection includes a mix of previously unseen material and documents already in the public domain, drawn from DOJ records, court filings, congressional releases, and public information requests.

Several photographs of Bill Clinton with Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell were made public for the first time. Another image shows Michael Jackson standing beside Epstein in front of a painting depicting a nude figure, though the time and location of the photograph remain unclear.

In a separate photograph, Clinton is seen with his arm around Jackson, accompanied by singer Diana Ross and another woman whose identity has been redacted.

The Justice Department acknowledged that the redactions are extensive, with some pages almost entirely blacked out. According to officials, information was withheld if it involved identifying victims, child sexual abuse material, classified national security content, or details that could compromise active investigations.

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Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier with powerful connections, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide, though it has continued to fuel controversy and speculation.