Tens of thousands of files relating to the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein are due to be made public within the next month.
Donald Trump has signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, forcing the disclosure of a wide range of files linked to civil and criminal cases involving Epstein.
The material could shed more light on the activities of Epstein, who socialised with high-profile figures including the likes of Donald Trump, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson.
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Their connections have already been revealed in more than 20,000 files made public last week.
The US justice department has turned over more than 33,000 pages to the House Oversight Committee. But a judge who presided over an Epstein-related case this year said there are roughly 100,000 pages in total.
Here is what the public should expect to see:
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What must be released?
The legislation is far-reaching and specifies exactly what categories of files must be turned over by the justice department within the next 30 days.
It demands the release of all files relating to Epstein himself, including investigations, prosecutions and custodial matters, as well as records connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who is serving a 20-year prison term for sex trafficking.
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The legislation requires that files are released about individuals, including government officials, named or connected to Epstein’s criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity agreements, plea bargains or investigatory proceedings.
Other files which must be turned over include internal communications, including emails, memos, and meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates.
Politicians have said this is critical to uncovering whether powerful figures have received special treatment or protection.
It is also a direct response to criticism of a controversial 2008 plea deal in Florida, which allowed Epstein to avoid federal sex trafficking charges and instead plead guilty to lesser state charges.
Another closely watched provision involves the release of flight logs and travel records, revealing who may have travelled with Epstein.
There has been ongoing public scepticism about Epstein’s death in custody in New York in 2019, deemed to be suicide, while he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The bill orders the release of documentation about Epstein’s detention and death, including incident reports, witness interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and written records detailing the circumstances and cause of death.
Finally, there is even a clause about the paperwork trail relating to any destruction, deletion, or concealment of files or electronic data related to Epstein.
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Will we be able to see everything?
Some of the files released so far have been partly redacted, with victims’ names, passenger names and details of ongoing investigations obscured.
The legislation also allows the attorney general to withhold some files, including records that “would jeopardise an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary”.
It is unclear how that might affect files being released because the legislation doesn’t define how long “temporary” is or what the penalty for failing to comply would be.
But the bill’s language makes it clear that the bar to withhold information is high, even “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity”.
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Why are the files being released now?
Until recently, Donald Trump had urged Republican politicians to oppose the release of Epstein files. But he reversed course this week as it became clear the bill had enough support to pass with or without his backing.
Only 20% of Americans – including just 44% of Republicans – approve of how Trump has handled the Epstein case, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
Around 70% of poll respondents – including 87% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans – said they believe the government is hiding information about Epstein’s clients.
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The US president accused Democrats of weaponising the Epstein scandal to undermine his accomplishments and divert attention from what he called Republican policy victories.
He has ordered the justice department to investigate several Democratic figures who were associated with Epstein.
What has the fallout been so far?
Wealthy and powerful figures have appeared in Epstein’s social circle, although their mention in the Epstein files does not mean they are involved in any wrongdoing.
So far, there is no evidence suggesting anyone else, except Ghislaine Maxwell, was involved in sex trafficking with Epstein.
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However, some high-profile individuals have suffered significant reputational damage after they maintained ties to Epstein after his 2008 conviction.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince who was recently stripped of his titles, has faced calls to give evidence to the US Congress about his relationship with Epstein. He has previously denied allegations of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, who says she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
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According to the files, Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as the UK ambassador to the US in September, still had contact with Epstein in 2016.
And former US treasury secretary Larry Summers continued to stay in touch with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, asking him at one point for relationship advice. Mr Summers said this week he was “deeply ashamed” and would be stepping back from public life.
The family of Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year and released a posthumous autobiography about her abuse as a teenager, have released a statement. They said the decision to release the files was “nothing short of monumental”.
“Every name must be revealed, regardless of power, wealth, or party affiliation. For Virginia, her sisters, and survivors across the world, this is a momentous step towards a long-overdue justice.
“We await the full release of the Epstein files from the Department of Justice eagerly, and we will not stop until the full truth is out.”
