US judge orders unsealing of court records from abandoned Jeffrey Epstein case

December 5, 2025

A Florida federal judge has approved the Department of Justice's request to unseal grand jury records from investigations into Jeffrey Epstein conducted in 2005 and 2007, following congressional passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month. The legislation mandates release of unclassified materials related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell by December 19, overriding previous federal rules protecting grand jury secrecy that had blocked an earlier unsealing attempt in August. The original Florida investigation concluded without federal charges after Epstein reached a controversial 2008 non-prosecution deal and pleaded guilty only to state prostitution offenses.

Who is affected

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse
The general public seeking information about the investigations
Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking
The Department of Justice and FBI
President Donald Trump, who has been politically affected by calls for file release
Federal prosecutors in Florida and New York
Congressional Democrats on the House Oversight Committee

What action is being taken

The justice department is requesting the unsealing of documents in New York from Epstein's 2019 and Maxwell's 2021 sex-trafficking cases
Maxwell's attorney is asking for her early release from prison
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are releasing images from Epstein's island

Why it matters

This matters because it addresses longstanding questions about how Epstein avoided federal sex-trafficking charges through a controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement despite evidence of abusing underage girls. The unsealing provides transparency into potential failures in the justice system and investigative processes that allowed a convicted paedophile to escape serious federal prosecution for years. The disclosure may reveal information about other individuals involved in or aware of Epstein's criminal activities and could impact ongoing investigations into his network.

What's next

The justice department, FBI, and federal prosecutors must disclose materials amassed during Epstein investigations by December 19, as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Read full article from source: BBC