Takeaways from the millions of newly released Epstein files

Millions of new files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the largest number of documents shared by the government since a law mandated their release last year.

Three million pages, 180,000 images and 2,000 videos were posted publicly on Friday.

The release came six weeks after the department missed a deadline signed into law by US President Donald Trump that mandated all Epstein-related documents be shared with the public.

"Today's release marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

The files include details about Jeffrey Epstein's time in prison - including a psychological report - and his death while incarcerated, along with investigative records on Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate who was convicted of helping him traffic underaged girls.

They also include emails between Epstein and high-profile figures.

Many of the emails and documents go back more than a decade, showcasing Epstein's relationships amid his legal troubles. He was convicted in 2008 in Florida for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl after coming to a controversial plea agreement with prosecutors.

He died in August 2019 while in jail facing charges in a sprawling sex trafficking case.

The documents shed light on the disgraced financier's close association with Britain's elite.

They include emails between Epstein and a person named "The Duke" - believed to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - discussing having dinner at Buckingham Palace, where there was "lots of privacy".

Another message from Epstein includes an offer to introduce "The Duke" to a 26-year-old Russian woman.

The emails are signed "A", with a signature that appears to read "HRH Duke of York KG". They were exchanged in August 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor.

In the latest file release, there is also a photo that appears to show the former prince kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the ground.

There are also emails between Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor dated February 2011 - putting more holes in Andrew's assurances that he had cut off any contact with Epstein the previous year.

The emails do not indicate any wrongdoing.

The BBC has contacted Andrew, formerly known as the Duke of York, for a response. Mountbatten-Windsor has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Some emails in the latest release appear to be between Epstein and Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife.

One email dated 4 April 2009, was signed "Love, Sarah, The red Head.!!"

It says that she was going to be in Palm Beach and wanted to have tea. The email goes on to discuss ideas for Ferguson's company, Mother's Army. The former Duchess of York refers to Epstein as "My dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey".

She calls him a "legend" and says "I am so proud of you".

Also in 2009, another email exchange shows the then-Duchess of York enthusiastically update Epstein on potential opportunities for her business brands and books.

"Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for," one email says.

The following year, another email from "Sarah" to Epstein is overflowing in affection: "You are a legend. I really don't have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness," she writes.

"Xx I am at your service . Just marry me."

The financier was still under house arrest for his 2008 conviction when the email exchanges were sent.

A few years later, in September 2011, there are more messages. The email address is redacted, but they are signed off by "Sarah" and mention "The Duke".

The sender congratulates Epstein on the apparent birth of a child:

"Don't know if you are still on this bbm [BlackBerry Messenger] but heard from The Duke that you have had a baby boy," the first email says.

"Even though you never kept in touch, I still am here with love, friendship and congratualtions [sic] on your baby boy. Sarah xx."

A follow-up message is then sent to Epstein eight minutes later.

"You have disappeared," the email says. "I did not even know you were having a baby. It was sooooo crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeeply. More than you will know."

It has never been publicly confirmed that Epstein had children.

There are also hundreds of mentions of Richard Branson, the British founder of Virgin Group, in the files. In an email exchange from 2013, Branson appears to tell Epstein that it was "really nice" seeing him, adding: "Any time you're in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!"

Virgin Group clarified that "harem" referred to three adult members of Epstein's team, adding: "Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than twelve years ago, and was limited to group or business settings, such as a charity tennis event."

Other foreign figures were named as well, including the national security adviser to Slovakia's prime minister, Miroslav Lajčák. He resigned after text messages between him and Epstein came to light in the files, including from 2018, when the two lightheartedly discussed women and a forthcoming meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

After Epstein sent an image, which cannot be seen in the record, Lajčák replies: "Why don't you invite me for these games? I would take the 'MI' girl."

Being featured in the files is not an indication of any wrongdoing.

Lajčák initially denied discussing women with Epstein when the files were released on Friday, according to Slovak media. He later reportedly said he had decided to resign to avoid damaging Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico politically.

Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) of payments to accounts connected to Lord Mandelson, bank statements released in the files suggest.

Between 2003 and 2004, Epstein appears to have sent three separate $25,000 payments referencing Lord Mandelson.

Lord Mandelson said he had no record or recollection of receiving the sums and did not know whether the documents were authentic.

In another batch of emails, Lord Mandelson asks to stay at one of Epstein's properties.

The emails are from 16 June 2009, when Epstein was serving a prison sentence for soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. For much of his sentence, Epstein was allowed to work from his office during the day and returned to jail each night.

In December 2024, Lord Mandelson was appointed as the UK's ambassador to the US, but was sacked less than a year later when it emerged he had sent supportive messages to Epstein following the conviction.

After the latest release of files, Lord Mandelson resigned his membership of the Labour Party, saying he did not want to "cause further embarrassment". Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he should "should not be a member of the House of Lords" and has ordered an "urgent" investigation into Peter Mandelson's contact with Epstein.

Lord Mandelson has repeatedly said he regrets his past friendship with Epstein, which has long been public knowledge. He has said he never saw any wrongdoing while with Epstein and "fell for his lies".

The US president is mentioned hundreds of times in the newly released files. Trump had a friendship with Epstein but he says it soured many years ago and has denied any knowledge of his sex crimes.

Among the new documents is a list compiled by the FBI last year of allegations made against Trump by callers to its national Threat Operation Center tip line. Many of these appear to be based on unverified tips received by the agency and were made without supporting evidence.

The list includes numerous allegations of sexual abuse made against Trump, Epstein and other high-profile figures.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein's victims.

When asked about the latest allegations, both the White House and justice department pointed to a line in a news release accompanying the new batch of files.

"Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election," the US Justice Department said.

"To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponised against President Trump already."

The director of the new documentary on First Lady Melania Trump also appeared in a photo embracing a young woman in the files.

Brett Ratner, who also directed the Rush Hour films and X-Men: The Last Stand, can be seen sitting on a sofa beside Epstein and two women whose identities have been obscured.

There is no indication of wrongdoing from the files. The BBC has contacted Ratner's representative for comment.

The documents also include email correspondence between Epstein and tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case, has previously said that Epstein had invited him to his island but he had declined.

The new emails show Musk had discussed travelling there on more than one occasion - including a proposed 2012 trip - in which he asked Epstein: "What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?"

The emails from November 2012 show Epstein asked how many people Musk would need transporting on a helicopter to the island and Musk replies that it would only be himself and his then-wife, Talulah Riley.

An email from Musk to Epstein on Christmas in 2012 includes Musk inquiring whether the financier had any parties planned because he needs to "let loose".

"I've been working to the edge of sanity this year and so, once my kids head home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose," he writes, adding that a "peaceful island experience" is the opposite of what he's wanting.

In another batch of emails from the end of 2013, Musk and Epstein discuss a visit to the financier's island and are working on logistics and dates.

There is no evidence that Musk ever did end up taking a trip to Epstein's island.

Musk said in an X post on Saturday that he was "well aware that some email correspondence with [Epstein] could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name".

He added: "I don't care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls."

A spokesperson for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has responded to lurid allegations contained in the latest Epstein files – including that he caught a sexually-transmitted disease – calling them "absolutely absurd and completely false".

Two emails from 18 July 2013 appear to have been drafted by Epstein but it is unclear if they were ever sent to Gates. Both were sent from Epstein's email account and back to the same account, while no email account associated with Gates is visible and both emails are unsigned.

One email is written as a resignation letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and complains about having had to procure medicine for Gates "to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls".

The other, which begins "dear Bill", complains about Gates having ended a friendship and makes more claims about Gates having tried to cover up a sexually transmitted infection, including from his then-wife, Melinda.

A spokesperson for Gates told the BBC: "These claims – from a proven, disgruntled liar – are absolutely absurd and completely false."

They added: "The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame."

The files also contain thousands of messages that appear to be sent between the late convicted sex offender and one of Trump's former top advisers, Steve Bannon.

While the pair's relationship is well-documented, including in previous files published by the US Department of Justice, the latest release suggests the relationship was close and they were in frequent contact before Epstein's death in 2019.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not respond to requests for comment from the BBC.

He has previously acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage from that project. In a live taping of his podcast last year, Bannon said: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, next year - early next year."

Many of the text messages released in the latest batch include Bannon's name. Epstein's name is redacted, although the details and subjects discussed - such as the making of a documentary - suggest it is him.

Most messages were sent in 2018 and 2019 after Bannon left his role in the first Trump White House.

In one text thread dated December 2018, Bannon appears to refer to filming with Epstein and floats the possibility of entering it for major film festivals.

Bannon asks: "Are u ready to actually make this—the real way?"

Epstein responds: "Dude. I AM the real way."

Bannon later asks Epstein: "Are you serious about a film?—dead serious?". Epstein replies that he likes the idea, but adds: "I will defer to you, if you think it is counterproductive."

A second text message exchange, from April 2019, shows Bannon apparently strategising with Epstein on how to change the narrative around his past crimes.

"First we need to push back on the lies ; then crush the pedo/trafficking narrative ; then rebuild your image as a philanthropist," Bannon writes in one text.

A source close to Epstein, meanwhile, told the BBC's US partner CBS News that the disgraced financier had been planning a public relations campaign aimed at portraying himself in a redemptive light before his death.

Gloria Allred, a women's rights lawyer who has represented many of Epstein's victims, told the BBC that numerous survivors' names had been disclosed in the latest release, including some who had not been previously identified publicly.

"In some cases... they have a line through the names but you can still read the names," she said. "In other cases, they've shown photos of victims - survivors who have never done a public interview, never given their name publicly."

Many of the documents released on Friday include heavy redactions. The law mandates that redactions can only be made to protect victims or information currently under investigation. It also mandates a summary of the redactions made and the legal basis for them.

The justice department said it was "working around the clock to address any victim concerns, additional redactions of personally identifiable information, as well as any files that require further redactions under the Act, to include images of a sexual nature".

Allred said that while her legal team was working to inform the department of where further redactions were needed to protect survivors' identities, "many people have already downloaded the files".

It is uncertain if this is the end of the road for the Epstein documents release saga.

Blanche said Friday's drop "marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process" signalling that as far as the US justice department is concerned, it's job over.

However, Democrats continue to argue that the department has withheld too many documents – possibly around two-and-a-half million – without proper justification.

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who spearheaded the Epstein Files Transparency Act alongside Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, said he's wary.

"The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions," he said.

"This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld."

The DOJ had been under heavy scrutiny after missing the 19 December deadline to release all files as mandated in the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed Congress and was signed into law in November.

But still, whether this saga is over remains to be seen.

Many - including within Trump's base - have long believed there was a conspiracy to protect the rich and powerful who were connected to Epstein.

Speaking to ABC on Sunday, Blanche said that apart from a "small number of documents" that may be released if a judge approves it - the DOJ's review of Epstein-related files "is over".

Additional reporting by Jack Fenwick, Chi Chi Izundu and Amy Walker