The US justice department says it will release more than one million additional documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, but warned the review process could take several weeks.
In a post on X on Wednesday, the department said the files were handed over by federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI in line with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and court orders.
“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims,” the department said, adding that the size of the material means the process “may take a few more weeks”.
According to Axios, about 750,000 Epstein-related records have already been reviewed and released, while around 700,000 more remain under examination. Officials said many of the remaining files may be duplicates. One justice department official said: “This will end soon. The conspiracy theories won’t.”
The announcement follows criticism over earlier releases that failed to meet the 19 December legal deadline for full disclosure. Lawmakers from both parties have since warned of possible consequences for the justice department.
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CNN reported that prosecutors in Florida have been asked to volunteer to help speed up the redaction process. In an internal email cited by the network, officials said they had “an obligation to the public” to release the documents while protecting victims’ identities.
The justice department has released several batches of files since Friday, including about 30,000 records on Tuesday. Some documents mentioned former president Donald Trump, while others were later described by officials as false or misleading.
Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche urged caution, saying there had been “lots of sensationalism and even outright lies” around the Epstein files.
“We will continue to produce every document required by law,” Blanche said. “Let’s not let internet rumor engines outrun the facts.”