A History of Epstein File Releases: 2006 to 2026

20 Years of File Releases

The public record of the Epstein case has been built through two decades of FOIA requests, court orders, media investigations, and ultimately federal legislation. Here is the chronology of every major file release.

Phase 1: Investigation Records (2006-2008)

Palm Beach Police Records (2006)

The first Epstein-related documents to become public:

The Palm Beach Police probable cause affidavit documented the initial investigation
These records identified over 40 potential victims
They formed the basis for the FBI referral

The NPA (2007)

The Non-Prosecution Agreement itself was initially kept secret from victims
It was later obtained through litigation and published by the Miami Herald
The NPA's existence became widely known through the CVRA legal challenge

Phase 2: Civil Litigation Documents (2015-2019)

Giuffre v. Maxwell (Filed 2015)

Virginia Giuffre's defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell generated thousands of pages:

Depositions from both Giuffre and Maxwell
Flight log excerpts from Epstein's aircraft
Communications and correspondence
Witness statements and exhibits

Most of these documents were initially filed under seal. Legal battles over their unsealing would continue for nearly a decade.

CVRA Ruling (February 2019)

Judge Marra's ruling that the NPA violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act produced:

The detailed judicial opinion documenting prosecutorial failures
Supporting materials from the CVRA litigation
Additional documentation of the NPA's terms and execution

Phase 3: FBI and Government Records (2019-2022)

FBI Vault Releases (2019-2020)

The FBI released records through its public vault under FOIA:

Investigation files with extensive redactions
Interview summaries
Correspondence between agencies
Multiple FOIA releases occurred in 2019 and 2020

Maxwell Trial Documents (2021-2022)

The United States v. Maxwell trial produced:

Trial transcripts documenting witness testimony
Exhibits entered into evidence
The superseding indictment and related filings
Post-conviction motions and appeals documents

Phase 4: Court-Ordered Unsealing (2023-2024)

The 2024 Giuffre v. Maxwell Unsealing

In January 2024, a federal judge ordered the unsealing of documents from the Giuffre v. Maxwell case:

Hundreds of pages were released in batches
Documents included deposition excerpts naming public figures
Flight logs with passenger names
The release generated massive public and media interest
The "Epstein list" searches surged globally

This was the release that brought the Epstein files into mainstream consciousness.

Phase 5: Legislative Action and the DOJ Library (2025-2026)

The Transparency Act (November 2025)

Congress unanimously passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act:

Modeled on the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act
Required the DOJ to collect and release all responsive records
Established phased disclosure timelines
Created narrow standards for permissible redactions

The DOJ Epstein Library (January 30, 2026)

The largest single release in the case's history:

Category	Amount
Pages released	~3.5 million
Videos	~2,000
Images	~180,000
Total pages identified	~6 million

The release included:

FBI investigation files
Interview transcripts
Communications and correspondence
Financial records
Agency memoranda
Photographs and video evidence

The Scale of Disclosure

Release	Approx. Pages	Year
Palm Beach Police records	Hundreds	2006
NPA and related filings	Dozens	2007-2008
Giuffre v. Maxwell (sealed)	Thousands	2015-2019
FBI Vault FOIA releases	Thousands	2019-2020
Maxwell trial documents	Thousands	2021-2022
2024 Giuffre v. Maxwell unsealing	Hundreds	2024
DOJ Epstein Library	~3,500,000	2026

The DOJ Library release dwarfs all previous releases combined.

What Still Hasn't Been Released

Despite the massive 2026 release, significant material remains:

Approximately 2.5 million additional responsive pages identified but not yet released
Material withheld under national security, ongoing investigation, or victim protection exemptions
The classified "politically exposed persons" list
Grand jury materials that remain sealed by law
Intelligence agency records that may exist outside DOJ's collection

The Impact of Each Release

Each major release has had distinct consequences:

Palm Beach records — Launched the initial investigation
The NPA — Revealed the scope of prosecutorial failure
Giuffre v. Maxwell — Named public figures and established the documentary record
FBI Vault — Showed the scope of the federal investigation
Maxwell trial — Produced the only criminal conviction
2024 unsealing — Brought massive public attention
DOJ Library — Triggered arrests, resignations, and investigations globally

Primary Sources

Giuffre v. Maxwell docket — CourtListener
FBI Records Vault — vault.fbi.gov
DOJ Epstein Library — justice.gov/epstein
Transparency Act — congress.gov

Learn more about the Epstein Files, the DOJ files, and the Transparency Act. Explore the full case timeline.