Is it the DOJ vs. the attorney general? In the latest twist on Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department said on Monday that he did NOT maintain a “client list.” The agency also said it will not make any more files related to the wealthy financier’s sex trafficking investigation public. Social media was instantly in shambles, given that Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously made different promises!
Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. His suicide ended the possibility of a trial.
RELATED: Aht! Aht! FBI Promises Video Proof Of Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Amid Viral Conspiracy Theories
Trump Administration Previously Fueled Epstein ‘Client List’ Theory
Monday’s announcement marks a public retraction of a theory that the Trump administration had helped promote. Leading up to his death, social media had floated the theory that a client list of celebrities and high-status clients looked to Jeffrey Epstein for the trafficking of underage girls.
Earlier this year, Bondi suggested in a Fox News interview that such a document was “sitting on my desk” for review. The AG, for weeks, had suggested more material was going to be revealed.
“It’s a new administration, and everything is going to come out to the public,” she said at one point. That statement came after President Donald Trump’s base wasn’t too happy about the agency’s first document dump. That happened in February after the White House invited far-right influencers for a visit and gave them binders marked “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “Declassified.” Despite the hype, the documents were largely already public.
After the first release fell flat, Bondi said officials were poring over a “truckload” of previously withheld evidence that the FBI provided. In a March TV interview, she claimed the Biden administration “sat on these documents, no one did anything with them.”
“Sadly these people don’t believe in transparency, but I think more unfortunately, I think a lot of them don’t believe in honesty,” Bondi claimed.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said Monday that Bondi was referring to the overall Epstein case files.
Justice Dept. Is Done With Epstein Files Release
As recently promised, the DOJ did release video from inside a New York jail meant to prove that Epstein killed himself definitively. However, a memo also said it refused to disclose other evidence investigators had collected. In their words: no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” The department noted that a court placed much of the material under seal to protect victims.
“Only a fraction of it would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial,” the memo added. “One of our highest priorities is combating child exploitation and bringing justice to victims,” the memo says. “Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.”
A general description of the evidence the DOJ is holding back includes “images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors,” and more than 10,000 “downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography.” The memo does not explain when or where the videos were located, who or what they depict. It also did not clarify whether investigators recently uncovered the evidence or had it for some time.
The two-page memo contained the Justice Department and the FBI logos, but no official signed it.
Here’s What AP Has Found On Possible Videos Connected To Epstein
Last week, the Associated Press published a story about unanswered questions surrounding possible video evidence. Bondi previously cited the existence of “tens of thousands” of videos that she said showed Epstein “with children or child porn.” Multiple people who participated in the criminal cases of Epstein and socialite former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell told AP that they had not seen and did not know about such recordings.
Indictments and detention memos also don’t allege the existence of video recordings. Additionally, neither Epstein nor Maxwell was charged with possession of child sex abuse material.
The AP did find reference in a filing in a civil lawsuit to the discovery by the Epstein estate of videos and pictures that could constitute child sex abuse material. However, lawyers involved in that case said a protective order prevents them from discovering the specifics of that evidence.
On another note, Elon Musk recently shared photos of a clown applying makeup. His post appears to mock Bondi for saying the client list doesn’t exist after suggesting that it was on her desk months ago.
RELATED: Say, WHAT?! Elon Musk Claims Donald Trump Is Allegedly Listed In The Jeffrey Epstein Files
Associated Press Staff Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
