With few Epstein files released, conspiracy theories flourish and questions remain

"In the two weeks since the Justice Department failed to fully meet a legal deadline to release its expansive tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein, old conspiracy theories about his life and death have subsided and new ones have taken shape. The late financier was a convicted sex offender and accused of sex trafficking minors while associating with top figures in politics, academia and other influential industries."

"Both supporters of the president and his opponents have criticized the rollout of documents, often heavily redacted and shared without any clear organization or context. Included in the roughly 40,000 pages of new information published in the last week are unvetted tips from the public and a complaint made to the FBI more than a decade before Epstein was first criminally charged."

"There could be well over a million files still unreleased, along with potentially terabytes-worth of data seized from Epstein's devices and estate, according to 2020 emails between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York included in the most recent batch of files. On Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on social media that lawyers were working "around the clock" to review documents but did not specify the scope or scale of the remaining work."

President Trump pledged during the 2024 campaign to release Jeffrey Epstein files, framing the government as controlled by powerful people hiding truth. At the start of 2026 many now believe Trump is among those withholding information. The Justice Department missed a legal deadline to fully release its tranche of Epstein records, prompting new conspiracy theories to form. The late financier was a convicted sex offender accused of sex trafficking minors and associating with influential figures across politics, academia and other industries. Roughly 40,000 recently published pages include unvetted public tips and an old FBI complaint. Officials say lawyers are reviewing remaining materials and redactions for victims are taking time.

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