<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department released thousands of files related to sex offender and </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/jeffrey-epstein" rel="" target="" title=""><span>accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein</span></a><span> after Congress passed a law forcing the Trump administration to do so.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The release did not contain all the files as the DOJ said it would push out more in the coming weeks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CNN reporters went through the thousands of files, and you can read highlights below:</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-photo-apparently-removed-from-department-of-justice-website-usa/d6e5a023-a4d4-4e5f-9ad5-e36ace75dad1"><strong><span>Trump photo restored to US government's 'Epstein library'</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>New batch of photos shows FBI's evidence against Epstein</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department released a batch of photos — in addition to Friday's earlier disclosures — showing some of the evidence gathered in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new files were posted to the Justice Department website on Saturday morning (AEST), about four hours after the initial massive tranche of materials was released earlier in the day.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/whats-inside-the-epstein-files-released-by-the-justice-department/aa0fbe68-620e-4807-ae31-124c47ea71ed" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They contain about 120 photos, mostly depicting FBI evidence boxes and envelopes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The materials include dozens of hard drives, old CDs and computers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One image appears to show a dog stuffed inside a box.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's been previously reported that Epstein kept a taxidermied poodle.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's unclear where these pictures came from, but the Justice Department previously said some of the materials in Friday's release would include information from Epstein-related search warrants.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The FBI raided Epstein's homes in Florida and New York, and his private island in the US Virgin Islands.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Bill Clinton was in hot tub with one of Epstein's victims, DOJ official says</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Justice Department spokesperson said Friday that the redacted person in one of the new widely circulated photos of former President Bill Clinton in a hot tub was "a victim" of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The spokesperson, Gates McGavick, posted the image to X and wrote, "Beloved Democrat President. The black box is added to protect a victim."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to redact things that could potentially identify victims who were sexually abused.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/christmas-trading-hours-2025-what-stores-are-open-during-holiday-period/18546031-384b-4039-9b0f-a2b3f1db26b5" rel="" target="" title="Christmas trading hours 2025: When stores are open on Boxing Day and over the New Year"><strong><span>Christmas trading hours 2025: When stores are open on Boxing Day and over the New Year</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, it's not clear that every redaction in every photo was made to protect a confirmed victim.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For instance, an older man's face was redacted in some images.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Clinton has never been charged with any crimes or accused by law enforcement of any wrongdoing related to Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson for Clinton said in a statement Friday that the Trump administration was "shielding themselves from what comes next".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The statement added that the former president did not know about Epstein's crimes and had cut off the relationship before those crimes came to light.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There are two types of people here," the spokesperson, Angel Ureña, said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a letter sent to Congress on Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department's extensive review of Epstein-related materials "did not … uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties," which would include Clinton.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Before joining the Trump administration this year, McGavick worked for the Republican National Committee and several Republican politicians.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department declined to comment when CNN asked about McGavick's post.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>DOJ released grand jury material with black pages of redactions</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Before the release, the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury material in cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were approved by the federal judges, clearing the way for the DOJ to publish the much-sought-after documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the records published over the weekend, however, 119 pages labeled as grand jury materials were completely redacted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The grand jury material is interspliced between other largely redacted pages, as well as one explicit image of a woman.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department does not categorize much of the released material, and it is unclear which documents may have been part of the grand jury material they were authorized to release.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CNN reached out to the Justice Department for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-shooting-anthony-albanese-approval-rating-sussan-ley-antisemitism/67ebac52-efb2-471b-98fe-29a60116bc30"><strong><span>Anthony Albanese's approval rating plummets in wake of Bondi terror attack</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Witness told investigators Epstein sought underage victims and didn't want 'Spanish or dark' girls</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two months before Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 federal sex-trafficking indictment, a witness told investigators that he asked to see a girl's identification to make sure she was underage, according to newly released files.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The revelation was included in a 52-page document from May 2019 containing an investigator's handwritten notes of an interview with the witness, whose name is redacted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The document also contains photographs of various women, some wearing swimsuits or other revealing outfits, who the witness told investigators spent time with Epstein and were possibly abused.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The notes indicate that the witness mentioned a "desperate time running out of girls."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The witness further told investigators that Epstein was frustrated by the older ages of some of the girls who were brought around — and insisted that he be brought "young" girls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At one point, [redacted] witnessed him asking for ID to girl, wanted make sure under 18 b/c he wasn't believing them b/c [redacted] messed up by bringing more older girls," the interview notes said</span><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The notes indicate that "JE" paid someone and "told her (to) keep looking for girls," describing his preference for certain women.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The witness described the girls' races, nationalities and complexions, adding that "JE didn't want Spanish or dark girl[s]," and requested young girls "but not dark" girls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the interview, the witness described potential sexual abuse, including "a lot of touching" during some of these girls' "topless" interactions with Epstein, where he sometimes made "crazy noises," according to the document.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The witness told investigators that "JE" would ask "do you like it or are you enjoying it," describing Epstein as "very visual."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investigator's notes describing the interview indicate that the witness grew emotional and was unable to provide further details at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Markings on the first page of the document indicate that it is an FBI form and that the interview was conducted by the New York field office.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Epstein was indicted in the Southern District of New York in June 2019 but died by suicide in prison two months later.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Famed newsman Walter Cronkite pictured in latest Epstein drop</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite is pictured several times in the latest batch of Epstein documents released Friday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a series of photos labelled "Walter Cronkite 1/07," Cronkite sits across from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on a couch next to another man.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier this year, Cronkite's name was listed in a trove of flight logs made public by the House Oversight Committee.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to the document, he travelled with Epstein decades after his retirement from Newark, New Jersey, to Epstein's private island in St Thomas in January 2007.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Maria Farmer, an Epstein survivor who reported him in the 1990s, is vindicated by a released document</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department's partial release of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein marked a moment of triumph for Epstein survivor Maria Farmer and her sister Annie, who have said for years that Maria filed one of the first complaints against Epstein in the 1990s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An FBI document released over the weekend included a 1996 description of a criminal complaint against Epstein related to child pornography.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the name of the complainant is redacted in the document, Maria Farmer's lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, confirmed on CNN that the complaint was in fact made by her client.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The "facts of complaint" part of the document says that the woman — who describes herself as a professional artist — had taken photos of her underage sisters for her own personal artwork.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Epstein stole the photos and negatives and is believed to have sold the pictures to potential buyers," the document reads.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Epstein at one time requested (redacted) to take pictures of young girls at swimming pools." It continued: "Epstein is now threatening (redacted) that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Freeman had previously told CNN that Farmer's original complaint was one of the key documents she would search for when the DOJ's Epstein files were released.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She said Friday evening that she is looking for more information from the files, including what the authorities did in response to Farmer's complaint, when and why.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Why didn't they act to stop this?" Freeman said in an email to CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The complaint, stamped September 3, 1996, underscores the fact that Epstein had been on the radar of law enforcement years before federal and state charges were brought against him in New York and Florida.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement provided by the law firm representing Maria Farmer, the Epstein accuser said the FBI had "failed" her and other victims over the years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Farmer's sister, Annie, has previously said she was 16 when Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell abused her.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper, an emotional Annie Farmer said: "Just to see it in writing and to know that they had this document this entire time — and how many people were harmed after that date? We've been saying it over and over, but to see it in black and white that way has been very emotional."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Inconsistent redactions present across Epstein files</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From black boxes to sticky notes, the redactions in the Epstein files are far from uniform in the thousands of documents that were released.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department appears to have been inconsistent when it came to protecting the identities of several men who are included in photographs in the documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In one series of photos, a young man's face is initially covered with a black square. But in later images, his face is not redacted, with clear shots of him walking up a staircase and in a garage next to a luxury car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CNN has geolocated these photos to an opulent estate outside of Paris.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In another photo, a different man lying atop Ghislaine Maxwell is at first redacted. Elsewhere in the files, the same photo appears without his face redacted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department acknowledged to a federal court in New York Friday afternoon that the "size and scope" of the redaction process it undertook in recent weeks made the result "vulnerable to machine error" and "instances of human error."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Department officials expressed frustration over the speed at which they were required to process the files, CNN exclusively reported Thursday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Epstein seen in photo with pop icon Michael Jackson</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among the thousands of documents released as part of the Epstein files is a photo of pop icon Michael Jackson standing next to Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The two are seen standing in front of a painting of what appears to be a naked woman. It is unclear when or where the photo was taken.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another photo released shows former president Bill Clinton with his arm around Jackson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Supremes singer Diana Ross is to their right. Epstein is not pictured.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jackson died in 2009.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CNN reached out to representatives for Clinton, Ross and Jackson's estate for comment but did not immediately receive responses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2003, Jackson was charged with child molestation and administering an intoxicating agent for the purpose of committing a felony against a 12-year-old boy and was later found not guilty.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Clinton has never been accused by law enforcement of wrongdoing related to Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His spokesperson has repeatedly stated that Clinton cut ties with Epstein well before Epstein's 2019 federal indictment and was unaware of his criminal activities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The White House hasn't been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton," Angel Ureña, a spokesperson for Clinton, said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they'll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Photo in Epstein files shows Bill Clinton in London with actor Kevin Spacey</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One photo in the Epstein files shows former President Bill Clinton in London with his former top adviser Doug Band and actor Kevin Spacey inside the Cabinet Room of the Churchill War Rooms, an underground bunker complex in London that served as a command center during World War II.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The image appears to date from October 2002, when Clinton traveled to Africa on a humanitarian trip aboard Epstein's private jet with Spacey and actor Chris Tucker.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That trip included a stop in London, where Clinton delivered a speech to a Labour Party conference.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/boxing-day-test-ashes-melbourne-victoria-police-semi-automatic-guns/842bcd21-d3cc-49af-a443-470fffa78808"><strong><span>Police to carry semi-automatic guns for Melbourne's Boxing Day Test</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was a wonderful trip and I had such a good time I asked one of my traveling companions to come with me today, Kevin Spacey, who is over here," Clinton said in his speech.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Band declined to comment to CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another photo shows Clinton in a different room in the War Rooms with Band.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking on Spacey's behalf, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, "we're happy to see the files being released".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That trip still remains a huge highlight in Kevin's life and the fact that the plane was owned by Epstein (three years before he would first be investigated) is meaningless.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Whatever activities may have been taking place in the background have nothing to do with Kevin.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No more than if someone is doing something wrong in the hotel room next to yours."</span></div></div>